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Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) comes in different forms, frequencies, and levels. Electronic equipment has different categories for both emissions and susceptibility. Under normal...
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Eye on Innovation: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Stories abound of cost overruns, schedule delays, low reliability, and product failures related to development of large-scale systems and platforms. Despite focused efforts to reduce development risk...
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Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
The benefits of aquatic physical therapy and rehabilitation for those who have difficulty with weightbearing activities due to arthritis or injury, or those who are overweight, have...
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Tech Needs
Polymer/Carbon or Other Materials with Conductivity Approaching Copper and Aluminum
A company seeks a weight-saving alternative to sheets and wires of copper and aluminum that can operate at specific frequencies. The goal is to replace conductive casings, conductors, wires, grounding plates, and similar electronics structures with other materials...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Low-Friction, Low-Profile, High-Moment Two-Axis Joint
The two-axis joint is a mechanical device that provides two-degrees-of-freedom motion between connected components. A compact, moment-resistant, twoaxis joint is used to connect an electromechanical actuator to its driven structural members. Due to the requirements of the overall mechanism, the...
Tech Needs
Accurate Measurement Techniques for Deep-Bone Density and Structure
A company seeks a clinically useful technology with enough sensitivity to assess the microstructure of “spongy” bone that is found in the marrow cavities of whole bones. However, this technology must be for skeletal sites surrounded by layers of soft tissues, such as the spine...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Miniature Multi-Axis Mechanism for Hand Controllers
A hand controller provides up to three axes of motion, and all required feel characteristics (stiffness and breakout torques) located inside a hollow handle within the grip of the hand. This is achieved using a miniature gimbal mechanism that allows for independent motion about one, two, or three...
Techs for License
Fast, Quantitative Diagnostic Reader for Medical Tests
Kimberly-Clark Corporation This medical reader can perform diagnostic tests on any bodily fluid that attenuates light, such as blood, urine, sputum, or other fluid. Thousands of potential tests are possible, including immunoassay, colorimetric/chromogenic tests, cholesterol, and osteoporosis...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A magnetostrictive brake has been designed as a more energy-efficient alternative to a magnetic fail-safe brake in a robot. (In the specific application, “fail-safe” signifies that the brake is normally engaged; that...
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Techs for License
Low-Cost Nanomaterials Synthesis and Delivery Mechanism
Drayton Weissenfels Inc. This platform technology produces ultra-small, water-dispersible nanomaterials that are easily incorporated into existing products and processes. The process is done under simple conditions and results in nanoparticles that are ultra-small (
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
AMETEK Technical & Industrial Products (Harleysville, PA) offers the Pittman® Series 8540 30-mm brush-commutated DC motors that integrate bonded neodymium magnets and 7-slot straight armature to minimize cogging. The motors feature a...
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Briefs: Physical Sciences
Active and Passive Hybrid Sensor
A hybrid ocean wind sensor (HOWS) can map ocean vector wind in low to hurricane-level winds, and non-precipitating and precipitating conditions. It can acquire active and passive measurements through a single aperture at two wavelengths, two polarizations, and multiple incidence angles. Its low profile, compact...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Heidenhain Corp. (Schaumburg, IL) offers the 1000 Series rotary encoders with IP 64 protection and absolute position-value formation in a 35-mm-diameter housing size. The encoders are designed as single-encoder measurement...
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Quick-Response Thermal Actuator for Use as a Heat Switch
This work improves the performance of a heat switch, or a thermal actuator, by delivering heat to the actuator in a more efficient manner. The method uses a heat pipe as the plunger or plug instead of just using a solid piece of metal. The heat pipe could be one tailored for fast transient...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
ASM Sensors (Elmhurst, IL) has introduced the PTAM20 Series POSITILT® MEMS inclinometer available in single- and dual-axis versions. It is available in a compact, flat housing and features a measurement range for the...
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Briefs: Physical Sciences
AlGaN Ultraviolet Detectors for Dual-Band UV Detection
This innovation comprises technology that has the ability to measure at least two ultraviolet (UV) bands using one detector without relying on any external optical filters. This allows users to build a miniature UVA and UVB monitor, as well as to develop compact, multicolor imaging technologies...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Midwest Motion Products (Watertown, MN) has released the Model MMP-D22-376H-24V GP52-195 BR-005 DC gearmotor with integral brake. Accepting any 24V DC source, including battery power, the encoder-compatible gearmotor/brake measures...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Nexen (Vadnais Heights, MN) has introduced the Eclipse line of servomotor brakes designed to mount to servomotors up to 20 horsepower. The spring-engaged brakes are equipped with a split-hub, zero-backlash clamp collar for...
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Briefs: Physical Sciences
Perlite is the most typical insulating powder used to separate the inner and outer shells of cryogenic tanks. The inner tank holds the low-temperature commodity, while the outer...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Aerotech (Pittsburgh, PA) has introduced the PRO Series of side-sealed, hard-cover, ball-screw-driven linear stages available in 68 standard models with travels from 50 to 1500 mm. A variety of travels, widths, speeds, and load...
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Briefs: Physical Sciences
A proposed radiation-detecting apparatus would provide information on the kinetic energies, directions, and electric charges of highly energetic incident subatomic particles. The apparatus was originally...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Maxon Motor (Fall River, MA) offers the RE 50 mechanically commutated drive that features an ironless rotor for detent-free running, and a combination of a two-pole neodymium permanent magnet with winding...
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Briefs: Physical Sciences
Using Thin-Film Thermometers as Heaters in Thermal Control Applications
A cryogenic sensor maintains calibration at ≈4.2 K to better than 2 mK (
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Sanyo Denki America (Torrance, CA) offers the SANMOTION R high-speed EtherCAT interface AC servo amplifier that provides 100 Mbps communication. Multi-function software includes a motion simulation function that runs the same...
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Briefs: Physical Sciences
System for Hydrogen Sensing
A low-power, wireless gas-sensing system is designed to safeguard the apparatus to which it is attached, as well as associated personnel. It also ensures the efficiency and operational integrity of the hydrogen-powered apparatus. This sensing system can be operated with lower power consumption (less than 30 nanowatts),...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A new space-qualified, high-power, high-efficiency, K-band traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA), shown in the figure, will provide high-rate, high-capacity, direct-to-Earth communications for science data...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Avago Technologies (San Jose, CA) has introduced the AEAT-601B compact, integrated, incremental magnetic encoder for speed detection, knob control, and rotary encoder applications. Housed in a protective plastic housing, it...
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Sideband-Separating, Millimeter-Wave Heterodyne Receiver
Researchers have demonstrated a sub-millimeter-wave spectrometer that combines extremely broad bandwidth with extremely high sensitivity and spectral resolution to enable future spacecraft to measure the composition of the Earth’s troposphere in three dimensions many times per day at...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The M660 high-speed, direct-driven piezomotor rotary stage from PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. (Auburn, MA) is designed using PILine® piezomotor drive technology. The stage reaches top speeds of 720 degrees/sec and resolution to 40...
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