Mechanical/​Mechatronics

Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Aerospace & Defense Category Winner — NiobiCon™

The NiobiCon™ underwater connector will not short out, corrode, or cause an electrical shock if touched while powered in harsh environments like saltwater.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Glove-Like Device Mimics Sense of Touch

The soft, wearable device simulates the sense of touch and has wide potential in medical and industrial applications.

Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control

Facility Focus: Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego

Jacobs' scientists are helping to make contract-tracing apps, emergency-use ventilators, and even squid-bots.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Nanoscale Thermal Switches

These switches are key to thermal management of nanoscale devices, refrigeration, data storage, thermal computing, and heat management of buildings.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Device Camouflages Wearer from Heat-Detecting Sensors

Researchers developed a wearable technology that can hide its wearer from heat-detecting sensors such as night vision goggles, even when the ambient temperature changes. The technology...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

SpaceCube 2.0 Flight Card Mechanical System

Applications include mechanical aerospace manufacturing and thermal structure manufacturing.

Briefs: Materials

Programmable Balloons for Shape-Morphing Devices

Kirigami balloons could be used in shape-changing actuators for soft robots, minimally invasive surgical devices, and macro structures for space exploration.

Articles: Motion Control

Raising the Ergonomics Bar with Smart Electric Actuators

Smart electric actuators not only enable fine position adjustments, but they also provide real-time feedback on the extent of those adjustments.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Manufacturing/Robotics/Automation Category Winner — RadiBond

RadiBond technology, based on nanometer-thin coatings, provides ultra-strong and ultra-tight bonding between metals and plastics.

Briefs: Materials

3D-Printed Miniature Magnetic Pump

The magnetic, multi-material pump was 3D-printed all in one piece.

Briefs: Motion Control

High-Efficiency Megawatt Motor

This partially superconducting machine can be used as a motor or generator.

Briefs: Data Acquisition

3D Camera Merges Depth and Spectral Data

The camera collects the spatial and spectral information required for self-driving cars, machine vision, corrosion detection, and other applications.

Briefs: Automotive

Collision Detector Mimics Locust Swarms

This detector could help robots, drones, and self-driving cars avoid collisions.

Articles: RF & Microwave Electronics

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Automotive/Transportation Category Winner — Low-Noise Laser for Lidar

Compact lasers now offer precise colors.

Application Briefs: Aerospace

Wave Energy Modeling for Safer Space Travel

What does wave energy have to do with space exploration? Plenty, it turns out.

News: Transportation

Thin Layer Protects Battery and Allows Cold Charging

Researchers in the Battery and Energy Storage Technology Center at Penn State University are searching for a reliable, quick-charging, cold-weather battery for automobiles. They...

News: Motion Control

New Composite Material Revs Up Pursuit of Advanced EVs

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have used new techniques to create a composite that increases the electrical current capacity of copper wires, providing a...

News: Electronics & Computers

New Battery Electrolyte May Boost Performance of EVs

A new lithium-based electrolyte invented by Stanford University scientists could pave the way for the next generation of battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs). Their electrolyte...

Briefs: Materials

Electricity-Free Radiative Cooling System

The system is effective in urban environments where there are tall buildings on all sides.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Nature-Inspired Sensors Could Help Autonomous Machines See Better

The sensors can be built into the shells of aircraft, cars, or other machines.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Lab-On-Chip Flow and Temperature Sensor

The sensor provides accurate and real-time measurement of flow rates and temperature in next-generation microfluidic instruments.

Products: Communications

New on the Market: November 2020

VOC sensors, panel-mount connectors, 3D printing cloud software, and more.

Articles: Photonics/Optics

Overcoming Pitfalls When Measuring Thin, Parallel Optics

A "TPSI" process makes it possible to distinguish between the front and back of optical surfaces, and to characterize the quality of both in a single measurement.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

E-Tongue Nanosensor Array

The technology detects the presence of one or more specific chemical components in a liquid.

Briefs: Imaging

Radar Enables Cars to Spot Hazards Around Corners

Using radar commonly deployed to track speeders and fastballs, the automated system “sees” around corners to spot oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

Blog: Test & Measurement

Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Testing: Simulation vs. Closed-Course vs. Public Roads

A reader asks, "For AV testing, what are the respective role of simulation, closed course, and public road testing?"

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

With Water Jets, Machines 'Breathe' to Cool Down

University of Central Florida researchers are developing a human-like way for large machines to cool off and keep from overheating: Letting the machines "breathe."