In the digital age of "overnight" success stories such as Facebook, the hard slog is easily overlooked.

Cordless vacuums are designed for quick jobs, but you need enough power to do the job; you don't want the power waning over time.

I think the search engines are the new equivalent of publishing: an enabler of information.

If robots are to clean our homes, they'll have to do it better than a person.

The media thinks that you have to make science sexy and concentrate on themes such as rivalry and the human issues.

Engineers are behind the cars we drive, the pills we pop and the way we power our homes.

Design and technology should be the subject where mathematical brainboxes and science whizzkids turn their bright ideas into useful products.