September 2021

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Special Reports: Aerospace
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Test & Measurement - September 2021

An automated CT system “sees” deep inside electronics to spot hidden defects...a NASA moon mission spinoff now monitors forest fire emissions...a novel way to test bonded structures in critical...

Technology Leaders: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Learn different strategies for addressing outdated avionics, like adding in commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products.
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Briefs: Nanotechnology

Researchers have developed graphene-based sensing technology using G-Putty material — a highly malleable graphene blended putty. The printed sensors are 50 times more sensitive than the...

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Application Briefs: Aerospace
Interstellar used Dassault’s 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud to design and develop its first prototype: BioPod.
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Briefs: Automotive
Applications include manufacturing structural components for aerospace vehicles, cars, trucks, trains, ships, and submarines.
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NASA Spinoff: Aerospace
A NASA microphone that detects unseen air turbulence is lofted to high heights aboard a stratospheric glider.
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Briefs: Aerospace
The reaction converts 90% of plastic to jet fuel and other valuable hydrocarbon products within an hour at moderate temperatures.
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Briefs: Energy
This work could help severely injured people, such as soldiers, regain the ability to control their movements.
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Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
These tactile imaging sensors can measure pressure distribution without using pressure-sensitive materials.
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5 Ws: Electronics & Computers
The durable soft electronics could be used in wearable electronics and soft robotics and could someday be part of a stretchable smartphone.
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Briefs: Energy
This fuel cell could power a variety of transportation modes such as unmanned underwater vehicles, drones, and eventually electric aircraft.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Designed for soldier uniforms, the fiber can sense, store, analyze, and infer activity when sewn into a piece of clothing.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
The approach could lead to more flexible health monitors, wearable devices, sensors, optical communication systems, and soft robotics.
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Briefs: Materials
Synthesis of fiber-metal laminates is performed using RF plasma spray deposition.
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Briefs: Materials
A folded plastic bladder could store and pump the fuel.
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Briefs: Imaging
Exoskeleton legs are capable of thinking and making control decisions on their own using artificial intelligence technology.
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Briefs: Materials
Printers can be identified by their unique hot end, aiding intellectual property and security.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
High-yield synthesis of carbon nanotubes is enabled via free electron laser ablation.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
An atom-based sensor can determine the direction of an incoming radio signal.
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UpFront: Manufacturing & Prototyping
NASA Washing Machine Designs Go for a Spin

Right now, there is no laundry service in space.

Astronaut garments aren’t washed. They are put onto ships that burn up in the...

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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
These antennas dramatically increase the amount of information that can be simultaneously transmitted by a coherent light source.
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Briefs: Aerospace
A low-cost, dynamically controlled surface for 3D printers reduces waste and saves time.
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Products: Software
Power distribution units, pressure sensors, connector straps, and more.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
A deep-learning technique optimizes the arrangement of sensors on a robot’s body to ensure efficient operation.
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The soft robot harvests energy from a laser beam and can crawl on horizontal surfaces and climb vertical walls and an upside-down glass ceiling.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
The flexible antenna was designed for active aeronautical satellite communications.
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Briefs: Communications
A skin-like device can measure small facial movements in patients who have lost the ability to speak.
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Facility Focus: Electronics & Computers
Learn about the batteries, skin sensors, flexible antennas, and other cutting-edge research coming from Penn State Engineering.
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Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics
The valve enables telerobotic resupplying of media such as propellant and pressurant.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
The robot can walk, run, jump, and interact with the environment in synchrony with a human operator.
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Briefs: Materials
An alternative, environmentally friendly production method creates permanent magnets.
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Q&A: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Fiorenzo Omenetto, Frank C. Doble Professor of Engineering at Tufts University School of Engineering, Dean of Research, and Director of the Tufts Silklab led a team that has...

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Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Tech Briefs asked 5 execs: What should a user consider before moving to the cloud?
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
This method is a faster way to manufacture combustion chambers and nozzles for aerospace propulsion as well as heat exchangers in oil and gas applications.
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Briefs: Energy
The wearable antenna bends, stretches, and compresses without compromising function.
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Briefs: Communications
The technology would enable transmission of information just by touching a surface.
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Articles: Wearables
Water-sensing smartphone screens, a NASA-developed RF switch, and an ultrasound patch.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
The ultra-compact, wearable hologram sensor immediately notifies the user of volatile gas detection.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Applications include wearables, airplane cabin monitoring, medical diagnostics, and indoor air quality measurement.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
To modernize optical storage, Purdue researchers are replacing Morse code with colored “digital characters.”
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
A novel nanostructure produces uniquely shaped light.
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Technology Leaders: Photonics/Optics
Ball screws are helping manufacturers meet the growing demand for fiber optic cables generated by 5G communications.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
A new imaging method allows researchers to see inside complex semiconductors, without destroying them.
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Technology Leaders: Imaging
Learn how to fix one of the more annoying problems in display imaging.
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Articles: Photonics/Optics
With an optical microscope, spectra can be acquired from a sample area smaller than a micron.
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Application Briefs: Photonics/Optics
For applications requiring high-energy material deposition coatings, you'll need to understand how stress can impact surface figure and system performance.
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Briefs: Nanotechnology
Northwestern researchers have developed a new microscopy method that allows scientists to see the building blocks of “smart” materials.
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Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition
A new high-speed sensor pushes the boundaries in light-starved conditions.
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Application Briefs: Data Acquisition
Learn about a membrane-free, broadband microphone for the highest ultrasound frequencies.
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Products: Photonics/Optics
Automotive camera monitors, curved CMOS sensors, fiber lasers, and more.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Researchers are using a standard RGB digital camera to accurately monitor soil moisture.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The new battery is degradable, recyclable, non-toxic, and safer than lithium-ion batteries.
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Articles: Materials
A new generation of lithium-ion batteries is poised to improve electric vehicle range and affordability.
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Briefs: Transportation
The membrane prevents dendrite formation, at least doubling the lifetime of a lithium-metal battery.
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Products: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Lithium batteries, compartment gaskets, chargers, and more.
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Articles: Software
Brookhaven National Laboratory scientists have identified the primary cause of failure in a state-of-the-art lithium-metal battery.
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Articles: Internet of Things
Demand for wireless IoT cloud-connected devices is growing rapidly, yet deploying Wi-Fi battery-based products is difficult.
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Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The Battery Show North America is a forum for advanced battery technology for electric and hybrid vehicles, utility and renewable energy support, portable electronics, medical technology, military, and telecommunications.
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Briefs: Energy
The battery can withstand thousands of charge and discharge cycles and years of storage before being composted.
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Articles: Transportation
An R&D project indirectly leads to potentially greater power density, EV range, and battery life.
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Briefs: Materials
An entire 20-story concrete building could store energy like a giant battery.
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Briefs: Energy
The rechargeable batteries could be a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
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Special Reports: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
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Moisture & Pressure Protection - September 2021

Engineers face multiple challenges when battling moisture and condensation buildup in their projects. Knowing what types of products – such as desiccants, pressure relief valves, etc. – are...

Products: Imaging
The SHT40 Smart Gadget comes with a humidity and temperature sensor.
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Special Reports: Propulsion
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Medical Robotics - September 2021

Self-propelled nanobots that deliver drugs inside the human body...novel sensors that improve the safety and precision of industrial robots...a dynamic hydrogel material that makes building soft robotic...

Blog: Electronics & Computers
Prof. Alanson Sample and his team want to turn entire buildings into wireless charging zones. Learn how their system delivers electricity over the air.
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Blog: Power
A team at the University of Tsukuba used a beam of microwave radiation to a launch a drone into the air. Can this type of propulsion take off?
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Articles: Test & Measurement
CEO Keith Moore tells Tech Briefs about the unique challenges facing testing engineers in aerospace.
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Question of the Week: Energy
Will ‘Charging Rooms’ Catch On?

Our Question of the Week focuses on today’s lead story – the creation of an aluminum test area that wirelessly powered lamps, fans, and cell phones.

Blog: Materials
Professor Francois Barthelat wants to incorporate the fish fin's strong, flexible characteristics into robotic and aerospace designs.
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Blog: Aerospace
With good shielding and good timing, Mars-bound astronauts are safe from radiation, according to a recent study.
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INSIDER: Energy

If we are to transition to a world powered by renewable energy, efficient long-distance transport of electricity is essential, since the supply — renewable...

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INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

While researchers around the globe are working on free-position wireless charging — which would unchain devices from set charging points — the most common...

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INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

The demand for clean energy has never been higher, and it has created a global race to develop new technologies as alternatives to fossil fuels. Fuel cells are among the promising green energy...

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INSIDER: Electronics & Computers

Molten sodium batteries have been used for many years to store energy from renewable sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines. However, commercially available molten sodium-sulfur...

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Question of the Week: Connectivity
Will Stretchable Smartphones Catch On?

Our “5 Ws” feature this month highlighted skin-like electronic circuits being developed at Virginia Tech.

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
An intelligent robot being uses A.I. and sophisticated navigation to find good peaches and remove them from trees.
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Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
An industry expert explains why automotive manufacturers are turning to a "floating" board-to-board connection.
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Question of the Week: Energy
Will Our Buildings Store Energy Like Giant Batteries?

Our September issue of Battery Technology highlighted rechargeable cement-based batteries that can be utilized as functional concrete. The achievement from Chalmers University of Technology, according to the battery’s developers, lays the groundwork for entire buildings that could someday...

Blog: Software
A reader asks an industry expert from IBM: How is feature-based modeling better than a bill of materials?
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Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
With the help of additive-manufacturing techniques and software-controlled lasers, Blutinger and his colleagues are digitizing the cooking process.
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INSIDER: Nanotechnology

Scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory recently assessed the status of research into colloidal quantum dot lasers with a focus on prospective electrically...

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INSIDER: Photonics/Optics

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are an unsung hero of the lighting industry. They run efficiently, give off little heat, and last for a long time. Now scientists are looking at new materials to...

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INSIDER: Photonics/Optics

Twelve years ago, physicists turned on the first x-ray laser, and since then it and several others around the world have proved themselves revolutionary probes of...

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INSIDER: Imaging

Cross Platform 3D Laser Scanner

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division (North Kingstown, RI) announced its new AS1 Scanner. The modular blue laser line scanner operates with both laser trackers and portable...

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Question of the Week: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Will Laser Cooking Catch On?

Our lead story today looked at a cutting-edge way to prepare food: Laser cooking.

INSIDER: Nanotechnology

University of Houston researchers developed an electrochemical actuator that uses specialized organic semiconductor nanotubes (OSNT). The device exhibits high actuation performance...

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INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control

Modeling the mechanics of the strongest punch in the animal kingdom, researchers built a robot that mimics the movement of the mantis shrimp, whose club-like appendages accelerate faster...

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Blog: Aerospace
As NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the Moon, human explorers will have to handle microgravity conditions and other elements that take a toll on the body.
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Blog: Power
Before human explorers can head to the Moon and beyond, they need to tackle these three important tasks.
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Blog: Aerospace
A reader asks about NASA's Artemis mission: "Are there other objectives for specifically lunar operations besides preparing and training for Mars mission?"
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Blog: Energy
A NASA expert explains the big difference between the lunar south pole and the Moon's equator.
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Blog: Energy
A NASA expert explains why the Artemis mission will rely on a fascinating orbit known as the "Gateway."
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Webcasts

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On-Demand Webinars: Defense

From Data to Decision: How AI Enhances Warfighter Readiness

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Upcoming Webinars: Aerospace

April Battery & Electrification Summit

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Upcoming Webinars: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Tech Update: 3D Printing for Transportation in 2024

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Upcoming Webinars: Materials

Unleashing Epoxy's Potential: Ensuring Hermetic Sealing in Modern...

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Upcoming Webinars: Test & Measurement

Building an Automotive EMC Test Plan

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Upcoming Webinars: Aerospace

The Moon and Beyond from a Thermal Perspective

Videos