Test & Measurement

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

Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs

Chip Delivers COVID-19 Test Results on a Smartphone

Programmed magnetic nanobeads are used to detect the virus in 55 minutes or less.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Device Measures Toxic Lead in Minutes

The portable lab-on-a-chip detects many contaminants in water supplies.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Cord Tension Measurement Device

Potential applications include parachutes, hot air balloons, weather balloons, blimps, sails, and parasails.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Surgical Tools with Smart Sensors Can Advance Cardiac Surgery and Therapy

Medical instruments equipped with a soft electronics system improve diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in minimally invasive surgeries.

Briefs: Energy

Optimized Wavelength-Tuned, Nonlinear, Frequency Conversion Using a Liquid Crystal Clad Waveguide

Applications include spectroscopy and LiDAR.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Plenoptic Camera

This camera enables multi-spectral imaging for metrology.

Briefs: Tubing & Extrusion

Smart Stent Detects Narrowing of Arteries

The stent monitors even subtle changes in the flow of blood through the artery.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

System Standardization Streamlines Industrial Designs

Equipment designers can simplify design efforts and adjust controller platforms as needed when they standardize on electronic input/output products.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Optimal Information About the Invisible

Researcher are finding ways to estimate a target location when light gets deflected by a disordered structure.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Autonomous Sensor Technology for Real-Time Feedback About Refrigeration and Heating

The sensor monitors the oil circulation ratio in real time for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems.

Briefs: Wearables

New Flexible and Highly Reliable Sensor

Real-time health monitoring and sensing abilities of robots require soft electronics, but a challenge of using such materials lies in their reliability.

Briefs: Aerospace

New Mathematical Tool Can Select the Best Sensors for The Job

A mathematical framework can help engineers make informed decisions about which sensors to use and where they must be positioned in aircraft and other machines.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Prototype Fuel Gauge for Orbit

The technology could continuously monitor fluid flow in pipes on the International Space Station and prevent satellites from colliding.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Method Tracks What Happens Inside Batteries

The method could be key to designing more efficient batteries for specific uses such as electric cars and airplanes.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Compact Infrared Spectrometer

This device fits on a computer chip but can analyze infrared light in the same way as a conventional spectrometer.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Wafer-Scale Membrane Release Process

This process fabricates thin dielectric membranes with high mechanical yields.

Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics

Kodiak 3D LiDAR

This system provides low-cost, reliable 3D LiDAR images in nearly any lighting condition.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Ultra-Thin, Battery-Free Strain Sensors for Industrial Robotic Arms

These nanomaterial strain sensors are ten times more sensitive when measuring minute movements compared to existing technology.

Briefs: Materials

Photoreceptor System for Melatonin Regulation and Phototherapy

This system treats light-responsive disorders or deficits such as eating disorders, sleep problems, hormone-sensitive cancers, and cardiovascular disorders.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Smart Fabric Detects and Collects Space Dust

A smart fiber being tested on the International Space Station could be used to develop space dust telescopes and allow astronauts to feel through their pressurized suits.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Sensing Magnetic Fields

Applications include detection of explosives, navigation, and aerospace altitude sensing.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Supercool Mini-Thermometer

Applications include monitoring the temperature of processor chips in superconductor-based quantum computers, which must stay cold to work properly.

Briefs: Imaging

Autonomous HVAC System Measures Facial Temperature

The system turns faces into thermostats, providing more comfort with less energy.

Briefs: Medical

Handheld Device Measures Cancer Biomarkers

Researchers have created the prototype for a handheld device to measure a biomarker for cancer. The device works much like the monitors that people with diabetes use to test their blood-sugar levels...