Latest News...
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Latest News
The latest news, events, developments, new technology and services involving MIRA, the leading providers of product engineering, testing, research and information services to any type of industry worldwide.
Team MIRA Win MOD Grand Challenge 2008 Award for:
"Best Use of Autonomy"
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MOD Chief Judge,
Dr. Mike Markin
MIRA Engineer,
Paul Jeary
TV Presenter,
Phillippa Forrester
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On Tuesday 19th August, MOD representatives and leading figures from the defence industry joined the competitors to celebrate the end of the MOD's Grand Challenge.
The challenge was to create a system with a high degree of autonomy that can detect, identify, locate and report a comprehensive range of military threats in an urban environment. The final test gave the surviving teams one hour to send their systems, a mixture of flying and ground vehicles, into Copehill Down village to identify a range of threats which were recreated by a mixture of realistic props and actors.
Team MIRA's hard work was rewarded with the Judge's commendation for the "Best Use of Autonomy".
MIRA's congratulations go to the overall winner of the RJ Mitchell Trophy: Team Stellar.
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20th August 2008 |
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Team MIRA Through to the Finals of MOD Grand Challenge |
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Team MIRA Through to Finals of MOD Grand Challenge
MACE1 (MIRA Autonomous Control Engineering 1) is currently competing at Cope Hill Down an uninhabited training village on Salisbury Plain, taking part in the MOD Grand Challenge. The Grand Challenge is a high profile head to head competition for autonomous vehicles, designed to assess both their autonomy and threat detection capabilities. The challenge is scheduled to run for approximately ten days starting on Friday 8th August with the goal of finding new technology to support ground troops in urban areas.
Team MIRA comprises MIRA Ltd, ERA Technologies Ltd, BAE Systems ATC, GFS Projects Ltd, University of Warwick and Royal Grammar Guilford School 6th Form. The team have entered an autonomous UGV (MACE1), a remotely operated UAV and a blimp. MACE1 carries the main sensor array, the short range unmanned aerial vehicle and also tows a trailer carrying the compacted blimp.
Together these three vehicles have the arduous task of identifying and classifying threats into four distinct categories. The competition rules define these categories as: Marksmen, Technical (a heavy weapon mounted on a vehicle), Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and a ‘Hostile Mob’. The majority of the detection, classification and reporting capabilities are incorporated into the MACE1 platform.
Having successfully completed a range of qualifying tasks Team MIRA were delighted to hear they are through to the finals. The winner will be announced on Tuesday 19th August so watch this space |
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8th August 2008 |
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BTCC - Double Podium for Team Halfords at Oulton Park |
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Round 7 of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship, saw Gordon Shedden win the third race meeting in front of a record crowd of more than 30,000 fans at Oulton Park.
In a welcome return to form for Team Halfords, both drivers stood on the podium this weekend, as Tom 'Sonic' Chilton also clinched second place in Race 1.
Having won both the Teams' and Drivers' Championships two years running in 2005/2006 with technical support from MIRA, Team Halfords switched to the new Honda Civic and S2000 rules from 2007. The combination of subtle regulation changes coupled with the added complications of designing a brand new car proved just enough to allow the 2007 title to slip though their hands, despite a strong showing all season.
The Team are currently 3rd in the Championship, but with an revised aero pack and more improvements in the pipeline, all eyes are now on the independent team to win the 2008 title. |
| Image courtesy of
Jacob Ebrey |
28th July 2008 |
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Wednesday in the Wind Tunnel for Work Experience |
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Up and down the country it's work experience week, so many of MIRA's departments were joined by students from all over the west midlands. One of them was Andrew Davies of Nunnery Wood High School in Worcester.
Speaking of his experiences, Andrew observed: "I went to the wind tunnel on the 9th of July 2008 as part of my work experience. While I was there I found out that wind tunnels aren't only useful for cars and bikes, they are vital for all sorts of other products, such as life rafts..." |
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10th July 2008 |
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Aero-acoustics training course is a breeze |
Workshop session in MIRA's full scale wind tunnel
The course includes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) theory and demonstrations |
We have received excellent feedback from attendees to MIRA’s debut Aero-acoustics training course. Calling on specialists in MIRA’s NVH and fluids engineering teams the course included:
- Presentations from MIRA’s aerodynamic experts
- Introduction to vehicle aerodynamics
- Experimental techniques used in aero-acoustic development
- Simulation techniques used in aero-acoustic development
- Presentations from industry experts
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) theory and demonstrations
- Physical demonstrations
- Workshop sessions in MIRA’s full scale wind tunnel
- Consultancy sessions
In this instance the course was tailored to meet the specific requirements of one vehicle manufacturer who provided all 14 delegates. This enabled the practical sessions to be based around the customer’s products.
Encouraged by this success, further courses are planned with the next course scheduled for November 2008.
For further details on this and other MIRA training course follow the link below:
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9th July 2008 |
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2nd Crash Demonstration Day Goes with a Bang. |
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Around 170 delegates witnessed four controlled collisions at a crash demonstration day hosted by MIRA on behalf of "The Passive Revolution".
The 2nd event of its kind event showcased the latest developments in passively safe roadside furniture - arranged in response to the over-subscribed inaugural event held in October 07.
The day culminated in a test of an 'approved' armco transition section placed just in front of a huge concrete block. A graphic illustration that there is far more to consider when designing safer roads than simply purchasing approved equipment. Click on the link below to see videos of all the action. |
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7th July 2008 |
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MIRA Applaud DFT Announcement on CO2 Reduction Projects |
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Today at an announcement in London the DFT clearly explained the vision for a range of Government supported, ecologically sound, transport R&D programmes. New funding will catalyse the development of automotive technologies that will significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector & help address directly the EU 2012 CO2 targets.
Limo-Green
One such project will use a lightweight aluminium body structure as a basis for a large luxury vehicle with an advanced series-hybrid electric driveline. MIRA is being commissioned to deliver the advanced drive motor & battery pack. The project aim is to demonstrate a vehicle with sub 120g/km CO2 whilst maintaining premium quality characteristics. |
John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities & Skills talks with MIRA's Derek Charters about MIRA's plug-in hybrid car "H4V".
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08 May 2008 |
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A team of Big Hearted Bikers will be making their way around 5 Countries in just 5 days , visiting 7 famous circuits along the way - all to raise money and awareness for Cancer Research UK. The bikers will travel through England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, stopping off at MIRA on Friday 16th May in a bid to raise £25,000 for Cancer Research UK.
750 people are diagnosed with cancer each week.
Sponsor the bikers today by clicking the link below: www.justgiving.com/bighartedbikers5countries/5days |
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Plans were revealed today for ‘innovITS – ADVANCE’, a futuristic research and development centre to be based at MIRA. A detailed design and planning study is underway, due for completion in August 2008.
The new facility will enable customers from the telecommunications, automotive and electronics industries, as well as highways authorities and operators, to develop, test and validate future transport technologies in a safe highly controlled environment.
The entire innovITS – ADVANCE project represents an investment of approximately €30m over five phases, the first of which is scheduled to open for business in late summer 2009. |
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31st March 2008 |
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Aerodynamics Conference -Call for Papers
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Click here to submit you abstract |
New wind tunnels continue to appear, empirical techniques are refined and the maturation of CFD is virtually complete, so where are the new frontiers of knowledge?
The 7th MIRA International Vehicle Aerodynamics Conference is firmly established as the forum to discover the latest trends in all areas of aerodynamic development. |
Abstracts deadline: March 21st 2008. |
28th February 2008 |
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Thatcham has opened its first regional training centre. Specifically targeting vehicle damage assessment, the new facility is based at MIRA's HQ in Nuneaton.
Jason Moseley, Thatcham's chief operating officer, said: "With the Thatcham/BSI Kitemark scheme now highlighting the need for fully trained and competent technicians, the demands on our Training Centre are increasing daily." It will be staffed by a full-time team in addition to the current trainers and administration staff based in Berkshire. |
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21st February 2008 |
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MIRA's Terry Spall was interviewed yesterday by the BBC at the IMechE Headquarters about the viability of a new style of transport...a car powered by compressed air.
A French engineer has claimed he will be ready to start selling a car with no carbon emissions within a year.
Click here to view the BBC news item. |
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13th February 2008 |
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MIRA has been named as "Crash Test Company of the Year" in the annual Automotive Testing Technology International Awards.
MIRA became the first company ever to pick up back-to-back titles in the industry's equivalent of the oscars.
"MIRA has consistently been there for auto makers" Keith Read, European Correspondent. |
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2nd January 2008 |
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Around 300 attendees witnessed five crashes at a crash demonstration day hosted by MIRA on behalf of "The Passive Revolution". The event showcased the latest developments in passively safe roadside furniture.
Click on the link below to see videos of all the action. |
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22nd October 2007 |
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MIRA’s EMC laboratories are now approved by the traditional “Big 3” automakers. Daimler Chrysler’s recent approval is the latest in a string of appointments that confirms MIRA’s place at the heart of a very select group. |
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17th July 2007 |
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The event programme is now available for 'Lean Weight Vehicles 7' which will be held at the International Manufacturing Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
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17th July 2007 |
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Visteon Corporation (NYSE:VC) paid tribute to MIRA Ltd., Visteon’s Environmental Test Partner who provide test facilities, expertise, programme design & implementation as well as teardown & analysis services, by presenting the company with a V.I.P. award
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1st May 2007 |
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On August 23 2006 JCB DIESELMAX achieved over 350mph (563kph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, breaking the 30 year old land speed record for diesel-powered cars for the second time in a week. Wing Commander Andy Green was at the wheel. |
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10th September 06 |
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Tuesday 4th July saw MIRA opening another development facility specifically designed for larger and heavier vehicles; HVSAC - the latest addition to our suite of Electro-magnetic Compatibility (EMC)chambers. |
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6 July 2006 |
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On the 15th June, Dr Stephen Ladyman MP, The Minister of State for Transport was granted exclusive access to MIRA’s development facilities housed at the company’s HQ in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
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21 June 2006 |
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"Optimus", MIRA's truck cab concept, was unveiled at the CV show on Tuesday 25th April 2006 at Birmingham's NEC.
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28 April 2006 |
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Visitors to MIRA's stand at the CV Show saw our new truck cab concept and much more besides...
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28 April 2006 |
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Events...
RBS Williams F1
Conference Centre,
Oxfordshire, UK
23 September 2008
Coventry, UK
22 - 23 October 2008
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