Technical Briefs, Design Engineering News

September 2020

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Occulter for CubeSat Coronagraph

The instrument has uses in photography where the goal is to image a dim object near a bright one.

Briefs: Materials

Blinking Artificial Human Eye Replica for Disease Modeling and Drug Testing

This eye-on-a-chip can help treatment of dry eye disease.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Comb-on-a-Chip Optical Ruler Measures Colors of Light Waves

The newest version of these combs could revolutionize clocks, telescopes, and telecommunications.

Facility Focus: Test & Measurement

Facility Focus: NASA John C. Stennis Space Center

Stennis now is testing RS-25 rocket engines for the Space Launch System (SLS) that will carry humans back to the Moon.

Briefs: Medical

Smartphone App Detects Early Signs of Eye Disorders in Children

The CRADLE app allows parents to screen their children for eye disorders more often throughout their development.

Briefs: Wearables

Technologies Interpret Mood from the Skin

Smart devices measure electrical signals from the skin, indicating stress levels and emotions.

Briefs: Defense

Quantum Sensor Enables Wide Spectral Coverage

The sensor could provide a way to detect communication signals over the entire radio frequency from 1 to 100 GHz.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Laser Technology Assesses Cancer Cells

Laser light induces ultrasonic vibrations in a sample that can be used to image cells, blood vessels, and tissues.

Briefs: Aerospace

Biomaterial Shields Against Harmful Radiation

A new form of melanin can protect human tissue from X-rays during medical treatment or spaceflight.

Application Briefs: Aerospace

Force/Torque Sensor Helps Rover Sample Mars

See how one company reached out to NASA with an offer to develop a custom sensor for the Mars 2020 mission rover.

Briefs: Communications

Electronic Diodes Demonstrate Performance Beyond 5G

Applications include high-speed communications, networking, and sensing.

Briefs: Wearables

EEG-Based Technique for Controlling a Robotic Arm with the Brain

This technique can be used by people who are paralyzed or have neurodegenerative diseases.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Formula May Help 5G Wireless Networks Share Communications Frequencies

This method of machine learning could make communications in the unlicensed bands much more efficient.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Electronically Controlled 2D Reflector Improves Microwave Communications

Flat-panel technology could transform antennas, wireless, and cellphone communications.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Technology Integrates Electronics onto Physical Prototypes

In place of flat breadboards, 3D-printed CurveBoards enable easier testing of circuit design on electronics products.

Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs

Hermetically Sealed Semiconductors

A new encapsulation technique protects electronic properties of sensitive materials.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Miniature Electronic Devices Work Under Extreme Pressure

Pop-up miniature electronics based on the Japanese art of kirigami can be repeatedly compressed.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Thermally Conductive, Stretchable Rubber Material

This material could be used for artificial muscles that power bio-inspired robots.

Briefs: Materials

Aerogels Protect Against Electromagnetic Interference

Aerogels based on cellulose nanofibers can effectively shield electromagnetic radiation over a wide frequency range.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Technique Mass-Produces Cell-Sized Robots

This process could lead to tiny, self-powered devices for environmental, industrial, or medical monitoring.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

4D Printing Creates Microneedles to Replace Hypodermics

Inspired by parasites, the tiny needles could help eliminate painful shots.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Electronics Cooling Using Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing creates cooling solutions with sizes and shapes not previously possible.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Quantum Error Correction Method

This method provides a key step toward quantum computers, sensors, and distributed quantum information.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Tunable, Chip-Based, Vortex Microlaser and Detector

This system encodes information in twisting beams of light.

Q&A: Electronics & Computers

Q&A: Wireless Power for Neural Stimulation

Prof. Jacob Robinson developed an implantable neural stimulator the size of a grain of rice.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Executive Forum: Machine Learning & AI

Tech Briefs posed questions to machine learning/AI industry execs to get their opinions on platform selection, data interpretation, and more.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Cost-Effective Printed Sensors for the IoT/IIoT

With accelerated time from design to production, specialized foil sensor arrays will be expanding to many new areas.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Smart Windows Self-Illuminate on Rainy Days

Self-powering, color-changing humidity sensors are applicable to various fields including smart windows, health care, and safety management.

Application Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Using the IoT for Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is poised to become much more widely adopted, and that will help to boost productivity in a time when we really need it.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Acoustic Monitoring of Laser Welds

Empa researchers were able to demonstrate real-time acoustic monitoring of laser weld seams.

Special Reports: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Test & Measurement - September 2020

See how the latest test tools and methodologies are enabling new applications in aerospace, electronics, robotics, healthcare, and other key industries. This compendium of recent articles is presented by...

Application Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Smart Sensors for Hazardous Areas

Smart sensors for hazardous areas monitor essential assets, such as motors and pumps.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Self-Powered Alarm Fights Forest Fires, Monitors Environment

A remote forest fire detection and alarm system is powered by nothing but the movement of trees in the wind.

Special Reports: Transportation

Inside the New C8 Corvette - September 2020

The eighth generation Corvette achieves a rare benchmark: a 200 mph supercar that can sprint from standstill to 60 mph in less than three seconds while offering long-distance comfort, ample cargo...

Articles: Electronics & Computers

Long-life Batteries for the IIoT

Choosing the right battery will save trouble and expense in the long run.

Special Reports: Automotive

Power Electronics - September 2020

This compendium of recent articles from the editors of Tech Briefs and Aerospace & Defense Technology looks at the latest advances in power electronics and energy storage for a range of applications...

Application Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

3D Ultrasonic Sensors Support New Industrial Applications

These sensors will improve autonomous technologies in the industrial environment, like AGVs or forklifts.

Special Reports: Test & Measurement

Aerospace & Defense - September 2020

In this compendium of recent articles from the editors of Tech Briefs and Aerospace & Defense Technology, you'll learn about the technology driving the Mars 2020 rover, how NASA will use GPS to...

Products: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New Products: September 2020 Sensor Technology

Safety-critical MEMS, absolute pressure sensors, thermal imaging cameras, and more.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Engineers 3D-Print Sensors Onto Moving Organs

Designed to assist in robotic surgeries, biomedical devices can be printed in and on the human body.

Application Briefs: Connectivity

USB and GigE Connectivity for Modern Machine Vision

Learn the USB3 and GigE vision standards, how they keep pace with imaging technologies, and how augmenting the cabling is critical for optimal performance.

Briefs: Wearables

Markerless Motion Capture Technology Could Help Skeleton Athletes’ Training

A new type of motion capture technology accurately tracks an athlete during the push start phase of performance.

Briefs: Imaging

Geoscientists Create Deeper Look at Processes Below Earth’s Surface with 3D Images

Researchers tackled the problem using a geophysical measurement called seismic anisotropy.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Spider Silk Can Create Lenses Useful for Biological Imaging

One unexpected application for spider silk is its use in the creation of biocompatible lenses.

Briefs: Imaging

Leap in Lidar Could Improve Safety and Security of New Technology

University of Colorado researchers have described a new silicon chip that improves the resolution and scanning speed needed for a lidar system.

Articles: Imaging

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in Hyperspectral Imagers

Learn how to obtain large signals from hyperspectral imagers.

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Camera Trends: Where We Are Now and What to Expect in the Near Future

The COVID crisis is propelling the camera industry toward disruptive transformation.

Application Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Measuring Surface Roughness with an Atomic Force Microscope

Thin films and engineered surfaces are used in a myriad of applications including semiconductor electronics, data storage, and precision optics. In many cases, surface roughness and...

Products: Photonics/Optics

New Products: September 2020 Photonics & Imaging Technology

High-temp infrared emitter, single-frequency SWIR lasers, hazard testing systems, and more.

Briefs: Materials

T-Ray Camera Speed Boosted a Hundred Times Over

Real-time terahertz imaging with a single-pixel detector.

Products: RF & Microwave Electronics

Product of the Month: September 2020 Tech Briefs

InnoSenT introduced the IMD-3000 radar system as an alternative to pushbutton switches.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Graphene-Reinforced Carbon Fiber

This high-strength material could be used to improve safety and reduce the cost of producing cars.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Hummingbird Robot Uses AI to Maneuver in Tight Spaces

The robots could fly silently for covert operations and stay steady through turbulence.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Ultra-Sensitive Device Detects Magnetic Fields

The magnetic device is inexpensive to make, works on minimal power, and is 20 times more sensitive than many traditional devices.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Nanomaterial Gives Robots Chameleon Skin

Features include unusual color changes and high touch sensitivity.

Products: Materials

New on the Market: September 2020

Foam gasket tapes, data analytics software, ceramic tape, and more.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Wireless “Pacemaker” for the Brain

This neurostimulator could deliver fine-tuned treatments to patients with diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s.

Briefs: Materials

Liquid-Repelling Substance Works on All Surfaces

The new coating can eliminate complex disinfectant procedures for protective face shields.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Electronic “Skin” Brings Sense of Touch and Pain to Prosthetic Hands

The “E-dermis” will enable amputees to perceive through prosthetic fingertips.

NASA Spinoff: Aerospace

Printed Polymer Makes Integrated Airplane Parts

In 2019, NASA engineers test-fired a 3D-printed rocket engine combustion chamber.

Briefs: Medical

Automated Robotic Device for Faster Blood Testing

This technology provides rapid results, improving hospital workflow and patient care.

5 Ws: Wearables

5 Ws of the Sign-to-Speech Translation Glove

People who use sign language could communicate directly with non-signers, without needing someone else to translate for them.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Breathable Electronics for Wearable Technologies

The material was designed specifically for biomedical or wearable technologies, since sweat and volatile organic compounds evaporate away from the skin.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Smart Fabrics with Bioactive Inks Monitor the Body by Changing Color

Bioactive inks printed on wearable textiles can map conditions over the entire surface of the body.

Articles: Electronics & Computers

Products of Tomorrow: September 2020

An A/C alternative, AI that sharpens blurry images, and a NASA energy harvester.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Soft Robotic Insect Survives Being Flattened by a Flyswatter

The ultra-light robotic insect can be folded or crushed, yet continues to move.

Podcasts: Software

Here's an Idea: An ‘Aerodrome’ Testing Ground for Unmanned Aircraft

Before delivery drones start carrying packages (and passenger drones start delivering ourselves), engineers will need to keep refining an unmanned aircraft's ability...

Blog: Photonics/Optics

With a Flash of a Laser, Microscopic Robots Move

A Cornell team developed paramecium-sized robots that can be controlled with lasers.

White Papers: Automotive

Using Built-in-self-test Hardware to Satisfy ISO 26262 Safety Requirements

Semiconductor content in today’s vehicles is growing rapidly and we are approaching the point where the value of the electronics is expected to exceed 50% of the...

White Papers: Transportation

Achieve Alternative Fuel ROI in Less Than Five Years with ANG

Learn how adsorbed natural gas (ANG) can bring operational benefits for your fleet and pay for itself in less than five years. ANG is specifically suited to light-duty fleets and...

Question of the Week: Robotics, Automation & Control

Are You OK With a Robot Taking Your Vitals?

The "Spot" robot, developed by Boston Dynamics, can measure skin temperature, breathing rate, pulse rate, and blood oxygen saturation in healthy patients, from a distance of 2 meters.

White Papers: Medical

Multicore Systems Management: Hypervisor or Multicore Framework

With increasing application of multicore to embedded devices, a number of important decisions are necessary to ensure optimal design. One such decision concerns the overall...

Blog: AR/AI

Can We Trust A.I.? Modeling Tool Quantifies How Much a Machine Doesn't Know

A new modeling tool from USC engineers generates automatic indicators when data and predictions from AI algorithms are trustworthy.

Blog: Imaging

What's Best for Autonomous Cars: LiDAR vs Radar vs Cameras

A reader asks our expert: When it comes to autonomous vehicles, what’s best: Radar, LiDAR, or cameras?

INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

Biomorphic Batteries Could Provide 72 Times More Energy for Robots

Like biological fat reserves store energy in animals, a new rechargeable zinc battery integrates into the structure of a robot to provide much more energy, a team led by...

INSIDER: Energy

Scientists Boost Stability and Efficiency of Next-Gen Solar Tech

Researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have created next-generation solar modules with high efficiency and good...

INSIDER: Materials

Improved Battery Life for Wearable Electronic Devices

Researchers at the University of Warwick have found that asymmetric stresses within electrodes used in certain wearable electronic devices provides an important clue as to how to...

INSIDER: Energy

Faster, More Efficient Energy Storage From Layered Materials

A team led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed a novel, integrated approach to track energy-transporting ions within an ultra-thin...

Question of the Week: Robotics, Automation & Control

Will 'Biomorphic' Batteries Support a Future of Tiny Robots?

A Tech Briefs TV video highlighted a rechargeable zinc battery from the University of Michigan that integrates into the structure of a robot to provide much more energy. The “biomorphic” battery, according to researchers, could provide 72x more energy for robots.

White Papers: Medical

Choosing the Right Medical Power Supply

Because modern medical equipment heavily leverages advances in the computing and electronics fields, it is increasingly critical to select the right power supply to meet functional and regulatory...

INSIDER Product: Imaging

New Products: September 2020 Photonics & Imaging Insider

Machine Vision Cameras

Teledyne DALSA (Waterloo, Canada) announced its new Falcon4-CLHS M4480 and M4400 cameras, based on the Teledyne e2v Lince 11.2M monochrome sensors. The...

INSIDER: Materials

Researcher Gets Navy Grant to Develop Flexible, Printed Solar Cells

University of North Texas professor Anupama Kaul straddles the line between electrical engineering and materials science, which puts her in the perfect place to develop...

INSIDER: Photonics/Optics

Scientists Use Photons as Threads to Weave Novel Forms of Matter

New research from the University of Southampton has discovered a way to bind two negatively charged electron-like particles which could create opportunities to form novel...

INSIDER: Aerospace

Perovskite and Organic Solar cells Prove Successful in Space

Almost all satellites are powered by solar cells – but solar cells are heavy. While conventional high-performance cells reach up to three watts of electricity per gram,...

Tech Talks: Photonics/Optics

Multicore Optical Fiber Grating Array Fabrication for Medical Sensing Applications

The growing interest in high-performance fiber grating arrays can be attributed to today’s acceptance of optical fiber sensors in more medical applications such as shape-sensing fiber incorporated into surgical instruments. This presentation looks at a...

Blog: Automotive

Breakthrough Model Offers Better Look Inside Rechargeable Batteries

The new approach could help pave the way for smaller battery packs and greater driving range in electric vehicles.

Blog: Aerospace

NASA's 'VITAL' Ventilator: A Choice Between Licensing and Open-Source

As Brazil begins mass-producing a NASA-developed ventilator, a Tech Briefs reader asks why NASA didn't go open-source.

Tech Talks: Communications

Amplifying Satellite Communications: Next-Generation Deployable Antenna Mesh

Deployable antenna mesh is frequently used in communication satellites for transmitting and reflecting radio frequency signals. How does this highly sought-after material remain so resilient in the extreme conditions of space?

Question of the Week: Transportation

Can Courtesy Be Programmed Into Self-Driving Cars?

During a recent webcast, a Tech Briefs reader raised an interesting question about self-driving cars:

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New Software Keeps Self-Driving Cars on a Safe Path

New software from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) wants to predict all traffic possibilities, so that self-driving vehicles will never get into accidents.

White Papers: Automotive

Creating a GNSS Test Plan: A Start to Finish Guide

You might think that if your GPS/GNSS receiver is tested in the factory, you don’t have to evaluate how your receiver will perform in the field. But every operating environment is...

White Papers: Test & Measurement

Test Engineering Insights: Aerospace, Defense, and Government

Better test strategies mitigate risk and win programs.

Whether you’re putting pencil to paper for your next program bid, assessing the mass-migration costs to move your...

INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

Precision Landing Without a Pilot

For planned robotic and crewed missions to the Moon and Mars, NASA is developing and testing precise landing and hazard-avoidance technologies. A combination of laser sensors, a camera, a high-speed...

Tech Talks: Medical

Advanced Textile Solutions for Structural Heart Devices

Choosing the right medical textiles for cardiovascular devices used in structural heart procedures, such as transcatheter heart valve replacement or repair of left atrial appendage occlusion, requires careful consideration. Medical textiles must act as flexible conduits and barriers...

White Papers: Aerospace

Combining Customizable High-Speed Interfaces with FPGA Coprocessing

Built for harsh environments, high performance, and sensitive budgets, the new FPGA-based XMC meets VITA 47 rugged specs and offers custom or pre-configured high-speed...

INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

Controller Helps Robots Avoid Collisions

MIT startup Realtime Robotics invented a solution that gives robots the ability to quickly adjust their path to avoid objects as they move to a target. The Realtime controller can be connected to...

Tech Talks: Automotive

Addressing Friction, Discharge, and Misalignment in an E-Mobility Powertrain

As electric vehicles continue to generate new consumer interest and demand, advanced technology is required to address e-mobility powertrain challenges such as friction reduction, elimination of electrical discharge, electromagnetic interference, and safety and...

Question of the Week: Transportation

Do Software Advancements Make You Feel Safe in an Autonomous Vehicle?

Our lead story today features self-driving car software that prevents accidents by understanding and anticipating safe traffic behaviors.

Blog: Electronics & Computers

New Composite Energizes the Electric Vehicle Market

A new composite from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) increases the electrical current capacity of copper wires, providing a new material that can be scaled for use in ultra-efficient, power-dense electric vehicle traction motors.

Webinars: Medical

Metal Injection Molding

This 60-minute Webinar examines metal injection molding (MIM), a unique process that eliminates the need for complex, expensive machining when producing small, intricate steel and stainless steel components....

White Papers: Communications

The Value and Necessity of External Surge Protection in PoE Applications

PoE network engineers should deploy high-quality external surge protection devices (SPDs) to help ensure safe, secure network operation, reduce downtime, minimize site...

Blog: Imaging

What is the Maximum Temperature That Thermal Imaging Cameras Can Measure?

Thermal cameras detect heat radiation and can be used to identify the surface temperature of objects and people. So what's their limit, asks a reader.

On-Demand Webinars: Automotive

The Power of the Hollow: Using Hollow Aluminum Extrusions to Meet Vehicle Engineering Challenges

Their ability to design profiles that “put the metal where it’s needed” is one of the attributes of aluminum extrusions that can...

White Papers: Medical

Implantable Medical Devices: a Clinical Approach to Designing Preclinical Studies

Implantable medical devices are being increasingly used in both established and novel clinical applications. Given their invasive nature, such devices are...

White Papers: Test & Measurement

Things You Should Know About Cartridge Heaters

Backer Hotwatt cartridge heaters can provide high heat in the smallest of spaces. Learn the benefits of cartridge heaters and how to obtain effective heat transfer and long life. Available for...

Webcasts