Mathematical/​Scientific Software

New System Enables Robots to Solve Manipulation Problems in Seconds

Researchers from MIT and NVIDIA Research have developed a novel algorithm that dramatically speeds up a robot’s planning process. Their approach enables a robot to “think ahead” by evaluating thousands of possible solutions in parallel and then refining the best ones to meet the constraints of the robot and its environment. Read on to learn more.

New System Enables Robots to Solve Manipulation Problems in Seconds

Ready for that long-awaited summer vacation? First, you’ll need to pack all items required for your trip into a suitcase, making sure everything fits securely without...

New Imaging Technique Reconstructs the Shapes of Hidden Objects

A new imaging technique developed by MIT researchers could enable quality-control robots in a warehouse to peer through a cardboard shipping box and see that the handle of a...

How Much Do You Know About Model-Based Systems Engineering?

How much do you know about MBSE terms and its adoption by the aerospace and defense industry? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

Brain-Like Computer Steers Rolling Robot With 0.25 Percent of the Power Needed by Conventional Controllers

Analog computing is making a comeback with hardware that processes and stores information in the same location, similar to biological...

Photonic Processor Could Enable Ultrafast AI Computations

Scientists from MIT and elsewhere have demonstrated a fully integrated photonic processor that can perform all the key computations of a deep neural network optically on a chip. Read on to learn more about it.

Modeling and Analyzing Inter-Satellite Relative Motion

To address scalable control of orbital dynamics, NASA Ames Research Center has patented Swarm Orbital Dynamics Advisor (SODA) — a solution that accepts high-level configuration commands and provides the orbital maneuvers needed to achieve the desired type of swarm relative motion. Read on to learn more.

Mastering Physical Contact with New Algorithm for Robots

Penn Engineers have developed a new algorithm that allows robots to react to complex physical contact in real time, making it possible for autonomous robots to succeed at previously impossible tasks, like controlling the motion of a sliding object. Read on to learn more.

Vision-Based Approach and Landing System (VALS)

Incorporating a vision-based navigation method, NASA Ames has developed a novel Alternative Position, Navigation, and Timing (APNT) solution for AAM aircraft in environments where GPS is not available. Read on to learn more about it.

Test Your Knowledge About AI Adoption in Engineering

With advancements like large language models, we are seeing increased integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into engineering processes. Design engineers of advanced machines and systems such as robots, medical devices, automotive components, and manufacturing lines, are already using AI to streamline design and production processes. How much do you know about AI adoption in engineering? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

Treating Liver Cancer with Microrobots Piloted by a Magnetic Field

The idea of injecting microscopic robots into the bloodstream to heal the human body is not new. It’s also not science fiction.

Big Data, AI Help Advance Ornithology

Big data and artificial intelligence are being used to model hidden patterns in nature, not just for one bird species, but for entire ecological communities across continents.

Physics-Aware Neural Networks Improve Camera-Based Machines

Researchers from UCLA and the United States Army Research Laboratory have laid out a new approach for enhancing artificial intelligence-powered computer vision technologies by...

Charting a Safe Course Through a Highly Uncertain Environment

An autonomous spacecraft exploring the far-flung regions of the universe descends through the atmosphere of a remote exoplanet. The vehicle, and the researchers who programmed...

Making Robotic Assistive Walking More Natural

A new method of generating gaits for robotic assistive devices aims to guarantee stability and achieve more natural locomotion for different users. The method is being developed by a team at...

Tool Calculates Materials’ Stress and Strain Based on Photos

The advance could accelerate engineers’ design process by eliminating the need to solve complex equations.

'Magic' Software Makes Complex DNA Robots, Faster

New software being developed at Ohio State University will allow creation of more complex DNA robots, at much faster speeds.

New Mathematical Tool Can Select the Best Sensors for The Job

A mathematical framework can help engineers make informed decisions about which sensors to use and where they must be positioned in aircraft and other machines.

Intuitive Programming Language for Quantum Computers

This quantum language is the first of its kind that is as elegant, simple, and safe as classical computer languages.

Stanford Computer Model Predicts How COVID-19 Spreads in Cities

The model analyzes three factors that drive infection risk: where people go in the course of a day; how long they linger; and how many other people are visiting the same place at the same time.

Breakthrough Model Offers Better Look Inside Rechargeable Batteries

The new approach could help pave the way for smaller battery packs and greater driving range in electric vehicles.

Executive Forum: Machine Learning & AI

Tech Briefs posed questions to machine learning/AI industry execs to get their opinions on platform selection, data interpretation, and more.

How Digitalization Reduces Program Risk in Platform Development

Digitalization gives product teams a new way of looking at familiar challenges.

Machine Learning Enables Rapid Rocket Engine Design

This method provides a fast way to assess rocket engine performance in a variety of operating conditions.

Landslide Hazard Assessment for Situational Awareness (LHASA)

This framework determines regional landslide probability in near real time.

Product of the Month

The ADISRA SmartView 4.0 HMI allows builders to see what's going on in their machines.

A Faster Way to Design Rockets: Scientific Machine Learning

To speed up the design process, researchers from the University of Texas are finding more efficient ways to predict, or "learn," a rocket's behavior.

Readers Select 2019 Products of the Year

The votes are in. Our readers selected top products in data acquisition, software, and ultrasonic sensing.