Briefs: Materials

Magnetic Metamaterial Amplifies MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create images of organs and tissues in the human body, helping doctors diagnose potential problems or diseases. Doctors use MRI to...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Simultaneous Imaging and Friction Measurement with an In-Situ Tribometer

Different instruments are needed to study the interaction of contact surfaces at different length scales. Tribometers measure the coefficient of friction but they...

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

10 Things to Consider When Specifying Small Metal and Plastic Enclosures

Your new industrial electronic product has been designed and the board components specified. It has been prototyped, either on a development board to check...

Articles: Transportation

Products of Tomorrow: September 2019

Semi-Liquid Metal Anode for Next-Generation Batteries

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a semi-liquid lithium metal-based anode. Lithium batteries made using this new...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Measuring Stickiness of Microscale Surfaces

At the scale of bridges or buildings, the most important force that engineered structures need to deal with is gravity. But at the scale of microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) — devices like...

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Low-Cost, Human-Friendly Robot Designed with Artificial Intelligence

Robotics has traditionally focused on industrial applications in which robots require strength and precision to carry out repetitive tasks. These robots flourish in highly...

Briefs: Materials

Origami-Inspired Material Softens Impact Forces

Landing is stressful on a rocket’s legs because they must handle the force from the impact with the landing pad. One way to combat this is to build legs out of materials that absorb some of...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Organic Carbon-Nitride Semiconductor

Some organic materials cannot be utilized similarly to silicon semiconductors in optoelectronics. Whether in solar cells, light-emitting diodes, or in transistors, what is important is the bandgap, i.e....

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Ultra-Clean Fabrication Platform for 2D Transistors

Recently discovered two-dimensional (2D) materials with superlative properties have the potential to advance semiconductors but creating 2D devices with both good electrical contacts and...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Surface Treatment Could Improve Refrigeration Efficiency

Unlike water, liquid refrigerants and other fluids that have a low surface tension spread quickly into a sheet when they come into contact with a surface. For many industrial...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Fiber-Based Artificial Muscles

While different approaches have been used to create artificial muscles — including hydraulic systems, servomotors, shape-memory metals, and polymers that respond to stimuli — they all have limitations such...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Soft, Wearable Health Monitor with Stretchable Electronics

A soft and conformable health monitor can broadcast electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate, respiratory rate, and motion activity data as much as 15 meters to a portable recording...

Briefs: Software

Software Enables Robots to Self-Right After Overturning

The Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robotic System (AEODRS) features a modular open systems architecture that enables the robot to be self-righting after a fall. The self-righting...

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Soft, Multi-Functional Robots

In the future, soft, animal-inspired robots may be safely deployed in difficult-to-access environments in which rigid robots cannot currently be used such as inside the human body or in spaces that are too...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Precise Temperature Measurements with Invisible Light

A portable, stable, standards-quality radiation thermometer was invented that can measure temperatures between -50 °C (-58 °F) to 150 °C (302 °F). The corresponding infrared...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Miniature Spring Performance Tester

In order to qualify miniature springs, manufacturers of these systems rely on commercially available testers that are designed for large-scale springs (>0.5" diameter). Commercially available spring...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Portable Electrochemical Sensing System

An electrochemical sensing system that significantly improves the ability to rapidly and accurately detect heavy metals in biological and environmental samples was developed. Using a simple blood...

Facility Focus: Communications

Facility Focus: Georgia Tech Research Institute

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, GA. Founded in 1934 as the Engineering...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Terahertz Data Links Without Direct Line of Sight

Today’s cellular networks and Wi-Fi systems rely on microwave radiation to carry data but the demand for more bandwidth is quickly becoming more than microwaves can handle. That has...

Articles: Aerospace

Executive Forum: Sensors & the IoT

No longer just a buzzword, the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly taking hold in many different industries, from aerospace and automotive, to medical and manufacturing. The IoT ecosystem incorporates...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Mobile, Dual-Comb Device for Methane Leak Detection

Accurately detecting, locating, and quantifying leaks of methane — the main component of natural gas and a major fuel source worldwide — is critically important for both environmental...

Q&A: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Q&A: A Circulatory System for Robots

Robert F. Shepherd is Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He is leading a team exploring the use of hydraulic fluids in soft robots to also...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

3D-Printed Polymer-Based Foam Structure Responds to Shock Waves

A 3D-printed polymer-based foam structure was developed that responds to the force of a shock wave to act as a oneway switch, a long sought-after goal in shock research. The...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Device Simplifies Measurement of Fluoride Contamination in Water

Adding fluoride to water has been common practice in a number of countries including the U.S. In low concentrations (below 1.5 mg/L), fluoride can help prevent tooth decay and...

Application Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

3D-Printing a Unique Metal Part

VELO3D was able to print the perfect spaceship on the very first try.

Products: Electronics & Computers

New on the Market: September 2019

Data Recorder

DATAQ^® Instruments, Akron, OH, announced the DI-4718B data recorder for applications that require signal conditioning. It can accommodate up to eight DI-8B-style amplifiers for...

Briefs: Propulsion

Microrobots Activated by Laser Pulses for Treating Tumors

Microrobots that can deliver drugs to specific spots inside the body while being monitored and controlled from outside the body have been developed that also can treat tumors in the...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Laser-Pointing System Transmits Data from Tiny Satellites

Since 1998, almost 2,000 shoebox-sized satellites known as CubeSats have been launched into space. Due to their small frame and the fact that they can be made from off-the-shelf...

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

3D-Printed Soft Mesh Robots

Researchers have 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 droplets, giving them...

NASA Spinoff: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Methane Detector Sniffs Out Leaks

Methane is everywhere on Earth. It’s the main ingredient in the natural gas that powers heating, cooking, and electricity. It’s also a potent greenhouse gas. The presence of methane is also interesting...

Briefs: Energy

Compact Antenna Enables Communication Where Radios Fail

A pocket-sized antenna was developed that could enable mobile communication in situations where conventional radios don’t work such as underwater, through the ground, and over very...

5 Ws: Sensors/Data Acquisition

5Ws of the Ear Infection Smartphone App

Who

Ear infections are the most common reason that parents bring their children to a pediatrician, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs

Robot “Eye” Provides 360° Field of View

The production of precision products depends on robot control systems knowing the location of the adhesive bonding head or welding head to the nearest millimeter at all times. This means the robot...

Application Briefs: Materials

Optical Coatings Technology

Optical coatings are critical for enhancing the transmission, reflection, polarization, and phase of light incident upon and passing through optical components. There are many different technologies used to...

Products: Materials

New Products: September 2019 Photonics & Imaging Technology

Micromachining Subsystem

SCANLAB GmbH (Puchheim, Germany) has introduced a new member of its precSYS product line. Five-axis precSYS subsystems enable industrial...

Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics

Optical Distance Measurement at Record-High Speed

Scientists of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and École Poly-technique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have reported that they achieved the fastest distance measurement attained so...

Briefs: Software

Calibration Method Improves Scientific Research Performed with Smartphone Cameras

Although smartphones and other consumer cameras are increasingly used for scientific applications, it's difficult to compare and combine data from different...

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Spotting Objects Amid Clutter

A new MIT-developed technique enables robots to quickly identify objects hidden in a three-dimensional cloud of data, reminiscent of how some people can make sense of a densely patterned “Magic Eye” image if...

Articles: Test & Measurement

Detecting Chemical Weapons Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

The AIRGARD® air analyzer has been deployed to protect multiple critical infrastructure locations.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

New Imaging Method Aids in Water Decontamination

A breakthrough imaging technique developed by Cornell researchers shows promise in decontaminating water by yielding surprising and important information about catalyst particles that can't be...

Application Briefs: Test & Measurement

Machine Vision Applications in Laser Measurement Systems

Machine vision is a broad term with many applications and definitions, but at its most basic definition it is using an imager or camera along with software to inspect and analyze a...

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Machine Vision Camera Trends: 2019 and Beyond

Each passing year, machine vision is finding its way into applications that were not commercially feasible — and in some cases, impossible.

Products: Test & Measurement

Product of the Month: September 2019 Tech Briefs

Watlow^®, St. Louis, MO, introduced the PM PLUS™ version of the EZ-ZONE^® PM temperature controller that features a full-color front-panel display with color...

Briefs: Defense

New Sensor Could Shake Up Earthquake Response Efforts

Berkeley Lab technology could reduce time needed to declare buildings affected by earthquakes safe and sound.

Products: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

New Products: September 2019 Sensor Technology

People-Counting Sensor

FLIR Systems, Inc. (Wilsonville, OR) announced the latest generation of the FLIR Brickstream 3D Gen 2 people-counting sensor. This new version includes a unique...

Application Briefs: Test & Measurement

How to Choose the Right Wireless Technology for Industrial Condition Monitoring

Industries are constantly searching for new approaches to advance operational efficiency and product quality. With unplanned downtime estimated to cost...

Application Briefs: Motion Control

All-Silicon MEMS Inertial Sensing at Fiber Optic Gyro Performance Levels

There is increasing demand in many high-end commercial and industrial markets for precision motion sensing for a diversity of applications.

Application Briefs: FDA/Regulatory

Designing Sensors for Hazardous Environments

Some of the most common applications for hazardous duty sensors are in the oil and gas industry.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Taking a City’s Pulse with Moveable Sensors

Suppose you have 10 taxis in Manhattan. What portion of the borough’s streets do they cover in a typical day?

Articles: Data Acquisition

The Many Uses of Inductive Position Sensors in the IIoT

We interviewed an industry expert about the role of inductive position sensors in the IIoT.

Articles: Semiconductors & ICs

Energy Harvesting for Smart Home Sensing

The key to acceptance and adoption of a "smart home" will be enhancing total ease of ownership.

News: Medical

Brain Tumor Imaging Technique Uses Protein Found in Scorpion Venom

A novel imaging technique that uses a synthesized form of scorpion venom to light up brain tumors has shown promise in a clinical trial. The imaging system enables...

Blog: Aerospace

Answering Your Questions: Thermosets or Thermoplastic Composites?

How do thermoplastic composites compare to the thermoset composites already in use for several decades? A Tech Briefs reader asks.

Blog: Aerospace

Prospecting for Ice: NASA Challenges Students to Find Ways to Drill Down on Mars

A new NASA challenge asks university teams to find new ways to drill down to the ice on the Moon and Mars.

Blog: Materials

A New Heat Shield for Electronics – Just 10 Atoms Thick

Stanford Professor Eric Pop learned a valuable electronics lesson from his early days as a radio DJ.

Blog: Imaging

Answering Your Questions: What Makes Some Cameras 'ITAR' vs 'ITAR-Free?'

Two industry experts respond to a Tech Briefs reader question.

INSIDER: Power

A New Electrolyte for Lithium-Metal Batteries

Improvements to a class of battery electrolyte first introduced in 2017 — liquefied gas electrolytes — could pave the way to a high-impact and long-sought advance for rechargeable...

INSIDER: Power

New Power Supply Control Method Significantly Increases the Service Life of End Devices

From the charging unit for a smartphone to the power supply of a laptop or washing machine to LED lights or the charging station for an electric car...

INSIDER: Energy

Artificial Intelligence Could Help Data Centers Run Far More Efficiently

A novel system developed by MIT researchers automatically “learns” how to schedule data-processing operations across thousands of servers — a task...

INSIDER: Software

Sandia Helps Puerto Rico Grid Resilience with Microgrid Designs

The days and weeks following a natural disaster are a critical time for residents, emergency response teams, and government entities to recover and rebuild infrastructure....

INSIDER Product: Imaging

New Products: September 2019 Photonics & Imaging Insider

Diffraction-Limited Aspheric Lenses

Optical Surfaces Ltd. (Surrey, UK) is an international supplier of diffraction-limited aspheric lenses for nuclear research laser...

INSIDER: Imaging

Nano-Particles Used to Increase Power, Improve Eye Safety of Fiber Lasers

Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have devised a new process for using nano-particles to build powerful lasers that are more efficient and safer for...

INSIDER: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Conventional Imaging Lessons Let Scientists See Around Corners

Along with flying and invisibility, high on the list of every child’s aspirational superpowers is the ability to see through or around walls or other visual obstacles. That...

INSIDER: Materials

Nanowire Arrays Could Improve Solar Cells

Transparent electrodes are a critical component of solar cells and electronic displays. To collect electricity in a solar cell or inject electricity for a display, you need a conductive contact,...

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New on NASA's Menu: A Tool to Predict Vitamin Levels in Spaceflight Food

It took over 3,000 pouches of spaceflight food, but Timothy Goulette and Hang Xiao ultimately created a mathematical model that NASA will soon use to ensure that its...

Blog: Aerospace

Answering Your Questions: Why Land on the South Pole of the Moon?

NASA is set to return to the Moon in 2024. But why the lunar south pole?

INSIDER: Materials

Undergrad Engineers Advance Shock Wave Mitigation Research

A team of undergrad engineers discovered a method that could make materials more resilient against massive shocks such as earthquakes or explosions. The students tested whether...

INSIDER: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Optical Lace Gives Robots a Soft Touch

A synthetic optical lace developed by a Cornell Ph.D. student creates a linked sensory network similar to a biological nervous system. The flexible, porous lattice structure is manufactured from...

INSIDER: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

In the Driver’s Seat of Artemis I

NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 will carry the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B for the launch of Artemis 1. One of the few women to...

INSIDER: Communications

WiFi Measures Indoor Movement

Researchers from North Carolina State University developed a way to measure speed and distance in indoor environments. WiFi-assisted Inertial Odometry (WIO) uses WiFi as a velocity sensor to accurately track...

INSIDER: Motion Control

Shape-Shifting Robots Built from “Smarticles”

Researchers built robots entirely from smaller robots known as smarticles, unlocking the principles of a potentially new locomotion technique. The smarticles (smart active particles) can...

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition

By the Lake, a Flying-Fish Robot Takes Off

A lake is usually a picture of serenity, perhaps the last place you’d expect to find a flying-fish robot launching itself 85 feet in the air.

Blog: Transportation

Answering Your Questions: Which Vehicle Applications Will Require High-Speed Data Rates (of 20 Gigabits per Second?)

See what a vehicle can do as its data communication rates get faster and faster.

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping

ULiSSES Medical Device Wins 2019 'Create the Future' Design Contest

Learn more about ULiSSES, a life-saving device for organ and limb transport.