Tech Briefs

A comprehensive library of technical briefs from engineering experts at NASA and major government, university, and commercial laboratories covering all aspects of innovations in electronics, software, photonics, imaging, motion control, automation, sensors, test, materials, manufacturing, mechanical, and mechatronics.

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Briefs: Manned Systems
This novel flightpath control system exploits the dihedral effect to control the bank angle of the vehicle by modulating sideslip.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
The technology has several applications including optical communications, remote sensing/LiDAR, and beam steering.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Flexible, wearable electronics could be used for precision medical sensors attached to the skin, designed to perform health monitoring and diagnosis.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
A highly sensitive wearable sensor for cardiorespiratory monitoring could potentially be worn continuously by cardiac patients or others who require constant monitoring.
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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
If a chemical spill in a river goes unnoticed for 20 minutes, it might be too late to remediate. Living bioelectronic sensors developed at Rice University can help.
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Briefs: Defense
The system can indicate the time and location of an impact and the trajectory of that projectile using piezoelectric polymer film and sensors.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Diagnosing liver damage earlier could help to prevent liver failure in many patients.
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Briefs: Wearables
The smart bandage can dispense antibiotic, monitor wound-healing biomarkers, and report important data directly to doctors.
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Briefs: Data Acquisition
Traditional oxygen sensors have significant drawbacks and suffer from high power consumption.
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Briefs: Design
Scientists have developed a novel concept for a lunar navigation system based on the reverse-ephemeris technique.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
This system can track the motion of the entire body with a small sensory network.
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Briefs: Motion Control
Accomplishing motion control with digitally commanded electric motors is a responsive, precise, and energy-efficient approach suitable for a wide range of applications.
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Briefs: Materials
The thermoelectric textile produces a small amount of electricity when heated on one side.
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Briefs: Wearables
Infused lenses create a safer way to see colors.
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Briefs: Wearables
The system promotes myocardial regeneration after a cardiac event.
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Briefs: Wearables
The next generation of wearable computing technology will be even closer to the wearer than a watch or glasses: It will be affixed to the skin.
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Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Research reveals that expertly timed lasers shined at an approaching LIDAR system can create a blind spot in front of the vehicle.
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Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing
To improve efficiency, it is necessary to characterize and reduce flow separation on curved surfaces.
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Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
The work shows the real-world viability of their easy-to-use and inexpensive methods of testing.
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Briefs: Aerospace
Inflatable and deployable beams and masts are often made of polymer composites and may be stored for one to two years in space before deployment.
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Briefs: Materials
The discovery of a new category of shape-memory materials could open a new range of applications, especially for high-temperature settings.
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Briefs: Test & Measurement
2D materials can be packed together more densely than conventional materials, so they could be used to make devices that run faster and perform better.
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Briefs: Materials
Researchers at NASA Langley are developing polymer coatings that reduce impact ice adhesion strength.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
An MIT-developed heat treatment aims to transform the microscopic structure of 3D-printed metals, making the materials stronger and more resilient in extreme thermal environments.
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Briefs: Design
Industrial composite manufacturing is primarily accomplished through three methods: co-cure, co-bond, and secondary bond processes.
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Briefs: Data Acquisition
Researchers have developed a method of imprinting a hidden magnetic tag, encoded with authentication information, within manufactured hardware during the part fabrication process.
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Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Scientists have created the first completely digitally manufactured plasma sensors — also known as retarding potential analyzers (RPAs) — for orbiting spacecraft.
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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Nearly 20 tons of extremely pure borosilicate glass made by Ohara Corporation in Japan are becoming a honeycomb mirror measuring 27.6 feet across.
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Briefs: Imaging
The design may enable miniature zoom lenses for drones, cellphones, or night-vision goggles.
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