Features

Elevating Clinical Trial Logistics Performance Through Automation

To address challenges and future-proof its clinical trial supply chain, Zuellig Pharma partnered with Hai Robotics to introduce intelligent automation at its new Clinical Trial Support Innovation Center. Read on to learn more.

Slashing Order Processing Time with End-to-End Automation

Read on to find out how Lane Automotive slashed order processing time from 109 to under 15 minutes.

Physical AI Accelerates Next-Gen Biomanufacturing

Robotic biomanufacturing company Multiply Labs recently announced a landmark milestone in its mission to scale production of cell and gene therapies. The company is now leveraging NVIDIA’s open Isaac and GR00T technologies including advanced robotics simulation and perception, marking a turning point for an industry that has historically relied on manual, “artisanal” processes. Read on to learn more.

Using AI to Predict Battery Life for New Designs

Professor Ziyou Song of the University of Michigan, with the assistance of Jiawei Zhang and their team, has developed a method for using AI to predict battery life of new designs based on just dozens of charge-recharge cycles instead of the usual 1,000 or more.

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Completes First AI-Planned Drive on Mars

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has completed the first drives on another world that were planned by artificial intelligence.

Lunar Lattices and Their Earthly Impact

An innovative 3D printing process that advanced NASA’s approach to outfitting a lunar habitat is making buildings on Earth beautiful, efficient, and strong.

5Ws of an Ethanol Fuel-Cell Generator

WattAnyWhere’s pollutant-free fuel cell generator converts renewable ethanol into clean electricity, offering businesses and communities a sustainable alternative to traditional grid-based power.

New on the Market

See what's new on the market, including Aerotech's PICAlignTM architecture, a new active alignment solution designed to overcome the manufacturing challenges of high-volume Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) production; PI's 6-axis piezo alignment platform: the P-616.65S Nano-Cube® 6-DOF piezo-flexure nano positioning system; a high-impedance miniaturized ferrite-core wire wound inductor from Coilcraft; and more.

Artemis II: The Final Countdown

Originally scheduled for September 2025, Artemis II, NASA’s first crewed mission in the Artemis program is now targeted no later than April 2026 for launch. Taking the crew around the Moon is going to be the agency’s first step toward sustained lunar presence. Read on to learn more about it.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Dart Controls' EZ VFD® family of variable frequency drives for three phase, ¼ to 2 HP motors.

Readers Select 2025 Products of the Year

Last December, Tech Briefs readers were asked to select one product from our 2025 Products of the Month to be named Readers’ Choice Product of the Year. Thanks to all of our readers who cast their votes. Read on for the three 2025 winners.

The Intertwining of AI and Simulation in Automotive Design

By leveraging rich simulation data to train AI models, which can then be used to quickly explore a design space and guide further simulations, the existing product design process can be enhanced to become faster and more flexible. Read on to learn more.

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including a bio-mimetic, light-powered soft lens that mimics the human eye’s ability to refocus and adjust to varying light conditions; a new material for insulating windows that could improve the energy efficiency of buildings worldwide; and more.

Firefly Aerospace Adds Volta’s Wireless Power Receiver to Blue Ghost Mission 2 Lander

Firefly Aerospace recently announced a new commercial payload agreement with Volta Space Technologies to host a wireless power receiver on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander on the far side of the Moon. The payload will serve as a technology demonstration for Volta’s planned lunar power network, called LightGrid. Read on to learn more.

Analyzer Delivers Real-Time Insights for U.S. Power Grid

Yilu Liu, lead researcher and UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Power Electronics, and her team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory partnered with the University of Tennessee to develop the Universal GridEdge Analyzer, a secure, affordable sensing device that delivers real-time insight into electric grid behavior.

Lubricating Aerospace One Zulu Pod at a Time

On the heels of taking first place in the Aerospace & Defense category at the 2023 Create the Future Contest, Zulu Pods has grown in nearly every way imaginable and shows no signs of slowing down (nor a desire to!) at any point soon.

Bringing Hybrid Power to the Rescue

NASA-funded hybrid power system makes drones more capable in disasters.

5Ws of the AEON Humanoid Robot

One of the 2026 CES Innovation Awards honorees in the robotics category is AEON — a humanoid robot developed to address labor shortages as industries adapt to ageing populations and shifting workforce demands.

New on the Market

See what's new on the market, including COMSOL Multiphysics® version 6.4; Novotechnik's Vert-X 26 Series of non-contacting magnetic angle sensors; HMS Networks' N-Tron NT110-FX2, an unmanaged Ethernet switch with two fiber ports; Littelfuse's MMIX1T500N20X4 X4-Class Ultra-Junction Power MOSFET; and more.

High-Voltage Switch Innovation for Electric Power Systems

Pinggao Group focuses on the development and production of high-voltage and ultra-high-voltage electrical equipment. Different teams at the company use simulation to explore in depth the factors that affect the performance of high-voltage switches as well as to optimize switch designs and predict the operational status of equipment. Read on to learn more about the work.

Solving AI’s Power Problem at the Chip Level

To address the staggering power and energy demands of AI, engineers have developed a revolutionary new thin-film material that promises to make AI devices significantly faster while dramatically cutting energy consumption. In this interview, Alamgir Karim, who is leading the research, discusses the new approach, its benefits, and how Nobel Prize-winning chemistry enabled this discovery.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Altech Corporation's C-TEC Series of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including a new nanoscale optical device that works at room temperature to entangle the spin of photons (particles of light) and electrons to achieve quantum communication; a dust sensor for use in space environments; and more.

Innovative Control System Theory for Complex Networks

Leila Bridgeman and her team at Duke University Pratt School of Engineering are developing software that will improve upon existing techniques to ensure robust and safety-assured control for complex autonomous systems such as drones and medical robotics.

Weaving Data Fabric with AI

Autonomy Association International’s Digital Infrastructure Platform uses the same technology originally designed for a NASA flight test.

5Ws of Unloading Robots

Founded by MIT alumni, the Pickle Robot Company has built machines that can autonomously load and unload trucks inside warehouses and logistic centers.

Advances in Fiber Laser Welding for E-Mobility Manufacturing

As electric vehicle designs change and production targets grow even more aggressive, advanced laser welding technologies have continued to evolve to help manufacturers be more efficient and stay competitive. Read on to learn more about it.

Countering the New Threat from the Sky: Advanced IR Imaging Zoom Lenses for C-UAS Systems

This article highlights requirements for an IR imaging C-UAS platform and examines the design of one state-of-the-art lens system for this application. Read on to learn more.

Enhancing Signal Integrity and Security in Aerospace: RF-Over-Fiber Optics Hybrid Communications Technology

Although RF-over-Fiber systems are engineered and ruggedized to withstand harsh environments, aerospace systems remain vulnerable to environmental stressors that can degrade the performance of components over time. Maintaining signal integrity requires consistent testing and preventative maintenance of key equipment. Read on to learn more.