Briefs: Medical
Regulating Glucose and pH, and Monitoring Oxygen in a Bioreactor
Figure 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of a system that automatically regulates the concentration of glucose or pH in a liquid culture medium that is circulated through a...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
IMU/GPS System Provides Position and Attitude Data
A special navigation system is being developed to provide high-quality information on the position and attitude of a moving platform (an aircraft or spacecraft), for use in pointing and stabilization of a hyperspectral remote-sensing system carried aboard the platform. The system also serves to...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Compact, Efficient Drive Circuit for a Piezoelectric Pump
Figure 1 depicts a switching circuit that drives a piezoelectric pump at a high voltage with a polarity that alternates at the desired mechanical pump frequency. This circuit offers...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Developing Signal Pattern Recognition Programs
Pattern Interpretation and Recognition Application Toolkit Environment (PIRATE) is a block-oriented software system that aids the development of application programs that analyze signals in real time in order to recognize signal patterns that are indicative of conditions or events of interest....
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Mobile Robot for Exploring Cold Liquid/Solid Environments
The Planetary Autonomous Amphibious Robotic Vehicle (PAARV), now at the prototype stage of development, was originally intended for use in acquiring and analyzing samples of solid,...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
System Would Acquire Core and Powder Samples of Rocks
A system for automated sampling of rocks, ice, and similar hard materials at and immediately below the surface of the ground is undergoing development. The system, denoted a sample...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Producing Quantum Dots by Spray Pyrolysis
An improved process for making nanocrystallites, commonly denoted quantum dots (QDs), is based on spray pyrolysis. Unlike the process used heretofore, the improved process is amenable to mass...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Improved Fabrication of Lithium Films Having Micron Features
An improved method has been devised for fabricating micron-dimension Li features. This approach is intended for application in the fabrication of lithium-based microelectrochemical...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Manufacture of Regularly Shaped Sol-Gel Pellets
An extrusion batch process for manufacturing regularly shaped sol-gel pellets has been devised as an improved alternative to a spray process that yields irregularly shaped pellets. The aspect ratio of regularly shaped pellets can be controlled more easily, while regularly shaped pellets pack more...
Briefs: Information Technology
Fast Lossless Compression of Multispectral-Image Data
An algorithm that effects fast lossless compression of multispectral-image data is based on low-complexity, proven adaptive filtering algorithms. This algorithm is intended for use in...
Briefs: Information Technology
Improved Solar-Radiation-Pressure Models for GPS Satellites
A report describes a series of computational models conceived as an improvement over prior models for determining effects of solar-radiation pressure on orbits of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. These models are based on fitting coefficients of Fourier functions of...
Application Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
CCDs Find Applications in Diverse Space MissionsCCDs Find Applications in Diverse Space Missions
e2v Technologies
Elmsford, NY
914-593-6841
www.e2v.com
Briefs: Information Technology
Algorithms for Maneuvering Spacecraft Around Small Bodies
A document describes mathematical derivations and applications of autonomous guidance algorithms for maneuvering spacecraft in the vicinities of small astronomical bodies like comets or asteroids. These algorithms compute fuel- or energy-optimal trajectories for typical maneuvers by...
Application Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Aging Computer System to be Replaced by Supercomputer
Linux Networx
Bluffdale, UT
877-505-5694
www.linuxnetworx.com
Briefs: Information Technology
Protocols for Handling Messages Between Simulation Computers
Practical Simulator Network (PSimNet) is a set of data communication protocols designed especially for use in handling messages between computers that are engaging cooperatively in...
Briefs: Information Technology
Statistical Detection of Atypical Aircraft Flights
A computational method and software to implement the method have been developed to sift through vast quantities of digital flight data to alert human analysts to aircraft flights that are statistically atypical in ways that signify that safety may be adversely affected. On a typical day, there...
Briefs: Information Technology
Developing Signal-Pattern-Recognition Programs
An automated system to assist a General Aviation (GA) pilot in improving situational awareness of weather in flight is now undergoing development. This development is prompted by the observation...
Briefs: Information Technology
NASA's Aviation Safety and Modeling Project
The Aviation Safety Monitoring and Modeling (ASMM) Project of NASA’s Aviation Safety program is cultivating sources of data and developing automated computer hardware and software to facilitate...
Briefs: Materials
Vaporizable Scaffolds for Fabricating Thermoelectric Modules
A process for fabricating thermoelectric modules with vacuum gaps separating the thermoelectric legs has been conceived, and the feasibility of some essential parts of the process...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Interferometric System for Measuring Thickness of Sea Ice
The cryospheric advanced sensor (CAS) is a developmental airborne (and, potentially, spaceborne) radar based instrumentation system for measuring and mapping the thickness of sea ice....
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Measuring Attitude of a Large, Flexible, Orbiting Structure
A document summarizes a proposed metrology subsystem for precisely measuring the attitude of a large and flexible structure in space.
Products
USB-3101 analog data output device
NMeasurement Computing, Norton, MA, has released the USB-3101 analog data output device that is fully compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0 ports. The full-speed device is supported under Microsoft(r) Windows(r)...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Satellite Multiangle Spectropolarimetric Imaging of Aerosols
A proposed remote-sensing instrument, to be carried aboard a spacecraft in orbit around the Earth, would gather data on the spatial distribution and radiative characteristics of...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Multimode-Guided-Wave Ultrasonic Scanning of Materials
Two documents discuss a method of characterizing advanced composite materials by use of multimode-guided ultrasonic waves. The method at an earlier stage of development was described in “High-Performance Scanning Acousto-Ultrasonic System” (LEW-17601-1), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 30, No. 3...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Microscale Regenerative Heat Exchanger
The device illustrated in Figure 1 is designed primarily for use as a regenerative heat exchanger in a miniature Stirling engine or Stirling-cycle heat pump. A regenerative heat exchanger (sometimes...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Design and Selection Considerations for High-Temperature Aerospace Accelerometers
Accelerometers used for shock and vibration measurement in extreme environments require special consideration in the design and manufacturing process. Certain...
Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs
MMIC Power Amplifier Puts Out >40 mW From 75 to 110 GHz
A three-stage monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) W-band amplifier has been constructed and tested in a continuing effort to develop amplifiers as well as oscillators,...
Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs
Dual Common Planes for Time Multiplexing of Dual-Color QWIPs
A proposed improved method of externally controlled time multiplexing of the readouts of focal plane arrays of pairs of stacked quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) that...
Briefs: Software
Implementing Access to Data Distributed on Many Processors
Briefs: Software
2D/3D Visual Tracker for Rover Mast
A visual-tracker computer program controls an articulated mast on a Mars rover to keep a designated feature (a target) in view while the rover drives toward the target, avoiding obstacles.
Several prior visual tracker programs have been tested on rover platforms; most require very small and...
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
AC Drives Provide Precise Control Critical to Next-Generation Test Stands
Direct Torque Control (DTC) is widely used as a method for controlling AC motors in many demanding applications. It is a unique method for controlling AC motors. In...
Briefs: Software
Measurement and Controls Data Acquisition System
Measurement and Controls Data Acquisition System (MCDAS) is an application program that integrates the functions of two stand-alone programs: one for acquisition of data, the other for controls.
Application Briefs: Motion Control
Software Used to Control Master-Slave Haptics Experiment
Haptics, also known as “force feedback teleoperation,” attempts to provide environmental interactions through a robotic system. Users mimic these interactions with robotic arms. By...
Briefs: Software
Adding Hierarchical Objects to Relational Database General-Purpose XML-Based Information Managements
NETMARK is a flexible, high-throughput software system for managing, storing, and rapid searching of unstructured and semi-structured documents. NETMARK transforms such documents from their original highly complex, constantly changing,...
Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Motor Used to Stabilize Remote-Controlled Camera Crane
It is a staple of the summer box office blockbuster: the car chase. Car chases have not only become a vital component of an action movie, they have also had to evolve, with audiences...
Application Briefs: Motion Control
Plasma Cutter Utilizes Motor for Gantry Control
To cut through metal and other materials, a plasma cutter sends an arc of electricity through a high-speed jet of an inert gas. When electricity and gas meet, plasma is formed, hot enough to...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Diaphragm Pumps
Thomas Products Div. (Sheboygan, WI) offers the Series 5002 miniature diaphragm liquid pumps, designed for all-liquid or mixed wet/dry pumping applications. Model 5002F pumps are single-head and measure 1.99 × 1.18 × 3.19"....
Products: Motion Control
Motor Driver
Allegro MicroSystems (Worcester, MA) has introduced the A3901 dual H-bridge low-voltage motor driver. Capable of operating one stepper motor or two DC motors, the unit is designed for portable applications with a power-off...
Who's Who: Photonics/Optics
Dr. Murzy Jhabvala, Chief Engineer of the Instrument Systems and Technology Division
Visible light is only one narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum, and doesn't always tell scientists what they need to know. Infrared, which is...
Products: Motion Control
Servo Drive Module
National Instruments (Austin, TX) has announced the NI 9505, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based, H-bridge servo drive module for the NI CompactRIO embedded platform. The module offers direct connectivity to...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Motor Controller
New Scale Technologies (Victor, NY) offers the SQ-2300 series benchtop motor controller for computer control of the company's SQUIGGLE motors and closed-loop linear nanopositioning stages. Using the controller, SQUIGGLE...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Anti-Backlash Nut
Haydon Switch & Instrument (Waterbury, CT) has released the “W” series of anti-backlash nuts, designed to minimize backlash between the leadscrew and nut interface. A blend of self-lubricating polyacetal and stainless...
Products: Motion Control
Distance Measurement
The Acam-Messelectronic TDC-GPX chip from Transducers Direct (Miamiville, OH), allows distance measuring of ±1 mm rms to a range of 1,500 meters. The chip has four selectable operating modes: I-mode provides eight LVTTL...
Products: Motion Control
Multi-Axis Motion Control
Elmo Motion Control (Westford, MA) has unveiled its Maestro Multi-Axis Supervisor with firmware for support of the DS305 configuration protocol, DS401 CAN network IO integration protocol, and the DS402 motion...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Stepper Motor Controller
Nippon Pulse America (Radford, VA) has released the RoHS-compliant Motion Checker MCH-5, a palm-sized, standalone stepper motor controller with a built-in constant voltage driver. Front panel controls enable setting...
Products: Motion Control
Pneumatic Actuator
PHD (Fort Wayne, IN) has introduced the Series PLM pin locating clamp, a pneumatically powered actuator to locate, clamp, and support parts in welding applications. To protect against slag and other contaminants, the clamp...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Pneumatic Valve
I&J Fisnar (Fair Lawn, NJ) has released the VMP30H multipurpose mini-poppet pneumatic valve designed for controlled dispensing of low to high viscosity materials such as silicone, epoxy, rubber adhesives, and greases. The...
Products: Motion Control
Positioning System
The WCS2A/WCS3A PosiTrak™ Position Tracking System from Pepperl+Fuchs (Twinsburg, OH) consists of a U-shaped read head, a code rail and support hardware, and network and control interfaces. The read head optically scans...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Motor & Driver Package
The CRK series from Oriental Motor USA Corp (Torrance, CA) combines a five-phase stepping motor with a compact, low-vibration microstepping driver. In microstep operating mode, the driver provides 25 preset angle...
Products: Motion Control
Translation/Rotation Stage
PI L.P. (Auburn, MA) has released the M-110 series translation stages that provide linear motion of 5, 15, and 25 mm. Available are X, XY, and XYZ systems, which can be combined with the M-116 miniature rotary...
Products: Motion Control
Ball Bearings
MRC Bearings Services (Kulpsville, PA) offers the R Series inch-sized stainless ball bearings for small shaft diameters. The single-row, deep-groove radial conrad-type bearings carry radial and thrust loads in either direction...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Motorized Stages
Prior Scientific (Rockland, MA) has added patent-pending Intelligent Scanning Technology (IST) to its Prior ProScan™ II H101A, H107, and H117, 4 × 3" scanning stages. IST allows each stage to be pre-programmed with a...
Articles: Test & Measurement
30 Years of Test & Measurement
In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of NASA Tech Briefs, our features in 2006 highlight a different technology category each month, tracing the past 30 years of the technology, and continuing with a glimpse...
Techs for License: Semiconductors & ICs
Technique Measures Material Properties
Developed for quality control and wafer metrology in the semiconductor manufacturing market, this non-destructive technology may be highly adaptable to measuring material properties such as a...
Techs for License
Diagnostic and Sorting Technologies
This non-invasive technology enables accurate plant quality assessments before any physiological change is perceived by the naked eye. Plants, and plant parts, can be assessed at any stage of growth. The...
Articles
Building the Financials to Get Investors Interested
In our last article, we planned out the business chronologically; that is, what we expected to happen and when we thought it would happen. Now, we need to assign costs to the steps in that series of events and roll it up into a standard financial picture that investors, members of your board,...
Podcasts
Design Analysis in Product Innovation
Recorded August 17, 2006
Product innovation has recently come to the forefront as one of the truly sustainable competitive advantages a company can develop in the product development process. One common roadblock to the innovative process is the time and cost to prototype the endless variety of...
Top Stories
Blog: Unmanned Systems
Experts Weigh In: How Will a Robotic Future Impact Nature?
INSIDER: Photonics/Optics
Orbiting Instrument Hints That Stored Magnetic Energy Heats Solar...
Podcasts: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Videos: Test & Measurement
Test System Could Enable Reduced Helicopter Vibration
Blog: Automotive
CES 2021: How COVID-19 Turned the Car into a Personal 'Second Space'
Videos: Automotive
Question of the Week
Has the Vehicle Become Your “Second Space?”
Webcasts
Upcoming Webinars: Automotive
Reducing the Cost of Quality in Automotive BiW
Upcoming Webinars: Automotive
Electric-Vehicle Transmission Development Priorities
Upcoming Webinars: Sensors/Data Acquisition
The Critical Role of Fiber Optic Temperature Sensors in Medical...
Upcoming Webinars: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Zinc Die Casting Concepts to Achieve Precision, Performance, and...
Upcoming Webinars: Test & Measurement
Radar Measurements: Triggering, Analysis, and Generation
Upcoming Webinars: Materials
Trending Stories
INSIDER: Imaging
Orbiting Instrument Hints That Stored Magnetic Energy Heats Solar Atmosphere
INSIDER: Electronics & Computers
Combining Electronic, Photonic Chips Enables Super-Fast Quantum Light Detection
Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Motion Solutions for Electric Expansion Valves
Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Special Section: The Winners of the 2020 'Create the Future' Design Contest
Briefs: Energy
Solid-State Technology Enables Smaller, Safer Batteries
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Double-Vacuum-Bag Process for Making Resin-Matrix Composites
