Materials & Coatings

Webinars: Medical

Conformal Coating Protection of Critical Medical Technologies

The reliability of critical components, systems, and devices takes top priority in today’s healthcare environment. With the continued development of highly sophisticated...

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Nanomaterial Gives Robots Chameleon Skin

Features include unusual color changes and high touch sensitivity.

Products: Electronics & Computers

New on the Market: September 2020

Foam gasket tapes, data analytics software, ceramic tape, and more.

NASA Spinoff: Aerospace

Printed Polymer Makes Integrated Airplane Parts

In 2019, NASA engineers test-fired a 3D-printed rocket engine combustion chamber.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

Breathable Electronics for Wearable Technologies

The material was designed specifically for biomedical or wearable technologies, since sweat and volatile organic compounds evaporate away from the skin.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Smart Fabrics with Bioactive Inks Monitor the Body by Changing Color

Bioactive inks printed on wearable textiles can map conditions over the entire surface of the body.

Briefs: Imaging

Occulter for CubeSat Coronagraph

The instrument has uses in photography where the goal is to image a dim object near a bright one.

Briefs: Semiconductors & ICs

Blinking Artificial Human Eye Replica for Disease Modeling and Drug Testing

This eye-on-a-chip can help treatment of dry eye disease.

Application Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Force/Torque Sensor Helps Rover Sample Mars

See how one company reached out to NASA with an offer to develop a custom sensor for the Mars 2020 mission rover.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Thermally Conductive, Stretchable Rubber Material

This material could be used for artificial muscles that power bio-inspired robots.

Briefs: Motion Control

Aerogels Protect Against Electromagnetic Interference

Aerogels based on cellulose nanofibers can effectively shield electromagnetic radiation over a wide frequency range.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Cost-Effective Printed Sensors for the IoT/IIoT

With accelerated time from design to production, specialized foil sensor arrays will be expanding to many new areas.

Briefs: Imaging

Acoustic Monitoring of Laser Welds

Empa researchers were able to demonstrate real-time acoustic monitoring of laser weld seams.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Spider Silk Can Create Lenses Useful for Biological Imaging

One unexpected application for spider silk is its use in the creation of biocompatible lenses.

Application Briefs: Test & Measurement

Measuring Surface Roughness with an Atomic Force Microscope

Thin films and engineered surfaces are used in a myriad of applications including semiconductor electronics, data storage, and precision optics. In many cases, surface roughness and...

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

T-Ray Camera Speed Boosted a Hundred Times Over

Real-time terahertz imaging with a single-pixel detector.

Products: Materials

Product of the Month: September 2020 Tech Briefs

InnoSenT introduced the IMD-3000 radar system as an alternative to pushbutton switches.

Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition

How to Test a Living Sensor, Made with Bacteria

Dr. James Rees is spending the time in his lab testing sensors made from bacteria.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Process Creates Soft Actuated Objects Using Commercial Knitting Machines

This approach could be used to cost-effectively make soft robots and wearable technologies.

Briefs: Materials

4D Printing of Morphing Structures

A new method manufactures complex shapeshifters for soft robots and biomedical implants.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Ultrasound Device Improves Charge Time and Run Time in Lithium Batteries

The device brings lithium metal batteries one step closer to commercial viability.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Spreadable Way to Stabilize Solid-State Batteries

A “butter-like” interlayer material boosts current density and increases safety.

Briefs: Energy

Doubling Battery Performance with Lithium Metal

Drop-in replacements for lithium ion batteries would not pose a fire danger.

Briefs: Materials

Electrolyte Design Improves Anode Capacity in Lithium-Ion Batteries

The battery design increases the number of possible cycles from tens to more than 100 with little degradation.