Stories

NASA has selected 18 middle and high school teams across 12 states to fly in the 2007-2008 Student Launch Initiative rocketeering challenge. The annual challenge is designed to inspire young people to pursue careers in science, engineering, math, and technology - fields vital to NASA's ongoing mission in space. The Student Launch...

Hydrogen as an environmentally friendly fuel source may be closer than we think, according to Penn State researchers. The researchers are employing microbial fuel cells to convert cellulose and other biodegradable organic materials directly into hydrogen, using naturally occurring bacteria in a microbial electrolysis cell...

To help solve the problem of identifying smuggled special nuclear material (SNM), researchers at Sandia National Laboratories in California say a neutron scatter camera under development may be able to detect radiation from much greater distances and through more shielding than current detection instruments. According to...

A high-temperature ceramics-based composite exhibits superior heat and oxidation resistance and frictional properties. The material comprises a dense carbon-fiber-reinforced SiC-infiltrated composite or a dense SiC-infiltrated composite with granular carbon dispersed. It shows excellent machineability and frictional properties....

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a tool to quantitatively measure elusive atmospheric chemicals that play a key role in forming photochemical smog. The device measures atmospheric hydroperoxyl radicals - short-lived, highly reactive intermediates involved in forming...

Mechdyne Corporation's VRCO Inc. subsidiary has demonstrated real-time interaction with professional 3D design tools in the 100 megapixel C6 Virtual Reality Room at Iowa State University's Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC) – the world's highest-resolution virtual environment. VRCO's Conduit software allows...

The Web- based Real- Time Asset Monitoring (RAM) module enables emergency personnel to monitor and analyze data in the event of a natural disaster. The software can manage many disparate sources of data - including streaming data - within a facility, city, or county. Learn more here.

Fuel and Solar Cell Technologies This search for fuel cell system technologies includes the following: (1) Membrane Electronic Assembly (MEA) design & manufacturing; (2) MEA Membrane manufacturer/ supplier; (3) Supplier or material vendor of SGL graphite for stack manufacturing; (4) Hydrogen storage alloy technology;...

Finding and fixing design bugs in computer chips after they've been fabricated in silicon can be a tedious and costly process due to signals being buried inside the silicone. Engineering researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new technology called FogClear to automate post-silicon debugging. FogClear uses...

A light-emitting diode (LED) array, formed on a substrate using an etching method, is shaped to produce uniform light intensity and high production yield. A terrace formed under the light-emitting edge surface together with the grooves protects the LED from handling-induced damage during mounting because it is formed in a portion...

Though not among the top 10 causes of death, decompression sickness can be fatal. A University of Houston professor is seeking to develop a laser-based system that can diagnose the sickness in seconds. Decompression sickness affects those who experience sudden, drastic changes in the air or water pressure surrounding...

Scientists have identified a means to detect neural progenitor cells, which can develop into neurons and other nervous system cells, in the human brain using an imaging method called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). The discovery could pave the way for improved diagnosis and treatment for depression, Parkinson's disease,...

Credit card transactions may be a little more secure due to the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Version 2, which was recently adopted by the payment card industry. The system is co-authored by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Carnegie Mellon University, in collaboration with 23...

A company seeks microwavable packaging that produces authentic grilled foods in a home microwave oven with typical microwave food preparation times and convenience (3-8 minutes). All materials must be generally recognized as safe for contact with human food and withstand temperatures from -40 degrees to 450 degrees F....

NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center has developed a prototype of an advanced resistive exercise device (ARED) that can perform a number of different exercises on one machine. Conceived to help astronauts maintain strength and endurance in low-gravity environments, the ARED could also be advantageous in terrestrial settings. Read more...

Researchers from the Neurological Institute at University Hospitals Case Medical Center (UHCMC) have found that Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) helps patients with Tourette Syndrome (TS) – the neurobehavioral disorder characterized by sudden, repetitive muscle movements and vocalizations. DBS involves the surgical...

MIT researchers have found a way to use the technology of optical tweezers to pick up, hold, and move around individual cells and other objects on the surface of a microchip. The development could become an important tool for both biological research and materials research, say MIT researchers Matthew J. Lang and David C....

Neuroscientists have advanced brain- machine interface (BMI) technology to the point where severely handicapped people who cannot contract even one leg or arm muscle can now independently compose and send e-mails and operate a TV in their homes. They are using only their thoughts to execute these actions. Cutting-edge...

The use of robots to help infants with special needs learn cognitive movements is the focus of research at the University of Delaware. Two university researchers - James Galloway, associate professor of physical therapy, and Sunil Agrawal, professor of mechanical engineering - have outfitted kid-size robots to provide mobility...

Duke University Medical Center researchers have pinpointed a new marker that may help identify those at greatest risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. The Duke researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to track regions of the brain that become...

A company is seeking new analgesic actives. Speed of effectiveness, toleration, and shelf-life are of particular interest. Analgesics vary in dosage load, dosage form, molecular size, speed of effectiveness, and side effects or toxicity. The form of the new proposed analgesic active is open to discussion. A minimum of...

A tiny sensor that can detect magnetic field changes as small as 70 Femtoteslas — equivalent to the brain waves of a person daydreaming — has been demonstrated at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The sensor could operate on a single AA battery and reduce the costs of non-invasive biomagnetic...

By activating multiple fluorescent proteins in neurons, neuroscientists at Harvard University have developed a method to image the brain and nervous system in a plethora of colors dubbed a "Brainbow." The technique, developed by Harvard scientists Jean Livet, Joshua R. Sanes, and Jeff W. Lichtman, allows researchers to tag...

Researchers at Purdue University, working with the U.S Air Force, have developed tiny wireless sensors resilient enough to survive the harsh conditions inside jet engines to detect when critical bearings are close to failing and prevent breakdowns. The devices use MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology to achieve a...

The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA's Glenn Research Center has developed a new silicon carbide differential amplifier integrated circuit chip that may provide benefits to anything requiring long-lasting electronic circuits in very hot environments. The chip exceeded 1,700 hours of continuous operation at 500...

The recent rash of wildfires in Southern California will likely increase concern over long-term global warming. Research published in the Nov. 1 issue of the journal Nature concluded that wildfires in the boreal regions across northern Canada in 2003 were a major factor in higher carbon dioxide levels in that vast area,...

A process has been developed to manufacture a self-aligned transistor where a thermally intolerant material may be used as a material of a gate insulating film and the gate electrode. The process makes it possible to produce high-performance, highly reliable, and inexpensive transistor devices. It leads to the improvement of...

Bite into a hot pepper, and you'll feel the burn. But then, your tongue will go numb. It is that numbing process that scientists are studying in an effort to reduce post-surgery pain. Scientists have found that the chemical that makes chile peppers so hot (capsaicin) can actually relieve the pain of surgery. Capsaicin is being dripped...

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has licensed two technologies that could bring affordable graphic reading systems to the blind and visually impaired. The two systems bring electronic images to life in the same way that Braille makes words readable. The first technology, a tactile graphic display...