Helen Knight

Robot sensing and smartphones help blind navigate

Technology that helps robots navigate has another purpose: helping blind people find their way around

Liquid air stores power

A pilot plant that uses air cooled to −190 Celsius could be used to store energy from unreliable renewables

Oceans of power: the resurrection of ocean thermal

A long discounted form of clean energy is ready for resurrection, thanks to some unexpected allies. Helen Knight reports

BP gears up for shot at a relief well

The last resort for stemming the flow of oil from the Deepwater Horizon presents a huge technical challenge

The next best thing to oil

Energy from concentrating solar power is already being used to generate hydrogen – its a short step from there to liquid hydrocarbons

Invisible decider: the subtle persuader in your pocket

Your phone and web browser are making choices for you, whether you want them to or not. Helen Knight investigates

Tech before its time: The missing hyperlink

HyperCard inspired the web browser and the hyperlink – once a handful of people figured out how to use it

Impossible inventions: A fluorescent lightbulb moment

The creator of energy-saving lightbulbs was expecting his design to fail – it became one of the most important inventions in the history of domestic lighting

Can a robot really BE you in the office

Telepresence robots are representing their human controllers in the workplace, but how well they will fit in is still unclear

Wave-power ships bring home cheaper electricity

Ships could harvest wave power, store it in on-board batteries and then feed it into the grid to meet peak demand