Imagine tiny wireless sensors the size of a grain of sand that can be implanted in the human body to monitor nerves, muscles and organs in real time. Sounds like something from the movie Honey, I shrunk the kids, right? [ + ]

As well as causing widespread damage to buildings, roads and infrastructure, tragically the earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand, on 22 February 2011 claimed 185 lives. The massive effort being deployed to restore the city's infrastructure has created a need for a huge amount of resources, challenging local building companies and construction material suppliers to step up their production. [ + ]

At a German delicatessen company, a Busch central vacuum supply for the packaging machines has improved efficiency and reduced energy consumption by 70%. [ + ]

A self-powered, octopus-inspired, entirely soft robot has been demonstrated in Nature. Soft robots are resilient and have the ability to adapt to some natural environments better than conventional robots made of rigid materials. However, the autonomy of soft robots has been limited by the need for hard batteries or wires to fuel the bots, tethering them to a rigid power source. [ + ]

Cabot Carbon's plant in Barry, Wales, needed to solve the problem of how to measure the silo level of fumed silica, a light material that presents significant difficulties for bulk measurement. [ + ]

An ABB manufacturing execution system raises productivity for a nutritional products manufacturer. [ + ]

More efficient production accelerates the spread of ceramic sanitary ware to improve sanitary conditions in Vietnam. [ + ]

A digital assistance system developed by Fraunhofer researchers will enable significantly more workers to ensure the quality of crankcase honing at Volkswagen. [ + ]

A partnership with Endress+Hauser provided Nexeo with complete project management through engineering, installation, commissioning and training. [ + ]

Kalumbila Minerals had ambitious output goals for Sentinel, its copper mine development project in north-west Zambia, and needed to recruit an entire workforce to build the infrastructure from scratch all while minimising costs. [ + ]

A massive Australian LNG project operated by INPEX requires expertise to deliver safety systems as part of complex, multifaceted development. [ + ]

Automated RFID-based tool identification has modernised production at the SMS group. [ + ]

Food processors around the world are increasing production volumes and efficiencies by incorporating more advanced, continuous cooking and chilling systems. [ + ]

Nu-Pure Beverages produces bottled spring water that it needs to be sure is free from bacteria and other pathogens. [ + ]

A major food manufacturer in the United States implemented a wireless network of steam trap monitoring instruments to minimise energy loss and reduce maintenance costs. [ + ]