Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

27/07/2022

Find out how our Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAAs) are delivering new innovations. From overcoming challenges in the water industry to prototype robotics and more, read how IAAs are benefitting society:

EPSRC Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAAs) are accelerating the impact of Engineering and Physical Sciences research to deliver economic and societal benefits

23/10/2020

The new UKRI website is launching soon! For the first time we’re bringing together all our news and funding opportunities from across the councils.
Find out more:

We are creating a unified UKRI website that brings together the existing research council, Innovate UK and Research England websites. If you would like to be involved in its development let us know.

04/03/2020

25/01/2020

Guess how many five-pound textbooks this piece of cut-and-folded paper can hold up without collapsing!

This research into the art of kirigami, part-funded by EPSRC with National Science Foundation (NSF), demonstrates the incredible power of maths to turn soft materials into strong, rigid objects.

A team of researchers found that using the origami-inspired art of paper cutting and folding, it is possible to create super strong models from lightweight soft materials without the need for adhesives or fasteners.

15/01/2020

How can I stop my clothes shedding microfibres in the wash? 🤔

Microfibres are tiny strands released from materials like nylon, synthetic fleece and polyester. 👕 They flow down the drain when we wash our clothes and end up in the oceans - they're even turning up in the fish that we eat.

New EPSRC-funded research has shown that a shorter, cooler wash cycle can reduce microfibre release by up to 52%.

Here's how you can reduce microfibre shedding from your clothes:

🌍 Think carefully about whether all your clothes need to be washed after every wear - especially ones that aren't worn close to your skin, like fleeces
🌍 If your clothes just need to be freshened up, wash them on the coolest setting for 30 minutes
🌍 At the end of your synthetic clothing's life, consider natural fibre replacements. But don't throw your clothes away if there's still life in them - washing at cool temperatures will help them last longer and keep them out of landfill
🌍 Consider investing in a microfibre-catching laundry bag

The research was done by academics at University of Leeds and specialists from Procter & Gamble.

See our website for more information about the study:
https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/news/quick-cool-wash-cycles-gentler-on-clothes-and-microfibres/?previewid=F40D59D3-C49A-49D6-9534334B95FE8FF1

28/12/2019

Yes, these are robotic trousers. No, they're not from Wallace and Gromit - researchers hope that 'The Right Trousers'' will help people with mobility issues keep their independence. Read more 👇

Professor Johnathan Rossiter from the University of Bristol discusses the wearable robotic 'Smart Trousers' his team are developing to support the mobility and independence of older and disabled people.

24/12/2019

Ever heard of pee-powered robots? Don't worry, parents - this isn't the latest toy craze of 2019. It is, however, a technology that could improve lives and drive a cleaner economy around the world 🌍

EPSRC-funded engineers at University of Bristol work on robots and technology powered by microbial fuel cells. The fuel cells use bacteria to drive an electric current, almost like a living battery ⚡️
To feed the bacteria, the system needs to consume organic matter collected from the environment. The possibility for energy sources is endless: from sugar to rotten fruit to human waste 💩

By using waste matter as a fuel, the technology can clean up and generate energy at the same time, even in places where traditional energy sources are scarce. PeePower® technology was deployed at Glastonbury festival to convert festival-goers' urine into power, but the potential benefits go beyond muddy fields in Somerset. 🥾🥾

In July 2017, the technology was installed at Seseme Girls School in Kisoro, Uganda, lighting the toilet facilities and helping students to stay safe when visiting the toilets at night 💡

In future, microbial fuel cells could lead to fully-autonomous robots that move around the environment collecting their own 'food' as they work. Ponder that on your next trip to the bathroom! 🤔

For more information, see https://epsrc.ukri.org/blog/engineeringenergyfromwaste/

This project has also received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the EU

23/12/2019

You might never have thought about how sustainable fake snow is, but the people at Snow Business who make winter happen for blockbuster movies were quite keen to find a way to make it jmore environmentally friendly. So they asked scientists for help:

You probably saw one at your local Christmas fair: a snow machine pumping out fake snowflakes. But fake snow hasn't always been environmentally friendly.