Briefs: Software
CSAM Metrology Software Tool
CSAM Metrology Software Tool (CMeST) is a computer program for analysis of false-color CSAM images of plastic-encapsulated microcircuits. ("CSAM" signifies C-mode scanning acoustic microscopy.) The colors in the images indicate areas of delamination within the plastic packages. Heretofore, the images have been...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Solid Freeform Fabrication of Composite-Material Objects
Composite solid freeform fabrication (C-SFF) or composite layer manufacturing (CLM) is an automated process in which an advanced composite material (a matrix reinforced with continuous fibers) is formed into a freestanding, possibly complex, three-dimensional object. In CLM, there is no...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Improvements in Fabrication of Sand/Binder Cores for Casting
Three improvements have been devised for the cold-box process, which is a special molding process used to make sand/binder cores for casting hollow metal parts. These improvements...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Magnetically Attached Multifunction Maintenance Rover
A versatile mobile telerobot, denoted the magnetically attached multifunction maintenance rover (MAGMER), has been proposed for use in the inspection and maintenance of the surfaces of...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Improved Electrolytic Hydrogen Peroxide Generator
An improved apparatus for the electrolytic generation of hydrogen peroxide dissolved in water has been developed. The apparatus is a prototype of H2O2 generators for the safe and effective sterilization of water, sterilization of equipment in contact with water, and other...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Gauges for Highly Precise Metrology of a Compound Mirror
Three optical gauges have been developed for guiding the assembly and measuring precisely the reflecting surfaces of a compound mirror that comprises a corner-cube retroreflector glued...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Verifying the Safety of a Radioactive Waste Container With Simulation Software
As part of decommissioning the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site — an inactive nuclear facility in southeastern Washington — a contaminated apparatus called a glovebox (a steel isolation chamber with built-in gloves that allow personnel to remotely...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Efficient Computational Model of Hysteresis
A recently developed mathematical model of the output (displacement) versus the input (applied voltage) of a piezoelectric transducer accounts for hysteresis. For the sake of computational speed,...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
High Peak Power Fiber Amplifiers Operating at Eye-Safe Wavelengths
Recent advances in fiber technology have enabled a dramatic increase in the power delivered from fiber based amplifiers and lasers. This is particularly true at the 1060-nm...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Improved Thermal Matching of Materials for Hermetic Optical Windows
A family of iron-nickel and ironnickel- cobalt alloys made using metal injection technology (MIT) has been designed to match the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Thin-Film Resistance Heat-Flux Sensors
Thin-film heat-flux sensors of a proposed type would offer advantages over currently available thin-film heat flux sensors. Like a currently available thin-film heat-flux sensor, a sensor according to...
Briefs: Materials
More About Arc-Welding Process for Making Carbon Nanotubes
A report presents additional information about the process reported in "Manufacturing High-Quality Carbon Nanotubes at Lower Cost"; (GSC-14601) NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 28, No. 9 (September 2004), page 62. To recapitulate: High-quality batches of carbon nanotubes are produced at...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Controlling Laser Spot Size in Outer Space
Three documents discuss a method of controlling the diameter of a laser beam projected from Earth to any altitude ranging from low orbit around the Earth to geosynchronous orbit. Such laser beams are under consideration as means of supplying power to orbiting spacecraft at levels of the order of tens...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Crane-Load Contact Sensor
An electronic instrument has been developed as a prototype of a portable crane-load contact sensor. Such a sensor could be helpful in an application in which the load rests on a base in a horizontal position...
Briefs: Information Technology
Ontology-Driven Information Integration
Ontology-driven information integration (ODII) is a method of computerized, automated sharing of information among specialists who have expertise in different domains and who are members of...
Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Optical Sensing of Combustion Instabilities in Gas Turbines
In a continuing program of research and development, a system has been demonstrated that makes high-speed measurements of thermal infrared radiance from gas-turbine engine exhaust streams. When a gas-turbine engine is operated under conditions that minimize the emission of pollutants,...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Carbon-Nanotube Conductive Layers for Thin-Film Solar Cells
Thin, transparent layers comprising mats of carbon nanotubes have been proposed for providing lateral (that is, inplane) electrical conductivities for collecting electric currents...
In the race to deliver drugs to market more quickly, biopharmaceutical companies need to classify and interpret data at unprecedented rates with tools that eliminate...
Briefs: Medical
Microwave Treatment of Prostate Cancer and Hyperplasia
Microwave ablation in the form of microwave energy applied to a heart muscle by a coaxial catheter inserted in a vein in the groin area can be used to heat and kill diseased heart cells. A microwave catheter has been developed to provide deep myocardial ablation to treat ventricular...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Wheel Electrometer System
The electrodes of this electrometer are embedded in a wheel of an exploratory robotic vehicle, utilizing the wheel motion to bring the electrodes into proximity or contact with the soil. Each electrode resides in one of two types of sensor modules: electric-field (ELF) or triboelectric (TRIBO). In either type, what is...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Cryogenic High-Sensitivity Magnetometer
A proposed magnetometer for use in a cryogenic environment would be sensitive enough to measure a magnetic-flux density as small as a picogauss (10-16 Tesla). In contrast, a typical conventional flux-gate magnetometer cannot measure a magnetic-flux density smaller that about 1 microgauss (10-10 Tesla).
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Adaptable System for Vehicle Health and Usage Monitoring
Aircraft and other vehicles are often kept in service beyond their original design lives. As they age, they become susceptible to system malfunctions and fatigue. Unlike future...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Measuring Humidity in Sealed Glass Encasements
A technique has been devised for measuring the relative humidity levels in the protective helium/water vapor atmosphere in which the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution,...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Apparatus Characterizes Transient Voltages in Real Time
The figure shows a prototype of a relatively inexpensive electronic monitoring apparatus that measures and records selected parameters of lightning induced transient voltages on...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Thermal Imaging of Earth for Accurate Pointing of Deep-Space Antennas
A report discusses a proposal to use thermal (long-wavelength infrared) images of the Earth, as seen from spacecraft at interplanetary distances, for pointing antennas and telescopes toward the Earth for Ka-band and optical communications.
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Shock Waves in a Bose-Einstein Condensate
A paper presents a theoretical study of shock waves in a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC).
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Ferroelectric Devices Emit Charged Particles and Radiation
Devices called “solid-state ferroelectric-based sources” (SSFBSs) are under development as sources of electrons, ions, ultraviolet light, and x-rays for diverse applications in...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Dusty-Plasma Particle Accelerator
A dusty-plasma apparatus is being investigated as means of accelerating nanometer- and micrometer-sized particles. Applications for the dusty-plasma particle accelerators fall into two classes:
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...
Videos: Motion Control
Test System Could Enable Reduced Helicopter Vibration
Podcasts: Materials
Videos: Automotive
New Lithium Metal Batteries ‘Build Themselves’
Blog: Transportation
CES 2021: How COVID-19 Turned the Car into a Personal 'Second Space'
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: Medical
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
