The odds that the quantum computer will be built of silicon have increased now that researchers from the Centre for Quantum Computer Technology (CQCT) have announced recently invented technology.

Researcher Srinivas Vanapalli has investigated the possibilities for the extreme cooling of electronic components at a chip level.

Regarding safety, choosing a multimeter is like choosing a motorcycle helmet – if you have a 'ten-dollar' head, choose a 'ten-dollar' helmet. If you value your head, get a safe helmet. The same applies to multimeters – if you value your life, choose one that protects you accordingly. So, as long as you choose a multimeter with a high enough voltage rating, you're safe, right? Not exactly.

During the design and production of electronic products, complex circuitry or subsystems need to be tested and often require additional signals from a missing or difficult-to-obtain component or sensor.

A researcher at the University of Southampton has developed a self-powered sensor to monitor progress during knee operations.

European researchers have taken a step towards the goal of developing printable electronics that can be used for creating radiofrequency identification tags and flexible watch displays.

With its M3000 series, Epcos has developed a temperature sensor with a PVC-free cable that contains no halogens, environmentally harmful plasticisers or stabilisers with heavy metals.

IMEC and AIXTRON have demonstrated the growth of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures on 200 mm silicon wafers. This demonstration is another step towards fabricating low-cost GaN power devices for high-efficiency/high-power systems beyond the silicon limits.

Nanotechnology could improve the life of the lithium batteries used in portable devices, including laptop computers, MP3 players and mobile phones. Research has demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can prevent batteries from losing charge capacity over time.

Proof that the ‘avalanche effect’ by electrons occurs in specific, very small semiconducting crystals could pave the way for cheap high-output solar cells.

A transistor that uses gallium nitride (GaN) instead of silicon has been invented. It can reduce power consumption and improve the efficiency of power electronics systems in everything from motor drives and hybrid vehicles to house appliances and defence equipment.

New models of how two types of power transistors perform that will result in more efficient smart electrical circuits, making technologies such as cars and home appliances more reliable and environmentally friendly, have been developed by European researchers.

The safety of lithium-ion batteries has been improved so that in future they could replace motor vehicle lead acid batteries. At the same time, lithium-ion batteries used in computers and other small devices have been made safer following research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg.

Graphene has been used to create the world’s smallest transistor, one atom thick and 10 atoms wide, according to Dr Kostya Novoselov and Prof Andre Geim from The School of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester.

Researchers at The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany are working towards the industrial mass production of organic solar cells.