Articles: Software

Optimizing Industrial Embedded Imaging Development

Machine vision systems have traditionally consisted of stand-alone cameras tethered to PC-based boards or frame grabbers using highspeed interfaces such as Camera Link, CoaXPress and...

Briefs: Medical

Imaging System Makes Back Surgery Safer, Faster, Less Expensive

Researchers at Dartmouth have found a way to make back surgery safer, faster, and more cost effective. MRIs and CT scans can help surgeons identify spine problems such as...

Application Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Clear Vision for UAVs

The rapidly expanding world-wide use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) — drones — is driving a growing market for specialized imaging technology. According to Chris Yiu, General Manager, High Performance BU at...

Products: Lighting

New Products: January 2019 Photonics & Imaging Technology

VGA Sensor

Now available from FRAMOS (Ottawa, Canada), the Sony IMX426 Pregius™ 3rd generation Global Shutter CMOS image sensor provides 9μm pixel size and reaches VGA...

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

SPIE Photonics West 2019 Preview

The SPIE Photonics West 2019 technical conference and exhibition returns to The Moscone Center in San Francisco, February 2 through February 7, offering attendees the opportunity to explore the latest...

Briefs: Medical

Decoding Multiple Frames From a Single Scattered Exposure

Engineers at Duke University have developed a way to extract a sequence of images from light scattered through a mostly opaque material — or even off a wall — from one long...

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New X-Ray Scanning Method Reveals How Particles Move in Solution

A new method of X-ray scanning will allow for the visualization of many more biological molecules, providing critical information about what is inside molecules to scientists...

Articles: Medical

Ultrafast Laser Micromachining

Ultrashort pulse (USP) lasers for precision micromachining can minimize or avoid undesirable thermal effects that limit feature resolution, edge quality and, ultimately, product functionality. This is...

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Ultra-Thin “Meta-Lens” Enables Full-Color Imaging

Light of different colors travels at different speeds in different materials and structures. This is why we see white light split into its constituent colors after refracting through a...

Application Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Cleaning or Etching Items with Unique Geometries

Cleaning, an integral part of many manufacturing and maintenance processes, is often critical to the performance of a broad range of technologies in the semiconductor, defense, MEMS, photonics...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Microresonators Offer Simpler Approach to Sensing With Light Pulses

Ultrashort optical pulses are becoming more and more relevant in a number of applications including distance measurement, molecular fingerprinting and ultrafast sampling....

Briefs: Medical

Portable, Wearable, Ultrasound Transducer

Researchers have developed a new ultrasound transducer that could dramatically lower the cost of ultrasound scanners to as little as $100. Conventional ultrasound scanners use piezoelectric crystals...

Briefs: Materials

Seal with Integrated Shroud to Protect from Exposure to Extreme Environments

Innovators at NASA's Glenn Research Center have designed a superior seal assembly that is durable and highly dependable in extremely harsh environments. This...

Q&A: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Q&A: University of Utah’s Robby Bowles 3D-Prints Cells to Produce Human Tissue

Professor Bowles has developed a method to 3D-print cells to produce human tissue. This replacement tissue can greatly improve the recovery of a person with a...

Briefs: Imaging

Imaging Technique Detects Skin Cancer Without Invasive Biopsy

Researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) have developed a non-invasive imaging technique that accurately detects skin cancer...

Briefs: Imaging

Enhanced X-Ray Imaging Determines Molecular Structure

For more than 100 years, X-rays have been used in crystallography to determine the structure of molecules. At the heart of the method are the principles of diffraction and superposition,...

5 Ws: Sensors/Data Acquisition

5 Ws of the Lead-Detection Smartphone System

Who

Individuals needing or wanting to examine lead content in their drinking water on-demand and in virtually any environmental setting.

Briefs: Aerospace

Modular Cross-Platform System Gives High-Speed Pilots Better Visual Aids

The ability to fly at supersonic speed without producing unsettling sonic booms would re-open a path to faster commercial aviation. In pursuit of aerodynamics that...

Briefs: Energy

Microscopy Technique Works at Extreme Heat

A stainless steel alloy — alloy 709 — has potential for elevated-temperature applications such as nuclear reactor structures. It is exceptionally strong and resistant to damage when exposed to...

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

3D Printing: The Impact of Post-Processing

The perception and promise of 3D printing are that it offers a digital workflow that is simple, fast, and automated — a process that is complexity-free. That perception is generally correct up to...

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Materials Move in Response to Light

In biology, there are many examples where light induces movement or change — think of flowers and leaves turning toward sunlight. Magnetic elastomeric composites were developed that move in different...

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Computed Tomography Inspection Applications in Additive Manufacturing

The ability of additive manufacturing to manage small volumes, create complex designs, and fabricate lightweight but strong structures makes it a natural fit for aerospace...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Microchip Tracks Smart Pills

Researchers have developed a prototype miniature medical device that could ultimately be used in smart pills to diagnose and treat diseases. A key to the new technology is that its location can be precisely...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Optically Transparent Polyimide Aerogels

Innovators at NASA's Glenn Research Center have expanded their growing portfolio of aerogels to include a new optically transparent polyimide aerogel. Aerogels — low-density, highly porous,...

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Products of Tomorrow: January 2019

This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that...

Briefs: Medical

Large-Volume Extruder for 3D Printers

A low-cost 3D bioprinter was built by modifying a standard desktop 3D printer with a syringe-based, large volume extruder (LVE). The extruder works with most open-source fused deposition modeling (FDM)...

Application Briefs: Aerospace

High-Res Science Made Possible with 8K Footage from Space

RED
Irvine, CA
www.red.com

NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have delivered the first 8K ultra-high-definition (UHD) video of astronauts living, working, and...

Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs

3D Printer Creates Complex Biological Tissues

A technique was developed that uses a specially adapted 3D printer to build therapeutic biomaterials from multiple materials. The advance could be a step toward on-demand printing of complex...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Device Measures Laser Power in Real Time

Lasers play roles in many manufacturing processes, from welding car parts to crafting engine components with 3D printers. To control these tasks, manufacturers must ensure that their lasers fire at...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Control of the Diameter and Chiral Angle Distributions During Production of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

Pulsed laser vaporization (PLV) production of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on traditional Co/Ni catalyst was explored with...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Rapid Nucleic Acid Isolation Method and Fluid Handling Devices

Gene expression analysis measures the activity of genes and reveals valuable information about the internal states of living cells. NASA Ames has developed a novel system for...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Hybrid, Wide-Range Detector Amplifier

Many applications require detection of both very small and very large signals. High-gain detector amplifiers provide low noise, but are easily swamped by large signals. Logarithmic amplifiers provide a...

Briefs: Medical

Shape-Shifting Material Morphs Using Heat and Light

A controllable material was developed that can transform into complex, pre-programmed shapes via light and temperature stimuli, allowing it to morph into a different shape before fully...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Contaminant-Free Steel

For many highly stressed engineering applications like bearings and gears, contaminated steel parts can lead to devastating outcomes such as an emergency shutdown or the end of a mission. Ensuring that these critical...

Briefs: Imaging

Computer Detects and Understands Body Language

Detecting the nuances of nonverbal communication between individuals will allow robots to serve in social spaces, enabling them to perceive what people around them are doing, what moods they are...

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Gateway Integrates Wireless Sensors with Existing Aircraft Systems

In traditional hardwired avionics systems, sensor integration requires installation of literally tons of physical cable that significantly increases vehicle weight and the...

Briefs: Medical

Compact Device for Detecting Rheumatoid Arthritis

A device that shows the difference between healthy fingers and arthritic fingers has been developed that combines ultrasound and photoacoustics medical imaging techniques. Combining these...

NASA Spinoff: Software

Design Software Transforms How Commercial Jetliners are Built

Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in...

Briefs: Motion Control

Ricocheting Radio Waves Monitor the Tiniest Movements

Infrared motion detectors can cover only a limited amount of space, a person has to be within the detector's line of sight to be detected, and lights can go off when a person remains...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Spanwise Adaptive Wing

NASA's Glenn Research Center developed a novel means of articulating the outboard portion of an aircraft wing to create the optimal geometry for given flight conditions. The Spanwise Adaptive Wing (SAW) concept employs...

Application Briefs: Transportation

Vehicle Design with System-Level Modeling

Maplesoft
Waterloo, ON, Canada
www.maplesoft.com

The demand for innovation is universal across industries, as new products are required to meet higher performance standards without...

Briefs: Medical

Soft Robotic “Sleeve” Fits Around the Heart to Help it Beat

Researchers have developed a customizable soft robot that fits around a heart and helps it beat, potentially opening new treatment options for people suffering from heart...

Briefs: Materials

Ancient Pigment Can Boost Energy Efficiency

Egyptian blue, derived from calcium copper silicate, was routinely used on ancient depictions of gods and royalty. Previous studies have shown that when Egyptian blue absorbs visible light, it then...

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Magnetic, 3D-Printed, Moving Structures

Soft, 3D-printed structures have been created whose movements can be controlled with a wave of a magnet, much like marionettes without the strings. The structures that can be magnetically manipulated...

Briefs: Aerospace

Modular, Multi-Mode-Propulsion, Unmanned Aerial Concept

NASA's Langley Research Center has developed an unmanned aerial vehicle concept for long-range, distributed aerial presence and delivery applications. This aircraft concept is capable...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Pilot-Assisted Check Valve for Low-Pressure Applications

Check valves are traditionally designed as a simple poppet/spring system where the spring is designed to equal the force created from the sealing area of the valve seat multiplied by...

Briefs: Medical

Platform Enables Modeling of a Human Heart on an Engineered Chip

Prescription drugs have enabled millions of Americans with chronic medical conditions to live longer and more fulfilling lives, but many promising new drugs never make it to...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Method and Means to Analyze Thermographic Data Acquired During Automated Fiber Placement

Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) machines can be susceptible to tow-tape defects such as gaps and overlaps. These can reduce strength between 7% and 32%....

Facility Focus: Electronics & Computers

Facility Focus: NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) has been a leader in human space exploration for more than half a century. Established in 1961 in Houston, TX as the Manned Spacecraft Center, the center...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Wearable “Microbrewery” Monitors Radiation Exposure

Radiology workers are regularly exposed to low doses of radiation when they obtain patient imagery such as X-rays. While protective gear largely keeps workers within a safe range of...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Membrane-Enhanced Lamina Emergent Torsion (M-LET) Joints

Lamina emergent compliant mechanisms (including origami-adapted compliant mechanisms) are mechanical devices that can be fabricated from a planar material (a lamina) and have motion...

Products: Test & Measurement

Product of the Month: January 2019 Tech Briefs

EFCO, San Diego, CA, introduced the SmartSL Plus embedded box computer with Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) capability. Powered by the 3rd Gen (Bay Trail) Intel^® Atom™ or...

Briefs: Medical

Dynamic Spine Brace Characterizes Spine Deformities

Spine deformities, such as idiopathic scoliosis and kyphosis (also known as “hunchback”), are characterized by an abnormal curvature in the spine. The children with these spinal...

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Large-Scale Robotic Inkjet Printing System

Painting of surfaces having numerous facets and/or curved surfaces is a time-consuming process that requires the application of several coats (layers) of paint. Such surfaces are often found on...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

3D Inks Can Be Erased Selectively

3D printing allows for the efficient manufacture of complex geometries. A very promising method is direct laser writing in which a computer-controlled focused laser beam acts as a pen and produces the...

Products: Electronics & Computers

New on the Market: January 2019

Laptop Computers

Eurocom, Nepean, ON, Canada offers Sky “C” Series laptop computers based on the Z370 Intel chipset and using CPU-upgrade-able, LGA1151 socket-based processors. They support up to...

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

‘Levitation’ Leads to More Durable MEMS Switches

Professor Sherry Towfighian spoke with Tech Briefs about how a new MEMS design will improve our cell phones and power lines.

Blog: Electronics & Computers

CES 2019: Artificial Intelligence Forecasts Famine

From CES 2019: For famine relief, the World Bank is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition

CES 2019 Digital Health Trends: Three 'Invisible' Technologies that Monitor the Heart

From CES 2019: Tech Briefs looks at three standout health-monitoring products.

Blog: Communications

More from CES 2019: Attack Surfaces Expand as Cars Increasingly Connect

David Barzilai from Karamba Security tells Tech Briefs what threats to the connected car concern him the most.

Podcasts: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Here's an Idea: Car Hacking

Today's cars are more connected than ever before — and manufacturers need to ensure those connections are secure.

INSIDER: Photonics/Optics

Detecting Light in a Different Dimension

Scientists from the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) — a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory — have dramatically improved...

INSIDER: Photonics/Optics

New Products: January 2019 Photonics & Imaging Insider

GigE Vision Interface

Pleora Technologies (Ottawa, Canada) introduced the imaging market’s first external frame grabber that converts Sony FCB-EV7520A block cameras into GigE...

INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

New Algorithm Can More Quickly Predict LED Materials

Researchers from the University of Houston have devised a new machine learning algorithm that is efficient enough to run on a personal computer and predict the properties of more than...

INSIDER: Photonics/Optics

NASA Investigates Ultrafast Laser Machining for Spaceflight Applications

An ultrafast laser that fires pulses of light just 100 millionths of a nanosecond in duration could potentially revolutionize the way NASA technicians manufacture...

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Embodied Logic: Researchers Build Artificial Venus Flytrap

Professor Jordan Raney spoke with Tech Briefs about what’s possible when you can embody 3D-printed objects with logic.

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Answering Your Questions: How to Sell Top Management on Failure Analysis, FMEA

A Failure Analysis may help find problems during product development, but what role should top management play in an FMEA?

INSIDER: Manufacturing & Prototyping

3D-Printed Soft Mesh Robots Move on Water

North Carolina State created 3D-printed flexible mesh structures that can be controlled with applied magnetic fields while floating on water. The structures can grab small objects and carry water...

INSIDER: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Ultraviolet Light Controls Fluid Flow

A simple, inexpensive method uses ultraviolet light to control particle motion and assembly within liquids. The method encourages particles to gather and organize at a specific location within a...