This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.
Microscale Robots
A new class of tiny, self-propelled robots developed by engineers at CU Boulder can zip through liquid at incredible speeds and may one day even deliver prescription drugs to hard-to-reach places inside the human body. The microrobots are really small. Each one measures only 20 micrometers wide, several times smaller than the width of a human hair. The team makes its microrobots out of materials called biocompatible polymers using a technology similar to 3D printing. The machines look a bit like small rockets and come complete with three tiny fins. They’re also really fast — capable of traveling at speeds of about 3 millimeters per second, or roughly 9,000 times their own length per minute. That’s many times faster than a cheetah in relative terms. The team envisions that one day these microrobots could swirl through a person’s blood stream, seeking out targeted areas to treat for various ailments such as bladder disease.
Contact: Daniel Strain
303-735-5875
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LOTUS Coating
NASA instrumentation is at risk for contamination from dusty space environments. Additionally, contamination from water and ice buildup can affect instrumentation function. The innovation of the LOTUS coating, developed by NASA innovators at the Goddard Space Center, prevents contamination on sensitive surfaces, like optics, that cannot be cleaned during space missions. In addition to previous LOTUS coating formulations, an additional optical formulation may be applied via vacuum deposition. This coating forms a top layer and may be applied in different thicknesses that serve to enhance its hydrophobic properties. The vacuum deposited material may comprise fluorinated ethylene propylene or a similar material. This coating is transparent and can be used on optical components or any other applications requiring a clear coating. The coating has applications in remote sensing, earth imaging, and communications.
Contact: NASA Communications
202-358-7432
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Wearable E-Tattoo
A team led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has developed an ultrathin, lightweight electronic tattoo (e-tattoo), that attaches to the chest for continuous, mobile heart monitoring outside of a clinical setting. It includes two sensors that together provide a clear picture of heart health, giving clinicians a better chance to catch red flags for heart disease early. The e-tattoo is wireless and mobile, which is enabled by a series of small active circuits and sensors carefully arranged and linked by stretchable interconnections and conforms to the chest via a medical dressing. It weighs only 2.5 grams and runs on a battery the size of a penny. The battery has a life of more than 40 hours and can easily be changed by the user. By monitoring and synchronizing two key heart measurements — the electrocardiogram (ECG) and the seismocardiogram (SCG) — the e-tattoo makes it possible to measure cardiac time intervals, which are a major indicator of heart disease and other problems.
