Electronics & Software

Electrical/Electronics

New technologies in power supplies and management, board-level electronics, electronics and computers, and battery systems provide wide-ranging applications essential to military, aviation, medical, and automotive.

Stories

INSIDER: Internet of Things

Ultra-Low Power Chip for IoT Wi-Fi

More portable, fully wireless smart home setups; lower power wearables; batteryless smart devices, could all be made possible with this new ultra-low power Wi-Fi radio. It is housed in a chip smaller than...

Briefs: Communications

Ultra-Low-Power WiFi Radio Enables IoT Devices

Housed in a chip, it lets IoT devices communicate with existing WiFi networks.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Using Sound and Light for Ultrafast Data Transfer

This method could lead to the transmission of data at the rate of 100 gigabits per second.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

High-Reliability Radio Frequency MEMS Switch

Applications include homeland security, vehicle anti-collision systems, telecommunications systems, and industrial instrumentation.

Briefs: Materials

Model Predicts Breaking Point of Conducting Material

This work could accelerate the development of flexible electronics.

Briefs: Materials

High Thermally Conductive Polymeric Composites

These carbon-based fillers can be used in thermally conductive clothing such as liquid-cooled garments.

Briefs: Motion Control

Maximizing Safety in Advanced Battery Systems

Fuse devices enable circuit safety in high-power applications, such as motion control and alternative energy generation, in addition to electric vehicles.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Producing Cadmium Telluride Material for Solar Cells

A new method provides a more efficient, safer, and cost-effective way to produce cadmium telluride material for solar cells or other applications.

Briefs: AR/AI

Soft, Flexible Materials with Enhanced Properties

These materials can be used in soft robotics, self-healing electronics, and medical devices.

Briefs: Materials

Coating Extends Lithium Metal Battery Life

The coating could make lightweight lithium metal batteries safe and long-lasting for the next generation of electric vehicles.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

RFID-Based System Enables Internet of Things

The technology could help in elder care with sensors throughout a home.

Products: Electronics & Computers

New on the Market: April 2020

Vision-based 3D printing, network analyzers, particulate sensors, and more.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

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.

Briefs: Information Technology

Streaming Software Speeds Apps

Apps could take up less space on a smartphone and apps could download instantly.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Multifunctional Structure Stabilizes and Rotates Satellites

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

Special Reports: Communications

RF & Microwave Electronics - April 2020

In this compendium of recent articles from the editors of Aerospace & Defense Technology and Tech Briefs, read about how advances in RF electronics are enabling new applications in space and ground...

Blog: Electronics & Computers

Answering Your Questions: What Will Drive Growth of Class 8 Electric Trucks?

A reader asks, "What market drivers need to occur for electric vehicles to be considered an acceptable replacement for vehicles with internal combustion engines?"

Question of the Week: Semiconductors & ICs

Would You Use a CurveBoard?

MIT researchers have invented a way to integrate “breadboards” — flat platforms widely used for electronics prototyping — directly onto physical products.

INSIDER: Automotive

Used Nissan LEAF Batteries Given “Second Life”

When electric vehicles end their life, the remaining storage capacity of the lithium battery is expected to be higher than 70%. After this, they can be reused for less demanding “second...

INSIDER: Energy

Researchers Develop A Roadmap to Use Perovskites for New Solar Cells

Materials called perovskites show strong potential for a new generation of solar cells, but they’ve had trouble gaining traction in a market dominated by silicon-based...

INSIDER: Energy

Fast-Charging Supercapacitor is an Energy Storage Breakthrough

A new bendable supercapacitor made from graphene, which charges quickly and safely stores a record-high level of energy for use over a long period, has been developed and...

INSIDER: Energy

New Electrode Design May Lead to More Powerful Batteries

New research by engineers at MIT and elsewhere could lead to batteries that can pack more power per pound and last longer, based on the long-sought goal of using pure lithium metal as...