Briefs: Imaging

Seeing Around Corners to Detect Object Shapes

Special light sources and sensors see around corners or through gauzy filters, enabling reconstruction of the shapes of unseen objects.

Articles: RF & Microwave Electronics

Seeing with Sound Next-Level Ultrasonic Sensors for Intelligent Cars

Even though ultrasound has been studied by scientists for many years, its capabilities in practical applications are yet to be fully harnessed.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Relaxor Piezoelectric Single-Crystal Multilayer Stacks for Energy Harvesting Transducers (RPSEHT)

Applications include powering portable electronic devices and sensors, and harvesting waste mechanical energy for aircraft, automobile, and other transportation equipment.

Products: Materials

New on the Market: April 2020

Vision-based 3D printing, network analyzers, particulate sensors, and more.

Q&A: Energy

Q&A: Simple Solar-Powered Desalination

Lenan Zhang and his team at MIT developed a small, economical, highly efficient device to provide fresh drinking water using only the Sun for its energy input.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

RFID-Based System Enables Internet of Things

The technology could help in elder care with sensors throughout a home.

Articles: Energy

Products of Tomorrow: April 2020

A wildfire-preventing gel; NASA's 3D tissue models, and more.

Briefs: Automotive

Coating Extends Lithium Metal Battery Life

The coating could make lightweight lithium metal batteries safe and long-lasting for the next generation of electric vehicles.

Briefs: Wearables

Device Harvests Energy from Low-Frequency Vibrations

A wearable energy harvesting device could generate energy from the swing of an arm while walking or jogging.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Machine Learning Algorithm Identifies Objects Using Microwaves

Hardware and software tweak microwave patterns to discover the most efficient way to identify objects.

Articles: Materials

Choose Surface Treatments Early to Avoid Future Problems

Surface treatments have limitations that demand attention early in the design process.

Briefs: Materials

Material Combination Strengthens Body Armor

The new body armor can safeguard against even more powerful firearms during combat.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

High-Area Rapid 3D Printing

This new 3D printer can print an object the size of an adult human in just a couple of hours.

Briefs: Materials

Powder Particles for Corrosion Prevention in Rebar

The coating protects parking decks, bridges, concrete piers, offshore platforms, buildings, and cooling towers.

Briefs: Materials

Double-Sided Tape Rapidly Seals Tissues Together

The adhesive that binds wet surfaces within seconds could be used to heal wounds or implant medical devices.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Soft, Flexible Materials with Enhanced Properties

These materials can be used in soft robotics, self-healing electronics, and medical devices.

Briefs: Materials

Method for Electrospinning Customizable Nanofibers

The electrospun nanofibers are used for wound healing and 3D matrices for biological tissues.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

PLCs Directly Access Internet Information

The newest PLCs can directly access Internet resources, much like a mobile device, to obtain information for improving operations.

Briefs: Energy

Producing Cadmium Telluride Material for Solar Cells

A new method provides a more efficient, safer, and cost-effective way to produce cadmium telluride material for solar cells or other applications.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Maximizing Safety in Advanced Battery Systems

Fuse devices enable circuit safety in high-power applications, such as motion control and alternative energy generation, in addition to electric vehicles.

Briefs: Materials

High Thermally Conductive Polymeric Composites

These carbon-based fillers can be used in thermally conductive clothing such as liquid-cooled garments.

Briefs: Imaging

Cryogenic Near-Field Optical Microscope Images Dynamics of Graphene

This imaging technique could impact optical communications and signal processing.

Briefs: Imaging

Model Predicts Breaking Point of Conducting Material

This work could accelerate the development of flexible electronics.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Terahertz Imaging System Uses Small, Efficient Lasers

The lasers are small and efficient enough to fit on a microchip.

NASA Spinoff: Test & Measurement

Detailed Spectrometry Makes Dangerous-Materials Testing Safer

Technology used to search for extraterrestrial life can characterize radioactive material.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

High-Reliability Radio Frequency MEMS Switch

Applications include homeland security, vehicle anti-collision systems, telecommunications systems, and industrial instrumentation.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Using Sound and Light for Ultrafast Data Transfer

This method could lead to the transmission of data at the rate of 100 gigabits per second.