With the global economy stabilising, steady improvements in overall demand and a strong recovery in the smartcard market segment, microcontroller sales are set to reach a new high of $16.1bn, according to IC Insights' new mid-year update to the 2014 McClean Report. [ + ]

Australia risks being left behind as the only country in the OECD that does not have a national science and technology, or innovation policy, according to the Chief Scientist, Ian Chubb. [ + ]

element14 and Adafruit have announced the finalists in its 'Hats Off' global design challenge. [ + ]

US-based research group Skajaquoda has launched a flexible solar panel with a USB charger that can be mounted on backpacks, camera straps and even bikes. [ + ]

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) recently held the Hawaii Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. [ + ]

Nearly 40% of women who earn engineering degrees quit the profession or never enter the field, reveals a new study. For those who leave, poor workplace climates and mistreatment by managers and co-workers are common reasons. [ + ]

First Solar claims to have achieved 21% efficiency for its cadmium-telluride (CdTe) PV research cell, as certified by the Newport Corporation's Technology and Applications Center (TAC) PV Lab. [ + ]

Scientists from South Korea have converted used cigarette butts into a high-performing material that could be integrated into computers, handheld devices, electrical vehicles and wind turbines to store energy. [ + ]

Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited and ON Semiconductor have announced that they have entered into a foundry services agreement. [ + ]

There is a growing trend to connect embedded products to the cloud/internet for control and monitoring applications. For embedded design engineers designing their first IoT product, knowing where to start can be a challenge. [ + ]

Researchers have developed a new display technology that automatically corrects for vision defects - no glasses or contact lenses required. [ + ]

NBN Co has selected Ericsson Australia to deliver fixed wireless and satellite services to families and businesses across regional and rural Australia. [ + ]

element14 has signed a direct agreement with Swissbit AG, a DRAM module and flash storage manufacturer. [ + ]

Stanford researchers are designing a pure lithium anode for rechargeable batteries. [ + ]

Engineer, entrepreneur and Sydney Engineering Excellence Award winner Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer.com, will launch Australian Engineering Week at the Harricks Address, sponsored by the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET). [ + ]