Instrumentation

20 Years of Science on the International Space Station

We explore the major scientific breakthroughs achieved during 20 years of human presence on the ISS.

5 Ws of the SARS-CoV-2 RapidPlex Sensor

A low-cost sensor enables at-home diagnosis of a COVID infection.

Products of Tomorrow

Robotic exoskeletons, a breath-test for cancer, and plastic-eating enzymes are Products of Tomorrow.

Giant Telescope Construction Viewed Through an Industrial Lens

Once installed at Las Campanas Observatory in the Chilean Andes, the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) will introduce incredible opportunities for astrophysics.

New Products

Multi-sensor imaging systems, eyesafe laser finders, machine vision algorithms, and more.

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.

Product of the Month

The SHFQA Quantum Analyzer from Zurich Instruments operates at up to 8.5 GHz and can perform direct readout of superconducting and spin qubits.

Balance Scale Predicts and Helps Prevent Falls

A technique to assess astronauts’ balance recovery helps people assess their risk of falling.

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?"

Q&A: NanoLED Architecture Overcomes Efficiency Droop

A nanoLED has up to 1,000 times the brightness of conventional submicron-sized LEDs.

New Products

Accelerometers, actuators, hexapods, and more.

New Products

Machine Vision Cameras Teledyne DALSA (Waterloo, Canada) announced its new Falcon4-CLHS M4480 and M4400 cameras, based on the Teledyne e2v Lince 11.2M monochrome sensors. The new Falcon4-CLHS interface cameras have been...

New on the Market: September 2020

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

Facility Focus: NASA John C. Stennis Space Center

Stennis now is testing RS-25 rocket engines for the Space Launch System (SLS) that will carry humans back to the Moon.

Using the IoT for Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is poised to become much more widely adopted, and that will help to boost productivity in a time when we really need it.

New Products

Safety-critical MEMS, absolute pressure sensors, thermal imaging cameras, and more.

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in Hyperspectral Imagers

Learn how to obtain large signals from hyperspectral imagers.

Camera Trends: Where We Are Now and What to Expect in the Near Future

The COVID crisis is propelling the camera industry toward disruptive transformation.

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...

New Products

High-temp infrared emitter, single-frequency SWIR lasers, hazard testing systems, and more.

Automated Robotic Device for Faster Blood Testing

This technology provides rapid results, improving hospital workflow and patient care.

Occulter for CubeSat Coronagraph

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

Laser Technology Assesses Cancer Cells

Laser light induces ultrasonic vibrations in a sample that can be used to image cells, blood vessels, and tissues.

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.

Acoustic Monitoring of Laser Welds

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

Researchers Develop Ultra-Sensitive Device for Detecting Magnetic Fields

A team of Brown University physicists has developed a new type of compact, ultra-sensitive magnetometer, 20 times more sensitive than many traditional sensors. The new...