Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE)

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of the month, including a new method that automatically keeps a fleet of robots moving smoothly; inspiration for a new class of materials built on interlocking particles; and a new chip design that could improve how GPUs convert and manage power.

World’s First 2D, Non-Silicon Computer Developed

In a world first, researchers have used 2D materials, which are only an atom thick and retain their properties at that scale, unlike silicon, to develop a computer capable of simple operations. The development represents a major leap toward the realization of thinner, faster and more energy-efficient electronics. Read on to learn more.

A Biocompatible Sensor Implant to Monitor Neurological Functions

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, and New York’s Columbia University have embedded transistors in a soft, conformable material to create a biocompatible sensor implant that monitors neurological functions through successive phases of a patient’s development. Read on to learn more.

Cooling the Cloud: A New Way to Manage GPU Power

In an effort to meet the rising energy demands of data centers, engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new chip design that could improve how graphics processing units (GPUs) convert and manage power.

Catching Tiny Flaws, Preventing Big Failures: AI-Assisted Ceramic Inspection

At Sandia National Laboratories, a new inspection workflow is taking shape that could help catch tiny defects earlier in the manufacturing process for ceramic components. Read on to learn more.

An Industrial Edge Layer Creates a Safe OT-IT Interface

Edge software provides the controlled, secure interface manufacturers need to comply with the 2024 EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and other security mandates. Read on to learn more.

COTS Edge AI Accelerators for SWaP-C Constrained Defense and Space Systems

Edge AI is beginning to incorporate compact generative approaches to support greater autonomy. This shift is accelerating the adoption of COTS edge AI accelerators as an alternative to centralized processing and legacy radiation-hardened compute architectures. Read on to learn more.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Pickering Interfaces' Test System Architect, a free online graphical toolset designed to simplify signal path design for electronic test systems.

New Products

See the new products, including EBE Elektro Bau Elemente GmbH's capacitive level sensor technology based on corTEC® technology for applications where conventional level sensors reach their limits; Abaco Systems' VP241, a SOSA-aligned 3U VPX FPGA carrier card designed to deliver unmatched flexibility for next-generation embedded computing applications; Emerson's Rosemount™ QX1000 Continuous Gas Analyzer; and more.

MIT Researchers Develop AI System That Keeps Warehouse Robot Traffic Running Smoothly

MIT researchers developed an AI system that prevents robot traffic jams in automated warehouses by dynamically prioritizing and rerouting robots. Simulations show the approach can increase throughput and facilitate robot-to-robot communication. Read on to learn more.

How Modular Computing Is Accelerating Modern Defense Technology

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Shaun Fischer, Director of Development and Open Systems Solutions at Leonardo DRS, discusses the company’s newly launched THOR — Tactical, High‑Performance Embedded Computing, Open Architecture, Rugged — embedded computing chassis and the new military applications it is designed to enable. Listen now!

How AI Acceleration Strategies Are Changing Embedded Computing Architectures

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, we continue our Season 14 focus on military embedded computing and networking, featuring keynote remarks from the 2026 AUSA Global Force Symposium and an interview with Jeff Baldwin, Director of Engineering at Sealevel. Listen now!

CES 2026: AI, EVs Need These Power Electronics Updates

Physical AI may have been the dominant keyword at CES 2026, but behind all the hype around that, there were still plenty of companies on hand in Las Vegas focused on less flashy headlines. Read on for some examples of companies working on the power electronics required behind the scenes to make our potential artificial intelligence future possible.

An Ultra-Low-Power Technology Expands Quantum and Space Potential

The year 2025, the International Year of Quantum Science & Technology, according to the United Nations, saw major advances in quantum computing and in the development of specialized technologies required to scale those systems. And there is now a consensus that cryogenic CMOS technology is one such tool that can have a significant positive impact on the quantum industry. Read on to learn more.

Executive Roundtable: AI in Machine Vision

In this special feature, we asked three industry experts — Eric Carey, CTO, Teledyne DALSA, Brian Benoit, Director of Advanced Vision Products at Cognex, and Ron Jubis, President of Sales, North America and Managing Director of SICK, Inc.— to share their thoughts on the impact of AI on machine vision, emerging challenges and best practices, as well as the trustworthiness of AI-driven visual inspection.

ARC ANGEL Reduces Gravity’s Effect on Arms

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed an Earthbound robotic training system called “ARGOS” for short. It can actively simulate an astronaut’s weightlessness in space by using an overhead runway and bridge drive system to partially or fully offload their weight using attached cables, effectively suspending them off the ground. Read on to learn more.

First Electronic-Photonic Quantum Chip Created in a Commercial Foundry

In a milestone for scalable quantum technologies, scientists from Boston University, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern University have reported the world’s first electronic–photonic–quantum system on a chip, according to a study published in Nature Electronics. Read on to learn more about it.

A Smart Sensor Performs AI Tricks While Capturing Spectral Images

By folding AI algorithms into a camera’s sensor itself, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have now eliminated a data-processing bottleneck that has long plagued the performance of spectral imaging technology. The result is an intelligent sensor capable of identifying chemicals and characterizing materials quickly and efficiently. Read on to learn more.

Space Traffic Management (STM) Architecture

Space is becoming increasingly congested due to rising numbers of on-orbit satellites and debris objects. Uncontrolled growth will severely affect future space operations. NASA Ames has developed a novel patent-pending technology known as Space Traffic Management (STM) which provides a robust framework for on-orbit coordination of activities to enhance the safety, stability, and sustainability of operations in the space environment. Read on to learn more.

Readers Select 2025 Products of the Year

Last December, Tech Briefs readers were asked to select one product from our 2025 Products of the Month to be named Readers’ Choice Product of the Year. Thanks to all of our readers who cast their votes. Read on for the three 2025 winners.

Teaching a Robot to Hang a T-shirt Starts with Data

Building on her experience volunteering at retirement homes, Carnegie Mellon researcher Jasmine Li decided to focus her research on assistive robotics that help people with everyday tasks....

Combining 3D Embroidery Techniques with Machine Learning for Fabric-Based Touch Sensors

A new study from NC State University combines three-dimensional embroidery techniques with machine learning to create a fabric-based sensor that can control electronic devices through touch. Read on to learn more.

Using Real-World Sensors and VR to Improve Building Maintenance

A new system that brings together real-world sensing and virtual reality would make it easier for building maintenance personnel to identify and fix issues in commercial buildings that are in operation. The system was developed by computer scientists at the University of California San Diego and Carnegie Mellon University. Read on to learn more.

Innovative Control System Theory for Complex Networks

Leila Bridgeman and her team at Duke University Pratt School of Engineering are developing software that will improve upon existing techniques to ensure robust and safety-assured control for complex autonomous systems such as drones and medical robotics.

How Much Do You Know About CAD?

How much do you know about CAD? Find out with this quiz.

My Opinion: How about HI?

It’s a mistake to focus on AI without thinking about how it is used by the people working with it.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: OnLogic's new edge computer series, the Karbon 520.

Vision Integration Transforms Collaborative Robotics

Without integrated vision, robots can only perform tasks in precisely the same way every time. If a part is even slightly out of position or rotated differently, the robot may fail to complete its task, or worse, cause an error in the process. Read on to learn more.