-1
11640
30
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Inflatable Fresnel lenses are being developed for use as optical concentrators in solar power systems. These lenses are of two types: dome (point-focus) lenses and cylindrical...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
The figure schematically illustrates a developmental automated hybrid acoustic/electrostatic apparatus for levitating both electrically charged and electrically neutral liquid drops with sizes...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Low-Distortion Imaging Spectrometers
"Pushbroom" imaging spectrometers of a proposed type would exhibit little or no distortion in either the spectral or spatial direction. These spectrometers would feature modified Offner optics, which afford a desirable combination of compactness and a high degree of optical correction. Although Offner optics...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Lateral-transfer optical retroreflectors can now be made extremely stable to both external and internal fluctuations and gradients of temperature. As explained in more detail in the fourth...
Briefs: Information Technology
Some recent and continuing efforts to develop a software system for simulations of flows in gas-turbine combustors by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) have addressed such major...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
An improved solvent-extraction/infrared-analysis technique has been devised to replace an older technique for measuring very small concentrations of nonvolatile residues of industrial...
Briefs: Materials
Zn4Sb3 has been identified as a high-performance thermoelectric material. In p-type, Zn4Sb3 samples have exhibited the greatest dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ever observed...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Snapshot CCD Camera With Microelectromechanical Shutter
A proposed charge-coupled-device (CCD) camera would be mechanically shuttered by a planar array of micromachined, electromechanically actuated shutters. This proposal has arisen as part of the solution to the problem of designing a visible/near-infrared imaging spectrometer using a commercial...
Briefs: Motion Control
Wiping devices that exploit fingerlike bending motions produced by electroactive polymeric (ionomeric) actuators are undergoing development. These wiping devices function similarly to...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Spectrum would be utilized more efficiently than in CDMA and FDMA.
Briefs: Test & Measurement
A segmented-image emission velocimeter (SIEVE) is an optical instrument for measuring the velocity of a luminous turbulent flow. More specifically, it measures a component of flow...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
This filter closely approximates the desired wave shape, regardless of the bit rate.
Briefs: Motion Control
It is not necessary to allocate valuable forebody volume to strake-deployment mechanisms.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A Magnetic Random-Access Memory (MagRAM) is an array of bistable magnetic memory elements with semiconductor amplifier and addressing circuitry. MagRAMs are in the early stages of development, which has been...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A dc-to-dc switching power converter of the three-level, pulse-width-modulated, buck type has been designed, built, and verified to operate at temperatures from ambient down to -196 °C...
Briefs: Motion Control
The figure presents a partial cross section of two poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) tubes with machined ends butted and sealed together in a special coupling fixture. This coupling scheme, in...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Ceramic Hybrid Electromechanical Systems
Ceramic hybrid electromechanical systems (CHEMS) have been proposed to overcome some of the disadvantages while retaining most of the advantages of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Whereas MEMS are fabricated mostly by micromachining of silicon and have typical feature sizes of the order of microns or...
Briefs: Materials
Cold Hibernated Elastic Memory (CHEM) Expandable Structures
Experiments have confirmed the feasibility of a new class of lightweight, reliable, simple, and low-cost expandable structures. The concept called "cold hibernated elastic memory" (CHEM) utilizes the shape memory polymers (SMPs) in open cellular structures. Basically, these structures are...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Color interference filters for individual pixels in solid-state electronic image and display devices would be made of thin metal and dielectric films, according to a proposal. The proposed...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Interdigital overlay capacitors have been invented to decrease the amount of integrated-circuit chip area needed to accommodate a given amount of capacitance. In most very-large-scale...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Pressurization and Leak Testing of Sample-Return Canisters
A technique that involves pressurization with a radioactive gas has been proposed to solve two problems associated with canisters used to transport samples from remote bodies (planets, moons, asteroids, or comets) back to Earth. The canisters must be sealed at the sampling locations. The...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Optical Power Supply and Data Communication for APS Circuits
Active-pixel-sensor (APS) circuits and perhaps other dense complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) very-large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits would be powered by infrared beams transmitted by laser diodes and received by photodetectors, according to a proposal. Clock signals for...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
A technique for thermomechanical fatigue testing of thin-walled tubular specimens involves the application of cyclic axial (tension/compression) and torsional (shear) strains,...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Equipping Quick-Disconnect Fittings To Detect Leaks
Quick-disconnect fittings on hoses and bellows can be equipped with sensors to detect leaks and misalignments that cause leaks. Experiments have shown that four types of sensors are effective for this purpose: force sensors, strain gauges, pressure transducers, and microphones. Of these, force...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A patent (U.S. Patent No. 5,680,557, "Natural Computing System and Environment") describes an invention that allows people to do computations by using time-tested and trusted ways of representing data and information....
Briefs: Materials
Materials based on β-Zn4Sb3have been found to exhibit unusually high values of the dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit at temperatures between 200 and 400 °C. The discovery...
Briefs: Software
Software for Developing Autopilots for Launch Rockets
Three integrated software products are being developed for use in the further development of autopilot systems for reusable launch vehicles (RLVs). The need for these products arises because of the unique nature of RLVs:
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A novel cathode ray tube (CRT), using a single electron gun and a movable screen, has been developed that now enables miniaturization of a full-color CRT with the same...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Optoelectronic Liquid-Level Gauges for Aircraft Fuel Tanks
Gauges that would measure liquid levels optically have been proposed for use in aircraft fuel tanks. These gauges would contain no moving parts (no floats) and no wiring inside the tanks. Their overall function could be characterized as that of permanently immersed, self-reading dipsticks.
Top Stories
Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
2025 Holiday Gift Guide for Engineers: Tech, Tools, and Gadgets
INSIDER: Research Lab
Scientists Create Superconducting Semiconductor Material
Blog: Software
Quiz: Materials
Blog: Aerospace
Tech Briefs Wrapped 2025: Top 10 Technology Stories
Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Webcasts
Upcoming Webinars: AR/AI
The Real Impact of AR and AI in the Industrial Equipment Industry
Upcoming Webinars: Motion Control
Next-Generation Linear and Rotary Stages: When Ultra Precision...
Upcoming Webinars: Energy
Hydrogen Engines Are Heating Up for Heavy Duty
Podcasts: Medical
How Wearables Are Enhancing Smart Drug Delivery
Podcasts: Power
SAE Automotive Podcast: Solid-State Batteries
Podcasts: Power
