Sensors & Test

“Smart” Shirt Monitors the Heart

Flexible carbon nanotube fibers woven into clothing gather accurate EKG and heart rate.

DC Drives as Replacements for AC Servos

Low-voltage DC stepper and servo drives offer space-saving options for applications traditionally handled by AC servo drives.

Deployable Composite Boom

Applications include space structures, emergency shelters, backpack solar collectors, and inspection of hazardous environments.

Soft Robots Use Camera and Shadows to Sense Human Touch

An off-the-shelf USB camera captures the shadows made by hand gestures on the robot’s skin.

Color-Changing Dyes Visualize Stress in Plastics

Directly visualizing external stresses of plastics is useful in development of materials with improved mechanical properties.

Stable Polymeric Ink with High Conductivity

This paves the way for innovative and more energy-efficient printed electronics.

Photo-Induced Emission Analysis to Identify Surface Contaminants

The instrument identifies, quantifies, and characterizes contamination, even on irregularly shaped surfaces.

Using Silicone Wristbands to Measure Air Quality

The inexpensive, convenient devices can measure exposure to a class of chemicals that can be harmful during pregnancy.

Radio Signals Image Hidden and Speeding Objects

This method could help firefighters find victims inside buildings and could track hypersonic objects such as missiles and space debris.

Industrial Software Integrates With IT

Modern PLCs now include IT-capable software and communications protocols, empowering users to easily access edge-sourced data and integrate it with the enterprise.

Graphene-Based Photonics Devices for Remote Sensing

Growing large-area graphene on optical substrates enables use in photonics devices.

Glass Injection Molding

The process produces rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly material.

Chemical Detection System for Low Concentration Levels

This technology provides accurate results on concentrations below levels that represent an immediate danger to life and health.

Analytical Model Evaluates Battery Capability

The model helps researchers fine-tune battery performance.

High-Resolution, Continuous Field-of-View, Non-Rotating Imaging System

Applications include planetary exploration and imaging systems used in surveillance, navigation, and target recognition.

Air Traffic Simulation Tool

This evaluation tool for low-altitude air traffic operations can be used by the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry.

Device Detects Which Hand Gesture a Person Intends to Make

The device paves the way for better prosthetic control and seamless interaction with electronic devices.

Microbe Turns Waste into Industrial Chemical

The method could be applied to carbon waste streams.

Using Solar Technology to Power Smart Devices Indoors

An already ubiquitous material in outdoor photovoltaic modules could be repurposed for indoor devices with low-capacity batteries.

3D Motion Tracking System for Autonomous Technology

The system could one day replace LiDAR and cameras in automated manufacturing, biomedical imaging, and autonomous driving.

System Harvests Energy from Radio Waves to Power Wearable Devices

The electricity can be used to power wireless devices or to charge energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors.

Macroflash Cup Cryostat

The compact instrument measures thermal conductivity of materials at below ambient temperatures.

Ultra-High Performance Flexible Ultraviolet Sensors for Use in Wearables

To enable the development of wearable devices that possess advanced ultraviolet (UV) detection functions, scientists have created a new type of light sensor that is both flexible and highly sensitive.

Tiny, Wireless, Injectable Chips Use Ultrasound to Monitor Body Processes

Implantable chips visible only in a microscope point the way to developing chips that can be injected into the body with a hypodermic needle to monitor medical conditions.

Making Patient Care Easier: Self-Powered Diaper Sensors that Monitor Urine Sugar Levels

Monitoring urine sugar levels is important during early stages of diabetes, and diaper sensors represent an attractive solution.

Built-In Vibration Control to Soundproof Spaces

Vibration-absorbing resonators could better soundproof walls and make vehicles more streamlined.

Liquid Metal Sensors and AI Help Prosthetic Hands “Feel”

The technology could improve the control of prosthetic hands and provide a sense of “touch” for amputees.

Magnets Improve Control of Prosthetic Limbs

A system uses tiny magnetic beads to rapidly measure the position of muscles and relay that information to a bionic prosthesis.