Tech Briefs

Electronics & Software

Access our comprehensive library of technical briefs on electronics and software, from engineering experts at NASA and major government, university, and commercial laboratories.

Briefs: Energy

Spreadable Way to Stabilize Solid-State Batteries

A “butter-like” interlayer material boosts current density and increases safety.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Doubling Battery Performance with Lithium Metal

Drop-in replacements for lithium ion batteries would not pose a fire danger.

Briefs: Materials

Electrolyte Design Improves Anode Capacity in Lithium-Ion Batteries

The battery design increases the number of possible cycles from tens to more than 100 with little degradation.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Semi-Liquid Metal Anode

Lithium batteries made using this electrode type could be much safer than typical lithium metal-based batteries.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Tough, Solid Electrolyte Battery Component

Using ceramic material and graphene, the toughness of solid-state lithium-ion batteries can be doubled.

Briefs: Energy

Organic Lithium-Powered Batteries

These batteries are more environmentally friendly while retaining performance, stability, and storage capacity.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Transparent Graphene Electrodes

A new roll-to-roll production method could enable lightweight, flexible solar devices and a new generation of display screens.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Selecting Electrical Safety Relay Modules for Optimal Performance

New safety relay modules follow updated standards to give designers more options for a tailored electrical safety implementation.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Wearable Strain Sensor Using Light Transmittance

This technology shows potential for the detection of subtle human motions and the real-time monitoring of body postures for healthcare applications.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Room-Temperature Magnon Switch

This approach could lead to entirely new and more efficient logic switches for computer chips.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Neural Hardware for Image Recognition in Nanoseconds

An ultrafast image sensor with a built-in neural network can be trained to recognize certain objects.

Briefs: Wearables

3D-Printed Glucose Biosensors

These biosensors could lead to improved glucose monitors for millions of people who suffer from diabetes.

Briefs: Materials

Graphene Smart Textiles for Heat-Adaptive Clothing

Smart adaptive clothing can lower the body temperature of the wearer in hot climates.

Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing

Reverse Fuel Cell Converts Waste Carbon to Valuable Chemicals

The technology could lead to production of fuels, building materials, and other products in a carbon-neutral way.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Method Verifies that Quantum Chips are Computing Correctly

The method determines whether circuits are accurately executing complex operations that classical computers can’t tackle.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Method Improves Efficiency and Heat Tolerance of Devices

These are important traits in electronics and electrical systems including electric cars, industrial drills, and electric grids.

Briefs: Imaging

Ultrathin, Fully Packaged, High-Resolution Camera

Biologically inspired ultrathin arrayed camera captures super-resolution images.

Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics

Smart Surgical Microscope

Imaging technology used to map the universe shows promise for more accurately and quickly identifying cancer cells in the operating room.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Enhanced Fabrication Improves Temperature Sensing in Cryogenic Humid Environments

This technology is useful for energy, industrial, and aerospace applications.

Briefs: Materials

“Racetrack Memory” Digital Data Storage

This technology offers the possibility to both bolster computer power and create smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient computer memory technologies.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Wraparound Sensors

These sensors monitor electrical loads from household appliances to support grid operations.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Cellulose-Based Sensor Simultaneously Measures Pressure, Temperature, and Humidity

The sensor has applications in fields such as robotics, healthcare, and security.

Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics

Photonic Microwave Generation Using On-Chip Optical Frequency Combs

Using integrated photonic chips fabricated at EPFL, scientists have demonstrated laser-based microwave generators.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

A Combined Optical Transmitter and Receiver

Researchers at Linköping University, together with colleagues in China, have developed a tiny unit that is both an optical transmitter and a receiver.