Billy's Blog

Blog : Sensors/Data Acquisition

Answering Your Questions: How Good are Automotive Sensor Simulation Models?

A reader asks our industry experts: "How good are the simulation models for automotive ADAS sensors?"

Blog : Green Design & Manufacturing

Researchers Convert Plastic Bottles into Aerogels that Insulate and Absorb

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) are trying to solve the problem of plastic waste by converting it into something useful: Aerogels.

Blog : Robotics, Automation & Control

Modular Robots Change Shape – Depending on the Task

Professor Hadas Kress-Gazit tells Tech Briefs about the "great promise" of autonomous modular robots.

Blog : Aerospace

Answering Your Questions: For an Electric-Aircraft Future, Do We Need to Rethink Design?

For an electric-aircraft future, it's not enough to just change components. You have to rethink design, our expert tells one reader.

Blog : Green Design & Manufacturing

From Trash to Treasure: How to Convert ‘Fatberg’ Waste into Biofuel

Have you heard of "fatbergs?" Researcher Asha Srinivasan explains how her team is turning masses of fat, oil, and grease into biofuel.

Blog : Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Now Deploying from the ISS: A Harpoon, A Net, and Other Ideas for Cleaning Up Space Debris

Richard Duke spoke with Tech Briefs about the nature of the space-junk problem — and how his team plans to fix it.

Blog : Green Design & Manufacturing

Want to Reduce Paper Consumption? ‘Disappearing Ink’ is No Joke

Carl Yee invented a new kind of "Invisible Ink," so he could print paper without the guilt.

Blog : Automotive

How Will VR and AR Impact Automotive Manufacturers?

How will the use of AR and virtual prototypes impact the role of automotive parts manufacturers? A reader asks our expert.

Blog : Energy

An Alternative to Air Conditioning: A Paint-On Polymer That Cools Down Your Building

A new solution, applied like paint, cools down rooftops, buildings, water tanks, vehicles, and even spacecraft.

Blog : Aerospace

Q&A: How Robert Holmes Finds Near-Earth Asteroids from His Home-Built Observatories

Robert Holmes spoke with Tech Briefs about his path from "amateur" astronomer to NASA pro.

Blog : Aerospace

'Invisible Glass’ Takes First Prize in ‘Create the Future’ Contest

The grand-prize-winning nanotechnology coating imparts anti-reflection and water-repellency capabilities to surfaces made of silicon, glass ,and some plastics, including Teflon.