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: Materials

Developing Lightweight Glass for Efficient Cars and Wind Turbines

All solid materials, including glass, have a property called elastic stiffness — also known as elastic modulus. It's a measure of how much force per unit area is needed to make...

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Graphene Made with Lasers for Wearable Health Devices

Graphene — hexagonally arranged carbon atoms in a single layer with superior pliability and high conductivity — could impact the development of future motion detection, tactile sensing,...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Developing a Flexible Polymer with Robust Piezoelectric Effectiveness

A Penn State-led team of interdisciplinary researchers developed a polymer with robust piezoelectric effectiveness, resulting in 60 percent more efficient electricity...

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Electronic Textiles Made with Conductive Cellulose Thread

A research team developed a thread made of conductive cellulose that offers practical possibilities for electronic textiles. Sewing the electrically conductive cellulose threads into a...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

New Optical Component Used to Create AR/VR Headsets and Eyewear

Consumers are looking for augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) glasses that are compact and easy to wear, delivering high-quality imagery with socially acceptable optics that...

Briefs: Energy

Composite Glass Produces Unbreakable Screens

Researchers have developed technology to produce next-generation composite glass for lighting LEDs and smartphone, television, and computer screens. The technology was a step forward in perovskite...

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Nanocomposite Material Protects Against Intense Light

Optical limiting — a manner of telecom switching without the use of electronics — is an all-optical method that could improve the speed and capacity of Internet communications. A...

Briefs: Power

Decreasing Anode Corrosion in Metal-Air Batteries

Metal-air batteries can be used in a variety of applications ranging from range extenders for electric vehicles to emergency power systems. Metal-sea-water batteries are primarily used for underwater applications ranging from torpedoes to underwater unmanned vehicles. A team of researchers at the...

Briefs: Transportation

High-Power Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells

Electrification of the transportation sector is critical to future energy and environmental resilience and will require high-power fuel cells (either standalone or in conjunction with batteries) to...

Briefs: Transportation

Safe, High-Energy Li-Ion Battery for Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicle batteries typically require a tradeoff between safety and energy density. If the battery has high energy and power density — required for uphill driving or merging on the...

Briefs: Power

Washable, Wearable Battery-Like Devices

Wearable electronic components incorporated directly into fabrics have been developed that could be used for flexible circuits, healthcare monitoring, energy conversion, and other applications. Graphene...

Briefs: Energy

Thermomagnetic Generators Convert Waste Heat into Electrical Power

Many technical processes only use part of the energy consumed. The remaining fraction leaves the system in the form of waste heat. Frequently, this heat is released into the...