Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Cut-to-Length Electrical Cable Cuts Costs
Electrical cables are used in services such as power delivery, automation signaling, and communications.
Articles: Test & Measurement
Mars 2020 – The Anatomy of Perseverance
NASA's Mars 2020 rover looks virtually the same as Curiosity but there are a number of differences.
Technology Leaders: Connectivity
RF Innovations Give Batteries New Life
Low-power radio design is enabling new connected IoT products for consumer, commercial, industrial, and medical markets.
Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Mars 2020 – Building Perseverance
Tech Briefs spoke with NASA’s Keith Comeaux, Deputy Project Chief Engineer, to learn more about the helicopter heading to Mars.
Facility Focus: Robotics, Automation & Control
Facility Focus: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Engineering focuses on solving the “grand challenges” facing humanity.
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Device Modulates Light and Amplifies Tiny Signals
This system can amplify a faint signal from a neighboring system even when that signal’s amplitude is as small as ten trillionths of a meter.
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Improving Data Speeds with Laser-Activated Magnets
Mini-magnets could enable cloud computing systems to process data up to 100 times faster than current technologies.
Articles: Materials
Products of Tomorrow: June 2020
Nature-Inspired Energy Tech, Superelastic Tires, Wearable Supercapacitors, and more...
NASA Spinoff: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Wool Mask Used to Fight Fires in Space Improves Fire Equipment on Earth
Wool from special sheep keeps astronauts and emergency responders safe.
Articles: Imaging
Mars 2020 – Looking for Life
Tech Briefs spoke with NASA’s Ken Williford, Mars 2020 Deputy Project Scientist, to learn more about the science capabilities of Perseverance.
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Optically Reconfigurable Charge-Transfer Liquid Crystals
These re-writeable materials have applications in data storage and encryption, energy transducers, and optical display technologies.
Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Mars 2020 – Getting to Mars
Perseverance will have the ability to land in more challenging terrain than Curiosity, making more rugged sites eligible as safe landing candidates.
Briefs: Materials
Metals Change Surfaces in Response to Heat
Heat predictably and precisely changes the surface structure of a particle of liquid metal.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Graphene Device with Superconducting, Insulating, and Magnetic Properties
The multitasking device could advance development of an electric circuit for faster, next-generation electronics like quantum computing technologies.
Briefs: Energy
'Artificial Leaf' Produces Clean Gas
This method of producing clean syngas could be used to develop a sustainable liquid fuel alternative to gasoline.
Q&A: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Q&A: Tactile Robot Finger with No Blind Spots
A robotic finger has a sense of touch that can be localized with high precision over a large, multi-curved surface.
Briefs: Materials
Essential Oils Inhibit Mold on Wood
This method can be used to protect stored building materials and to remediate in-service wood and wood products.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Wearable Device Monitors Health
The flexible device harvests heat energy from the body to monitor health.
Briefs: Materials
Method Turns Trash Into Graphene
This green process produces pristine graphene in bulk using waste food, plastic, and other materials.
Briefs: Materials
Carbon Nanostructure is Stronger Than Diamonds
A novel plate-cell architecture reaches the theoretical limit of performance.
These composites could improve how unmanned vehicles dissipate energy.
Products: Materials
New on the Market: June 2020
Industrial PCs, power modules, processor blades, and more.
5 Ws: Materials
5 Ws of Bacteria-Killing Metal Surfaces
Bacterial pathogens can live on surfaces for days. What if frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, could instantly kill them off?
Articles: Test & Measurement
Mars 2020 – The Science of Mars 2020
Learn about the four goals of the Mars 2020 mission.
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
Mars 2020 – Perseverance to the Red Planet
Read our special series on the Mars 2020 mission, featuring interviews with NASA experts and designers of the Perseverance rover.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Carbonated Cement for Production of Concrete with Improved Properties
This technology supports CO2 emissions reduction in cement manufacturing.
The rainproof, stainproof technology turns clothing into self-powered remotes while turning away bacteria.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Soft Tactile Logic Distributes Decision-Making Throughout Stretchable Material
Inspired by the octopus, the structure senses, computes, and responds without any centralized processing.
Products: Electronics & Computers
Product of the Month: June 2020 Tech Briefs
The K6PM provides continuous, remote thermal monitoring of critical components such as high-voltage control panels, transformers, and hydraulic equipment.
Top Stories
Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Coffee Grounds Put a Pep in the Step of Flexible Robotic Feet
INSIDER: Motion Control
Videos: Automotive
Design Contest Winner Jon Sumroy Shares Success Story
Videos: Energy
Hyper-Efficient 'SlothBot' Uses Innovative Power Management Technology
Blog: Aerospace
Answering Your (Mars 2020) Questions: Perseverance vs. Curiosity Rover...
Blog: Energy
Is Water Vapor the Next Energy Source? Lightning Researchers Test the Idea
Question of the Week
Do You See Yourself Someday Printing in 4D?
Webcasts
Webinars: Medical
Sensor Technology: A Flexible Solution for Wearables
Upcoming Webinars: Aerospace
Understanding O-ring Complexity in the Aerospace Industry
Upcoming Webinars: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Path to High-Level Autonomy for Commercial Vehicles
Upcoming Webinars: Medical
COVID-19: The New Design Paradigm and Emerging Technologies
Upcoming Webinars: Aerospace
Aviation Electrification: Choosing Your Motor Topology and...
Upcoming Webinars: Robotics, Automation & Control
Trending Stories
Application Briefs: Internet of Things
Harness Wireless IoT Sensors for Integrated Building Management
Articles: Motion Control
Advanced Sensing Solutions for Cost-Effective Machine Building
Articles: RF & Microwave Electronics
Lightweighting in Aerospace Component and System Design
Facility Focus: Energy
Facility Focus: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Briefs: Materials
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Picosatellite Design Incorporates Thin Aluminum Structure and Self-Clinching...
