NASA Tech Briefs - April 2008 - Vol. 32 No. 4

Features

• Tech Needs

  NASA Technology Needs: An Overview

• Application Briefs

  Rugged, Flight-Ready Data Storage Selected for NASA Aircraft Project

  Software Improves Access to Data at NASA Wind Tunnel Facility

• Who's Who

  Dr. Steve Hipskind, Chief, NASA's Earth Science Division

• Articles

  Eye On Innovation

  2007 NASA Tech Briefs "Create the Future" Design Contest

  Machinery & Equipment Category Winner, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Grand Prize Winner, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Medical Category Winner, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Consumer Products Category Winner, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Safety & Security Category Winner, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Transportation Category Winner, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Sustainable Technologies Category Winner, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Meet the Judges, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

  Contest Sponsors, "Create the Future" 2007 Design Contest

Tech Briefs

• Bio-Medical

  Progress in Development of Improved Ion-Channel Biosensors

  Activating STAT3 Alpha for Promoting Healing of Neurons

  Hydrocyclone/Filter for Concentrating Biomarkers From Soil

• Physical Sciences

  Thin-Film Magnetic-Field-Response Fluid-Level Sensor for Non-Viscous Fluids

  Remote-Sensing Time Series Analysis, a Vegetation Monitoring Tool

  Data Assimilation Cycling for Weather Analysis

  Probing a Spray Using Frequency-Analyzed Light Scattering

• Manufacturing & Prototyping

  Fabrication of Gate-Electrode Integrated Carbon-Nanotube Bundle Field Emitters

• Software

  Simulating Operation of a Complex Sensor Network

• Materials

  Gas Sensors Based on Coated and Doped Carbon Nanotubes

  Photochemically Synthesized Polyimides

  Hydroxide-Assisted Bonding of Ultra-Low-Expansion Glass

  Optimized Carbonate and Ester-Based Li-Ion Electrolytes

• Information Sciences

  Supplier Management System

  Improved CLARAty Functional-Layer/Decision-Layer Interface

  JAVA Stereo Display Toolkit

  PyPele Rewritten To Use MPI

• Mechanics & Machinery

  Tactile Robotic Topographical Mapping Without Force or Contact Sensors

  Ultrasonic/Sonic Impacting Penetrators

  Miniature, Lightweight, One-Time-Opening Valve

• Semiconductors & ICs

  Dual-Input AND Gate From Single-Channel Thin-Film FET

• Electronics & Computers

  Using Transponders on the Moon to Increase Accuracy of GPS

  Controller for Driving a Piezoelectric Actuator at Resonance

  Coaxial Electric Heaters

  High-Density, High-Bandwidth, Multilevel Holographic Memory

Products

• Simscape™

• Briefs

  Compact 6-DOF Stage for Optical Adjustments

• Applications

  Smoothing the Wave for High-Power Lasers

• Articles

  Thermographic Imaging Selecting an IR Camera with the Right Detector

• Products

  Photonics Tech Briefs Announces 2007 Products of the Year

  Product of the Month: 1940nm Diode Laser Arrays

  Pyroelectric Detectors

  Vibration Cancellation System

  Power Converters

  Digital Potentiometer

  Laser Interferometer Kit

  Optical Table

  Supercontinuum Laser Source

  PXIT Modules

  Waveguide Optics Design Suite

• Products

  Brushless Motor Design Kit

  Bevel Gear Drives

  Load Cells

  Linear Actuators and Amplifiers

  Absolute Encoder

  PTFE Bearing Liner

  Single-Axis Motion Control

  Linear Translation Stages

  Linear Actuated Sensor

  Accelerometer

  Industrial Joysticks

  Microactuator

  Mini Bearing

  Motor Control Reference Platform

  Brushless DC Pump

  High-Temp Bearing Materials

  Linear Actuators

  Precision Tensioning Brake

  Clutch/brake Module

• Applications

  Universal Joint Carries Power in Surgical Device

  Linear Rails Bear Weight of New X-Ray Table Apps

  Encoder Helps Track Molecular Level Movement

• Articles

  Linear Motors and Actuators Meets Automation Needs

  Motion Control Components Lend Hand to Biomedical Applications