Magazine

Q&A: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Q&A: A Circulatory System for Robots

Robert F. Shepherd is Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He is leading a team exploring the use of hydraulic fluids in soft robots to also serve...

Briefs: Software

3D-Printed Polymer-Based Foam Structure Responds to Shock Waves

A 3D-printed polymer-based foam structure was developed that responds to the force of a shock wave to act as a oneway switch, a long sought-after goal in shock research. The...

Briefs: Aerospace

Graphene Field Effect Transistors for Radiation Detection (GFET-RS)

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center developed novel transistor technology based on a single graphene layer coupled to a radiation absorber substrate. Unlike conventional charge-sensing detectors, the GFET-RS utilizes the sensitive dependence of graphene conductance on local change of...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Device Simplifies Measurement of Fluoride Contamination in Water

Adding fluoride to water has been common practice in a number of countries including the U.S. In low concentrations (below 1.5 mg/L), fluoride can help prevent tooth decay and...

Application Briefs: Electronics & Computers

3D-Printing a Unique Metal Part

VELO3D was able to print the perfect spaceship on the very first try.

Products: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New on the Market: September 2019

Data Recorder DATAQ® Instruments, Akron, OH, announced the DI-4718B data recorder for applications that require signal conditioning. It can accommodate up to eight DI-8B-style amplifiers for industrial...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Material for Faster Computer Memory

Scientists are studying bismuth ferrite (BFO) material that has the potential to store information much more efficiently than is currently possible. BFO could also be used in sensors, transducers, and other electronics.

Briefs: Propulsion

Microrobots Activated by Laser Pulses for Treating Tumors

Microrobots that can deliver drugs to specific spots inside the body while being monitored and controlled from outside the body have been developed that also can treat tumors in the...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Laser-Pointing System Transmits Data from Tiny Satellites

Since 1998, almost 2,000 shoebox-sized satellites known as CubeSats have been launched into space. Due to their small frame and the fact that they can be made from off-the-shelf parts,...

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

3D-Printed Soft Mesh Robots

Researchers have created 3D-printed flexible mesh structures that can be controlled with applied magnetic fields while floating on water. The structures can grab small objects and carry water droplets, giving them...

NASA Spinoff: Test & Measurement

Methane Detector Sniffs Out Leaks

Methane is everywhere on Earth. It’s the main ingredient in the natural gas that powers heating, cooking, and electricity. It’s also a potent greenhouse gas. The presence of methane is also interesting for...

Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics

Compact Antenna Enables Communication Where Radios Fail

A pocket-sized antenna was developed that could enable mobile communication in situations where conventional radios don’t work such as underwater, through the ground, and over very long...

5 Ws: Sensors/Data Acquisition

5Ws of the Ear Infection Smartphone App

Who Ear infections are the most common reason that parents bring their children to a pediatrician, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Robot “Eye” Provides 360° Field of View

The production of precision products depends on robot control systems knowing the location of the adhesive bonding head or welding head to the nearest millimeter at all times. This means the robot...

Application Briefs: Materials

Optical Coatings Technology

Optical coatings are critical for enhancing the transmission, reflection, polarization, and phase of light incident upon and passing through optical components. There are many different technologies used to fabricate...

Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping

New Products

Micromachining Subsystem SCANLAB GmbH (Puchheim, Germany) has introduced a new member of its precSYS product line. Five-axis precSYS subsystems enable industrial ultra-short-pulse (USP) laser micromachining of flexible, definable...

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Optical Distance Measurement at Record-High Speed

Scientists of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and École Poly-technique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have reported that they achieved the fastest distance measurement attained so far....

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Calibration Method Improves Scientific Research Performed with Smartphone Cameras

Although smartphones and other consumer cameras are increasingly used for scientific applications, it's difficult to compare and combine data from different...

Briefs: Internet of Things

Spotting Objects Amid Clutter

A new MIT-developed technique enables robots to quickly identify objects hidden in a three-dimensional cloud of data, reminiscent of how some people can make sense of a densely patterned “Magic Eye” image if...

Articles: Test & Measurement

Detecting Chemical Weapons Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

The AIRGARD® air analyzer has been deployed to protect multiple critical infrastructure locations.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

New Imaging Method Aids in Water Decontamination

A breakthrough imaging technique developed by Cornell researchers shows promise in decontaminating water by yielding surprising and important information about catalyst particles that can't be...

Application Briefs: Test & Measurement

Machine Vision Applications in Laser Measurement Systems

Machine vision is a broad term with many applications and definitions, but at its most basic definition it is using an imager or camera along with software to inspect and analyze a real...

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Machine Vision Camera Trends: 2019 and Beyond

Each passing year, machine vision is finding its way into applications that were not commercially feasible — and in some cases, impossible.

Products: Electronics & Computers

Product of the Month

Watlow®, St. Louis, MO, introduced the PM PLUS™ version of the EZ-ZONE® PM temperature controller that features a full-color front-panel display with color coding, making the display visible from many angles. A touch...

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New Sensor Could Shake Up Earthquake Response Efforts

Berkeley Lab technology could reduce time needed to declare buildings affected by earthquakes safe and sound.

Products: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

New Products

People-Counting Sensor FLIR Systems, Inc. (Wilsonville, OR) announced the latest generation of the FLIR Brickstream 3D Gen 2 people-counting sensor. This new version includes a unique employee filtering feature designed to...

Application Briefs: Communications

How to Choose the Right Wireless Technology for Industrial Condition Monitoring

Industries are constantly searching for new approaches to advance operational efficiency and product quality. With unplanned downtime estimated to cost...