Articles

Facility Focus: Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego

Jacobs' scientists are helping to make contract-tracing apps, emergency-use ventilators, and even squid-bots.

Products of Tomorrow

Robotic exoskeletons, a breath-test for cancer, and plastic-eating enzymes are Products of Tomorrow.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Manufacturing/Robotics/Automation Category Winner — RadiBond

RadiBond technology, based on nanometer-thin coatings, provides ultra-strong and ultra-tight bonding between metals and plastics.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Sustainable Technologies/Future Energy Category Winner — Flash Graphene

A new process can turn bulk quantities of just about any carbon source into valuable graphene flakes.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Medical Category Winner — 'A Chip Off the Old Box'

A battery-less pacing system enables painless defibrillation.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest Grand Prize Winner: RepelWrap — A Nature-inspired Surface Technology for Repelling Contamination

Read all about this year's "Create the Future" winner: A transparent flexible film called "RepelWrap."

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Aerospace & Defense Category Winner — NiobiCon™

The NiobiCon™ underwater connector will not short out, corrode, or cause an electrical shock if touched while powered in harsh environments like saltwater.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Consumer Product Design Category Winner — The Ring Prosthetic Leg

The conceptual Ring prosthetic leg ensures that individuals do not need an entirely new device every time they have a growth spurt.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Automotive/Transportation Category Winner — Low-Noise Laser for Lidar

Compact lasers now offer precise colors.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Electronics/Sensors/IoT Category Winner – PrintIC Flexible Circuits

With PrintIC technology, sensors, actuators, energy supplies, and ICs can be printed on the same substrate, avoiding assembly cost.

COVID-19 Drives Data Acquisition & Analytics Evolution

When deployed on edge devices, modern HMI and SCADA software can go beyond basic visualization to deliver advanced data acquisition and analytics.

Megapixel Photon-Counting Camera Technology

See what kinds of applications are possible when you can literally see light propagating through space.

Overcoming Pitfalls When Measuring Thin, Parallel Optics

A "TPSI" process makes it possible to distinguish between the front and back of optical surfaces, and to characterize the quality of both in a single measurement.

Products of Tomorrow

A smartwatch that tracks medication levels, a flexible LED, and NASA's "Micro-Organ" device platform.

Simple Robot Vision Tools Support Complex Applications

New collaborative robot-based vision systems are changing how manufacturers can inspect their parts.

Open Controllers Simplify Automation Systems

By consolidating tasks traditionally performed by multiple devices into a single, high-performing controller, manufacturers can improve operations.

Rapid Prototyping of Cable and Connectors for Unique Applications

Standard commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) connectors continue to be a great resource for quick prototypes and reference designs.

Products of Tomorrow

Nanowire masks, underwater imaging, and tiny 3D-printed block that repair bone breaks.

Torque Limiters 101: Benefits, Types, and Comparisons

Torque limiters protect against damage and downtime caused by machine overloads.

Long-life Batteries for the IIoT

Choosing the right battery will save trouble and expense in the long run.

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in Hyperspectral Imagers

Learn how to obtain large signals from hyperspectral imagers.

Camera Trends: Where We Are Now and What to Expect in the Near Future

The COVID crisis is propelling the camera industry toward disruptive transformation.

Executive Forum: Machine Learning & AI

Tech Briefs posed questions to machine learning/AI industry execs to get their opinions on platform selection, data interpretation, and more.

Cost-Effective Printed Sensors for the IoT/IIoT

With accelerated time from design to production, specialized foil sensor arrays will be expanding to many new areas.

Products of Tomorrow

An A/C alternative, AI that sharpens blurry images, and a NASA energy harvester.

Wiegand Wire: Energy Harvesting and More

With the emergence of a new generation of ultra-efficient electronic chips, the Wiegand technology is showing significant promise, especially in the exciting area of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Ultrasonic Metal Welding Enables Advances in Battery Technology

A number of battery-related innovations have been assisted by a joining technology: ultrasonic metal welding.

Man vs Machine: Who Reigns Supreme for Quality Inspection?

When inspecting products for instance, machine vision is not only faster but also far more accurate.

Venting for EV Battery Packs

Cell chemistries, thermal dynamics, vehicle packaging, and even weather present challenges for optimizing electric vehicle battery functional safety.