Mechanical/​Mechatronics

Articles: Energy

Products of Tomorrow: June 2020

Nature-Inspired Energy Tech, Superelastic Tires, Wearable Supercapacitors, and more...

Blog: Electronics & Computers

How to Keep Batteries from Catching Fire? Nanotech Energy Goes with Graphene and New Electrolyte

The Los Angeles, CA-based company Nanotech Energy is using graphene to prevent thermal runaway and create a non-flammable battery.

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

The Next Challenge for Soft Robots? Beat the Cheetah

A proof-of-concept soft robot has a cheetah-like gait that avoids the usual crawl.

Blog: Aerospace

Starting In the Garage, NASA Engineer Makes Oxygen Helmet for COVID-19 Patients

See how NASA engineer Mike Buttigieg is creating a device that will free up ventilators for patients with COVID-19

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

NASA's 'VITAL' Ventilator Gets FDA Approval

A low-cost, low-complexity ventilator developed by NASA engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Supersonic Spike Diffuser

This diffuser provides double the pumping efficiency in one-quarter the space.

Briefs: Materials

System Provides Cooling with No Electricity

This passive device relies on a layer of material that blocks incoming sunlight but lets heat radiate away.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Microfluidics Device Detects Cancer Cells in Blood

This device could enable rapid, inexpensive liquid biopsies to help detect cancer and develop targeted treatment plans.

Products: Test & Measurement

New on the Market: May 2020

Sealing connection tools, oscilloscopes, snap-action switches, and more...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Autonomic and Apoptotic Highly Distributed System

Applications include distributed computer systems, computer security, and commercial satellite systems.

Briefs: Motion Control

Wi-Fi-assisted Inertial Odometry (WIO) Measures Speed and Distance of Indoor Movement

The technique could be used to improve navigation for robots, drones, or pedestrians.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Lab-on-a-Chip Enables “Liquid Biopsy” of Cancer Cells

This diagnostic device allows doctors to detect cancer quickly from a droplet of blood or plasma.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Polymer Twists and Bends in the Presence of Light

A liquid crystal elastomer can be programmed to exhibit controllable, dynamic behavior without the need for complex electronic components.

Briefs: Energy

Shape Memory Alloy Mechanisms for CubeSats

This lightweight and efficient mechanism enables retention, release, and deployment of solar arrays and antennas.

Briefs: Materials

Guiding and Harnessing Transition Waves in Multi-Stable Mechanical Structures

The domino effect is used to design deployable systems that expand quickly with a small push and are stable and locked into place after deployment.

Briefs: Defense

Foldable Mechanical Devices

These “developable mechanisms” are built into the surfaces of structures.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Injectable Gel Helps Heart Muscle Regenerate

This gel releases short gene sequences into the heart muscle to heal it following a heart attack.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Products of Tomorrow: May 2020

A cryptographic ID tag, a high-reliability NASA switch, and a stretchable thermoelectric generator...

Facility Focus: Aerospace

Facility Focus: NASA Ames Research Center

This NASA center hosts the world’s greatest collection of wind tunnels and flight simulation facilities

Products: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New Products: May 2020 Photonics & Imaging Technology

Photodetectors, ultrafast lasers, energy sensors, and more.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

New Graphene-Based Metasurface Capable of Independent Amplitude and Phase Control of Light

Researchers described a new strategy of designing metamolecules.

Briefs: Medical

Device Tests Drugs on Tumor Tissue

An inexpensive 3D-printed microfluidics device could be used to personalize cancer treatment.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Low-Cost Detection of Thin Film Stress During Fabrication

This method uses fiber optic probes for measurement of semiconductors, optical coatings, magnetic read/write heads, and precision machines.

Products: Internet of Things

Product of the Month: May 2020 Tech Briefs

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

Briefs: Energy

Machine Learning Method for Battery Development

The method slashes battery testing times — a key barrier to longer-lasting, faster-charging batteries for electric vehicles.