Tech Briefs

Materials & Manufacturing

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

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Wool-Like Material Remembers and Changes Shape
Briefs: Communications
Self-Assembling Robot Cubes Form Various Structures
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Robotic Assembly of Photovoltaic Arrays
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Top Stories

Blog: Energy

A Solar Alternative: How to Power Devices with Indoor Light

Blog: Software

Stanford Computer Model Predicts How COVID-19 Spreads in Cities

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Woodworking, Simplified: New Software Aids in Design

INSIDER: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Printing Paper Structures for Mechatronics

Blog: Imaging

What's Best for Autonomous Cars: LiDAR vs Radar vs Cameras

Videos: Power

Extending Next-Generation, Stable Lithium Metal Batteries

Latest Tech Briefs

Briefs: Materials
Janus Particles Improve Paints and Coatings
Other applications include cosmetics, 3D printing, and drug formulations.
Briefs: Defense
Self-Healing, Recyclable, Shape Memory Polymers
This versatile new material family could build realistic prosthetics and futuristic Army platforms.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Ring Detects Finger Location to Track Hand Movements
The technology, which could be added to smart watches, could detect the onset of Parkinson’s disease or help with stroke rehabilitation.
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
3D-Printed Sweating Robot Muscle
This form of thermal management can help enable untethered, high-powered robots to operate for long periods of time without overheating.
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Continuous and Stable Lasing Achieved From Low-Cost Perovskites at Room Temperature
With low-cost materials called perovskites, stable, continuous lasing is achieved at room temperature for over an hour.
Briefs: Transportation
Radar Enables Cars to Spot Hazards Around Corners
Using radar commonly deployed to track speeders and fastballs, the automated system “sees” around corners to spot oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Briefs: Unmanned Systems
Nature-Inspired Sensors Could Help Autonomous Machines See Better
The sensors can be built into the shells of aircraft, cars, or other machines.
Briefs: Energy
Composite Material Increases Electrical Current Capacity of Copper Wires
The material can be scaled for use in ultra-efficient, power-dense, electric vehicle traction motors.
Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Detector Senses X-Rays Over a Broad Energy Range
New materials generate precise X-ray images with a lower amount of exposure.
Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
Method Turns Fruit Peels into New Batteries
Orange peels are used to extract and reuse metals from lithium-ion batteries to create new batteries.
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Printable Light Sensors Can See Colors
Printable organic photodiodes can distinguish wavelengths and enable data transmission by light.
Briefs: Materials
Faster-Degrading Plastic for Marine Uses
This material could reduce persistent plastic accumulation in the environment.
Briefs: Materials
Soft Magnetic Nanocomposite for High-Temperature Applications
The material can be used in power electronics and power converters for solar energy power systems.
Briefs: Energy
Electricity-Free Radiative Cooling System
The system is effective in urban environments where there are tall buildings on all sides.
Briefs: Materials
Aerogel-Reinforced Composites
The flexible composites can be used as thermal insulation for environments of up to 1200 °C.
Briefs: Energy
Sunlight Converts Emissions into Useful Materials
An environmentally friendly method upcycles carbon dioxide emissions into polymers and other materials.
Briefs: Imaging
Ambient Light Alters Refraction in 2D Material
See how tantalum disulfide is supporting new kinds of optics, and potentially new kinds of application for VR and self-driving cars.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Using Silicon for Battery Anodes
A nanostructure design lends extraordinary strength to a promising storage ingredient.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Hybrid Material is an Efficient Photodetector
A metal-organic framework does not contain cost-intensive raw materials and can be produced in bulk.
Briefs: Imaging
Mass-Producible, Centimeter-Scale Metalens
Applications include low-light conditions such as on orbital satellites and VR applications where the lens needs to be larger than a pupil.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
3D-Printed Soft, Rubbery Brain Implants
This technique may enable speedy, on-demand design of softer, safer neural devices.
Briefs: Materials
Method Turns Nearly any Object into a Data Storage Unit
This technology makes it possible to save extensive data in objects such as shirt buttons, water bottles, or the lenses of glasses and then retrieve it years later.
Briefs: Energy
Laser Inversion Enables Multi-Material 3D Printing
The technique could enable the printing of circuit boards, electromechanical components, and robots.
Briefs: Aerospace
3D Additive Manufacturing with a High-Power Electron Gun
Applications include rapid prototyping, medical, aerospace, and automotive.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Controlling Defects in 3D Printing
Temperature data is used to tune, and fix, defects in 3D-printed metallic parts.
Briefs: Automotive
AI Software Enables Real-Time 3D Printing Quality Assessment
The software assesses the quality of parts in real time, without the need for expensive characterization equipment.
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Wavy Surfaces for Better Light Control
This method could impact optical technologies such as smartphone cameras, biosensors, or autonomous vision for robots and self-driving cars.
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Measuring Optical Null Lens Aberrations
This method can be used in astronomy, surveillance, and optics manufacturing.
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
System Eases Networking Lag in Massive IoT Devices
“EasyPass” would enable smart warehouses, automated factories, and more to operate without delays.
Question of the Week
Will Indoor Light Someday Power Our Smart Devices?

Webcasts

Upcoming Webinars: Materials

Protecting Power Electronics from EM and RF Interference

Upcoming Webinars: Automotive

Vehicle Electrification

Upcoming Webinars: Sensors/Data Acquisition

The Evolution of SOSA

Upcoming Webinars: Software

Next-Gen Vehicle Architectures and the Role of HPCs

Tech Talks: Medical

Testing Home Healthcare Medical Devices

Upcoming Webinars: Software

Accelerating Pre-Silicon Software Development with Next-Gen...

Trending Stories

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Tool for Two Types of Friction Stir Welding

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Two-Step Plasma Process for Cleaning Indium Bonding Bumps

Briefs: Materials

Temperature-Sensitive Coating Sensor Based on Hematite

Briefs: Materials

Resin-Impregnated Carbon Ablator: A New Ablative Material for Hyperbolic Entry...

Briefs: Materials

Coated Glass for Transparent Heating Elements

NASA Spinoff: Materials

Nanotechnology Repairs Engine Damage in Cars

Videos