Blog

Tech Briefs writers and editors share their opinions and find the fun, interesting, and unexpected stories behind today's leading-edge inventions.

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Blog: Nanotechnology
A team from the University of Pittsburgh looked to the butterfly to create a glass that is self-healing, liquid-repellant, and anti-fogging.
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Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
MIT's new way of automatically creating actuators is a bit like solving a Rubik's Cube.
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Blog: Aerospace
A reader asks our industry expert: Will air taxis be influenced by military UAV standards?
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Blog: Materials
Many of the technologies we use today – space blankets, hearing aids, food packaging – began on the Apollo 11 mission.
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Blog: Robotics, Automation & Control
A new app opens up robotics to a large user base.
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Blog: Photonics/Optics
At Sensors Expo in San Jose, Innovusion (Los Altos, CA) debuted the Cheetah high-resolution, image-grade LiDAR system with long-distance capability.
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Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition
The key to IoT implementation: Democratizing big data, says SST's Christopher Chong.
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Blog: Photonics/Optics
Editor Bruce A. Bennett takes us through the unusual — and completely unexpected —at this year's LASER World of Photonics.
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Blog: Photonics/Optics
Many vendors at this year's event made their presence known with mega-sized booths.
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Blog: Green Design & Manufacturing
The increased use of photonics has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions — by 3-billion tons.
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News: Photonics/Optics
The bi-annual Laser World of Photonics exhibition begins today.
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Blog: Energy
A new water purifier works better because it takes the shape of the rose.
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Blog: Aerospace
An industry expert tells a Tech Briefs reader what's over the next hill regarding military UAVs.
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Blog: Automotive
A new machine-vision tool extracts and reports valuable driving data from the standard traffic cameras already in place.
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Blog: Imaging
While robots like the WildCat from Boston Dynamics reach speeds of just under 20 miles an hour, engineers from Georgia Tech have gone with a decidedly slower approach.
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Blog: Power
An Ohio State researcher shares with Tech Briefs the promise of potassium-oxygen batteries.
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Blog: Transportation
“Nothing is going to slow 5G down. I mean nothing," said one NIWeek panelist.
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Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Doctoral Programs student Ayato Kanada came up with his leech-like robot in a place you’d least expect it: His bathroom.
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Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Markforged Helps Factories Fix Themselves
At RAPID + TCT in Detroit today, Markforged introduced Blacksmith artificial intelligence-powered software that makes manufacturing machines “aware” so they can automatically adjust programming to ensure that every part is produced as designed. Said Markforged CEO, Greg Mark, “For the last hundred...
Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
On the opening day of the RAPID + TCT Show in Detroit, HP introduced the new Jet Fusion 5200 Series 3D printing solution – an industrial 3D printing system – and the Digital Manufacturing Network, a new global...
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News: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Your smartwatch can count your steps, but can it tell if you’re typing on a keyboard? Or chopping a vegetable?
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News: Robotics, Automation & Control
A microrobot can take up to 8 hours to make. With the help of a 3D printer, University of Toronto engineers got the process down to 20 minutes
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Blog: Medical
A reader asks: "With medical robots, what's in it for surgeons?"
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Blog: Test & Measurement
If a short circuit starts a fire up on the International Space Station, Dr. Yuji Nakamura has an idea to extinguish it: The vacuum.
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News: Motion Control
Three new unmanned helicopters were unveiled at AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL show in Chicago.
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News: Robotics, Automation & Control
A Navy Sea Glider can look for a target in mid-air or underwater.
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Blog: Aerospace
As always, the Air Force Research Laboratory had a huge presence at AUVSI’s XPONENTIAL show in Chicago.
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News: Propulsion
You think riding your Harley Davidson is exciting? Try the ElectraFly.
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Blog: Aerospace
Taxi! A steady stream of AUVSI XPONENTIAL attendees got to see Bell's new air vehicle up close.
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