Renishaw, Hoffman Estates, IL, has introduced a 13-bit magnetic sensor for rotary and angular positioning control. Providing 8,192 counts per revolution, the sensors are available in chip, chip-on-board, and ready-to-mount packaged versions. The solid-state, non-contact design features an integrated circuit chip that...

A report describes the main features of a system for testing pyrotechnic and mechanical devices used to separate spacecraft and modules of spacecraft during flight. The system includes a spacecraft simulator [also denoted a large mobility base (LMB)] equipped with air thrusters, sensors, and...

The surface interferometric skin-friction (SISF) measurement system is an instrument for determining the distribution of surface shear stress (skin friction) on a wind-tunnel model. The SISF system utilizes the established oil-film interference method, along with advanced image-data-processing...

A laboratory method has been conceived to enable the enumeration of:

Cultivable bacteria and bacterial spores that are, variously, airborne by themselves or carried by, parts of, or otherwise associated with, other airborne particles; and Spore-forming bacteria among all of the...

A proposed approach to control of noise and chaos in dynamic systems would supplement conventional methods. The approach is based on fictitious forces composed of expectations governed by Fokker-Planck or Liouville equations that describe the evolution of the probability densities of the controlled...

A report proposes the development of a system to collect volatile elements and compounds from Lunar soil for use in supporting habitation and processing into rocket fuel. Prior exploratory missions revealed that H₂, He, and N₂ are present in Lunar soil and there are some...

A report proposes to use electrostriction to manipulate the ullage in a tank containing a dielectric liquid in a microgravitational environment. In the original intended application, the liquid would be a spacecraft propellant and the goal would be to force the ullage (comprising...

A document presents equations for scoring rules in a diagnostic and/or prognostic artificial-intelligence software system of the rule-based inference- engine type. The equations define a set of metrics that characterize the evaluation of a rule when data required for the antecedence clause(s) of...

A document describes the proposed addition of a radar function to the Autonomous Formation Flying Sensor, making possible coarse relative-position control to prevent collisions in the event of failure of one of the spacecraft. According to the proposal, in addition to tracking GPS-like...

The figure shows a compact, rugged, simple sensor head that is part of an instrumentation system for making measurements to characterize the severity of aircraft-icing conditions and/or to perform research on cloud physics. The quantities that are calculated from measurement data...

Electrolytes comprising, variously, LiPF₆ or LiPF₆ plus LiBF₄ dissolved at various concentrations in mixtures of alkyl carbonates and alkyl esters have been found to afford improved low-temperature performance in rechargeable lithium-ion...

A miniature electrostatic ion thruster is proposed that, with one exception, would be based on the same principles as those of the device described in the previous article, “Miniature Bipolar Electrostatic Ion Thruster” (NPO-21057). The exceptional feature of this thruster would be that, in...

A miniature electrostatic ion thruster is proposed for maneuvering small spacecraft. In a thruster based on this concept, one or more propellant gases would be introduced into an ionizer based on the same principles as those of the device described in the earlier article, “Miniature Bipolar...

The GigaTrack™ family of 2-GS/s track-and-hold amplifiers (THA) from Inphi® Corp. (Westlake Village, CA) delivers ultra-wide 18-GHz analog bandwidth.

The bandwidth, sample rate, and linearity make direct conversion and software-defined receivers possible, and help advance...

A proposed miniature device for ionizing the oxygen (or other oxidizing gas) in a fuel cell would consist mostly of a membrane ionizer using the same principles as those of the device described in the earlier article, “Miniature Bipolar Electrostatic Ion Thruster” (NPO-21057). The oxidizing gas...

Atmel® Corp. (San Jose, CA) has introduced the SAM9 family of ARM9-based Flash microcontrollers (MCUs) for real-time embedded applications.

An improved promoted-combustion system has been developed for studying the effects of elevated temperatures on the flammability of metals in pure oxygen. In prior promoted-combustion chambers, initial temperatures of metal specimens in experiments have been limited to the temperatures of...

PixelLearn is an integrated user-interface computer program for classifying pixels in scientific images. Heretofore, training a machine-learning algorithm to classify pixels in images has been tedious and difficult. PixelLearn provides a graphical user interface that makes it faster and more intuitive, leading to more interactive...

The NASA/Air Force Spacecraft Charging System Analyzer Program (Nascap-2K) is a comprehensive update, revision, and extension of several NASA and Air Force codes for predicting electrical charging of spacecraft. Nascap-2K integrates the capabilities and models included in four independent...

Osculating/Mean Orbital Element Conversion (C version) (OSMEANC) is a C-language computer program that performs precise conversions between osculating and mean classical orbital elements. OSMEANC can be used for precise design of spacecraft missions and maneuvers and precise calculation of...

A computer program, designed to assist in the development and debugging of other software, generates a two-dimensional (2D) representation of a possibly complex ndimensional (where n is an integer >2) data structure or abstract rank-n object in that other software. The nature of the...

A wet pressurized pyrolysis (wet carbonization) process has been invented as a means of producing activated carbon from a wide variety of inedible biomass consisting principally of plant wastes. The principal intended use of this activated carbon is room-temperature adsorption of pollutant...

Improved composite solid polymer electrolytes (CSPEs) are being developed for use in lithium-ion power cells. The matrix components of these composites, like those of some prior CSPEs, are highmolecular- weight dielectric polymers [generally based on polyethylene oxide (PEO)]. The...

Anodized aluminum components can be treated to make them sufficiently electrically conductive to suppress discharges of static electricity. The treatment was conceived as a means of preventing static electric discharges on exterior satin-anodized aluminum (SAA) surfaces of spacecraft without...

A commercially available cryogenic direct-acting solenoid valve has been modified to incorporate a rapid-chill feature. In the original application for which this feature was devised, there is a requirement to ensure that at all times, the valve outlet flow consists entirely or mostly...

Several improved techniques for connecting superconducting thin films on substrates have been developed. The techniques afford some versatility for tailoring the electronic and mechanical characteristics of junctions between superconductors in experimental electronic devices. The techniques...

A proposed system of tooling, machinery, and control equipment would be capable of performing any of several friction stir welding (FSW) and friction plug welding (FPW) operations. These operations would include the following:

Researchers at the University of Manchester (Manchester, UK) have devised an experimental method of virtual reality for the treatment of phantom limb pain (PLP) experienced by some amputees. Using headsets, data gloves, and other sensors, amputees used their remaining physical limbs to control the movements of a...

At Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a team led by assistant professor Marin Soljacic is developing a method to broadcast power to devices to charge them, rather than depending on cords and cables. Instead of irradiating the environment with electromagnetic waves, a power transmitter would fill the space around...

Engineers at Nippon Telephone & Telegraph (NTT, Tokyo, Japan) have developed three separate prototype devices that use a new electric field/photonics method allowing the surface of the body to be used as a safe, high-speed network transmission path. Called "RedTacton," a transmission path is formed at the moment a part of...

Computer science engineers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed wireless sensor networks with software agents that have been able to navigate a robot safely through a simulated fire, and spot a fire by seeking out heat. The sensor networks also can be used to protect containers in a manufacturing environment.

You're a master of the air guitar, playing along with your favorite rock band. But what if your air guitar actually made real music? A team of engineers at the Australian government's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) has created the wearable instrument shirt (WIS), a T-shirt that lets...

Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester recently won $847,000 from NASA's Astronomy Physics Research and Analysis program to build and test a detector that will capture sharper images and consume less power than technology currently in use. This new detector could transform imaging applications on NASA...

The Embedded Technology supplement to the Air Force Research Laboratory's Technology Horizons magazine features board-level electronics and COTS solutions for design engineers, as well as a variety of product offerings.

An organization is seeking to purchase or to exclusively license US patents that improve the performance of LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon) panels. They are especially interested in patents leading to higher resolution (such as light-blocking), and high-speed control (the gap control of the LCD layer).

There is only one day left to submit your original design idea to the fifth annual Emhart Teknologies "Create the Future" Design Contest. Enter your unique idea in one of four categories -- Everyday Products, Safety, Transportation, and Medical -- and you could win a 2007 hybrid car, $20,000 in cash, a 42" plasma...

Free Webinar: Validate Avionics Performance with Realistic Simulation If you design, analyze, or test Avionics equipment, attend this webinar. In 60 minutes, learn how to accelerate the evaluation and validation of reliable performance of your Avionics designs and manufacturing processes. Click here.

Heat-Resistant, High Dielectric Constant Materials

A global electronic components manufacturer is seeking proposals for highly heat-resistant, high dielectric constant materials for capacitors used in power devices.

Click here for more.

Automated 3D Surface Contact for Nastran FEA NEiNastran V9 adds a powerful new feature that allows automatic surface contact generation (ASCG) between discontinuous bodies. This paper discusses different applications of ASCG as well as some of the more advanced features. Click here for more.

This technology is based on an ice model for structural integrity with regard to load and impact. Understanding how structures perform against ice-loads is vital to ensure that structures continue to operate safely. View this technology here.

Scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO, Clayton, Australia) have designed a showerhead that saves 30% more water than conventional heads by adding air into the water stream. The resulting shower feels just as "wet" as one with a conventional head.

This filtration device removes gas phase contaminants from an air stream in a non-mechanical, non-cyclic, continuous manner. Odor removal is accomplished by directing an air stream through a filter element consisting of partially hollow wicking fibers. View this technology here.

Engineers at Stanford University (Stanford, CA) have devised an algorithm that allows a robot to recognize unfamiliar objects and determine the best way to pick them up. The robot was first trained in a computer-generated environment to pick up five items: a cup, pencil, brick, book, and martini glass. The algorithm locates...

AST Bearings (Montville, NJ) introduced the High Carbon Chromium Steel Tapered Roller Bearings line, comprised of the inner and outer rings, tapered rollers, and a cage (roller retainer). The rings and rollers carry the load; the cage spaces and retains the rollers on the inner ring.

For more information click...

A hybrid automobile or $20,000 in cash is the Grand Prize in Emhart Teknologies' and NASA Tech Briefs' fifth annual "Create the Future" Design Contest. Engineers, students, and the general public are encouraged to submit their ideas. View the official entry form and contest rules here. Categories are Everyday Products,...

ATK Launch Systems is the world's leading manufacturer of solid rocket motor systems for space launch vehicles. We are looking for experienced engineers and project managers to work with us on Ares I, the successor to the space shuttle. Open house for qualified candidates will be held November 13 and 14 at the Crowne Plaza Los...

Torque Measurement Methods

This white paper from HBM outlines torque measurement in the following areas: calculation from electrical power, measuring reaction torque, measuring in-line torque, and strain gages in torque measurement. It showcases torque measurement products in action and details how measurement experts...

The newly created UC Berkeley/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Nanomedicine Development Center is developing a method to put light-sensitive switches in the body's cells that can be flipped on and off. Optical switches like these could trigger a chemical reaction, activate a drug, initiate a muscle contraction, or...

Smart Materials with Precisely Controlled Constriction Properties A multi-billion-dollar electronics company seeks proposals describing responsive materials having controllable planar constriction.

http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20061113A3

Looking ahead to 2007, optical design software will continue to enhance the capabilities of designers who must predict and analyze the performance of optical systems without experimental prototyping. An article in the November issue of Photonics Tech Briefs (PTB) titled "Optical Software in 2007: Isn't That Easy?" provides an...

The Model M7500 infrared camera from Mikron Infrared (Oakland, NJ) was named PTB Product of the Month for November. The camera is an uncooled microbolometer camera that is configurable for mid-wave or long-wave imaging in four different temperature bands, and provides resolution of 320 x 240.

It uses spectral tuning...

If you haven't already submitted your design idea, you only have until this Friday, Nov. 17, to enter the fifth annual "Create the Future" design contest. You could win the Grand Prize of a hybrid car or $20,000 in cash. Visit http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20061113A9 for entry details.

The contest is sponsored by Emhart...