Tech Briefs

Sensors & Test

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

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Microfluidics Device Detects Cancer Cells in Blood

This device could enable rapid, inexpensive liquid biopsies to help detect cancer and develop targeted treatment plans.

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

High-Efficiency Laser for Silicon Chips

Applications include optical data transfer, infrared and night-vision systems, environmental sensors, and breath analysis for medical diagnosis.

Briefs: Wearables

Mobile, Wearable EEG Device with Nanowire Sensors

This low-cost electroencephalogram (EEG) device provides research-grade signal quality.

Briefs: Energy

Ultrasonic System to Assess Compartment Syndrome

Applications include emergency medicine, combat casualty care, and sports injuries.

Briefs: Communications

Electric Nanoscale Device Sees Through Walls

Applications include imaging, sensing, wireless communications, and medical treatments.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Characterizing Richness of Previously Unmapped Terrain and its Impact on Navigation Using 3D Range Sensors

Landers to small bodies such as comets and asteroids can use this program to estimate the terrain richness of the previously unmapped small body.

Briefs: Communications

Wi-Fi-assisted Inertial Odometry (WIO) Measures Speed and Distance of Indoor Movement

The technique could be used to improve navigation for robots, drones, or pedestrians.

Briefs: Wearables

Wearable Air Conditioning

This on-skin electronic device provides a personal air conditioner without electricity.

Briefs: Medical

Wirelessly Powered, Leadless Pacemaker

This device could give doctors a new therapeutic option for treating patients with conditions such as heart failure.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Lab-on-a-Chip Enables “Liquid Biopsy” of Cancer Cells

This diagnostic device allows doctors to detect cancer quickly from a droplet of blood or plasma.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Protocol Improves Storage Efficiency and Output Speed of Computer Systems

This approach enables computer systems to retrieve data much faster.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Defects Enable High-Performance Infrared Photodetectors

A highly sensitive, CMOS-compatible, broadband photodetector was created by tailoring material defects.

Briefs: Medical

Method Enables Conductive Gels to Stick When Wet

A new way of making polymers adhere to surfaces may enable better biomedical sensors and implants.

Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs

New Material Enables Stable Semiconductor Neutron Detectors

It can be used both in small, portable devices for field inspections and in very large detectors that use arrays of crystals.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Foldable Mechanical Devices

These “developable mechanisms” are built into the surfaces of structures.

Briefs: Motion Control

Algorithm Helps Swarming Robots Avoid Collisions

This technology could help control driverless cars and automated warehouses.

Briefs: Motion Control

Multifunctional Structure Stabilizes and Rotates Satellites

This technology cancels out the vibrations of a satellite by vibrating the solar panels in the opposite direction.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Seeing Around Corners to Detect Object Shapes

Special light sources and sensors see around corners or through gauzy filters, enabling reconstruction of the shapes of unseen objects.

Briefs: Energy

Relaxor Piezoelectric Single-Crystal Multilayer Stacks for Energy Harvesting Transducers (RPSEHT)

Applications include powering portable electronic devices and sensors, and harvesting waste mechanical energy for aircraft, automobile, and other transportation equipment.