Measuring Instruments

INSIDER: Test & Measurement

Using Sunlight to Save Satellites from Becoming ‘Space Junk’

Carolin Frueh is among only a handful of researchers who have persisted in using a complex technique that can diagnose a problem from thousands of miles away based on how a...

Blog: Test & Measurement

Answering Your Questions: Will the 2020 Mars Rover Have Back-Up Features?

A reader asks our NASA expert: "What kind of redundancy is built into the Mars 2020 rover?"

Articles: Photonics/Optics

Optical In-Line VCSEL Testing

In-line testing of certain LEDs, using nanosecond pulses, will become more and more relevant with time-of-flight applications.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Soft Prosthetic Hand Feels Surroundings via Stretchable Optical Waveguides

Sensors in the hand can actually detect forces being transmitted through the thickness of the robot.

Application Briefs: Materials

Development Software Handles High-Integrity Space Applications

NASA needed help accurately measuring Earth-reflected sunlight.

Technology Leaders: Data Acquisition

Enhancing Aircraft System Monitoring and Reducing Unscheduled Maintenance

Aircraft may have a huge amount of data available, but this doesn’t mean it’s the right data to troubleshoot a problem.

Products: Test & Measurement

New on the Market: July 2020

Photoelectric sensors, cable connectors, power monitors, and USB3 cameras.

Products: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Product of the Month: July 2020 Tech Briefs

Tektronix announced new digital storage oscilloscopes.

Articles: Materials

Boosting Performance in Hydraulic Systems with Alternative Coatings

Taking a holistic approach to sealing systems in hydraulic systems using chrome alternatives helps engineers achieve optimum function.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Small, Precise, Affordable Gyroscope Navigates Without GPS

An inexpensive gyroscope could help drones and autonomous cars stay on track without a GPS signal.

Products: Motion Control

New Products: June 2020 Motion Design

Positioning System

H2W Technologies (Santa Clarita, CA) offers the SRT-030/360-026-01 two-axis X-Theta positioning system for motion control applications that require coordinated linear and rotary...

Application Briefs: Test & Measurement

Selecting Pressure Sensors for Autoclaves

Find the right pressure sensors for your sterilization applications.

Products: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New Products: June 2020 Sensor Technology

Small Accurate Temperature Sensor

Würth Elektronik (Waldenburg, Germany) is introducing a 2.0 × 2.0 × 0.5 mm temperature sensor. Its accuracy in the measuring range of -40 to 125°C is...

Technology Leaders: Test & Measurement

MEMS — Smart Sensors for the IoT

Tim Brosnihan, Executive Director of SEMI’s MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), talks about the current state of the MEMS industry and trends for the future,

Articles: Aerospace

Mars 2020 – The Anatomy of Perseverance

NASA's Mars 2020 rover looks virtually the same as Curiosity but there are a number of differences.

Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Mars 2020 – Looking for Life

Tech Briefs spoke with NASA’s Ken Williford, Mars 2020 Deputy Project Scientist, to learn more about the science capabilities of Perseverance.

Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control

Mars 2020 – The Science of Mars 2020

Learn about the four goals of the Mars 2020 mission.

Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control

Mars 2020 – Perseverance to the Red Planet

Read our special series on the Mars 2020 mission, featuring interviews with NASA experts and designers of the Perseverance rover.

Products: Test & Measurement

Product of the Month: June 2020 Tech Briefs

The K6PM provides continuous, remote thermal monitoring of critical components such as high-voltage control panels, transformers, and hydraulic equipment.

Blog: Imaging

As Fewer Planes Take Off, NASA's Pandora Sensors Measure Airport Air Quality

An empty airport tells you more than you might think.

Products: Data Acquisition

New on the Market: May 2020

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

Briefs: Software

Characterizing Richness of Previously Unmapped Terrain and its Impact on Navigation Using 3D Range Sensors

Landers to small bodies such as comets and asteroids can use this program to estimate the terrain richness of the previously unmapped small body.

Briefs: Communications

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: Test & Measurement

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: Sensors/Data Acquisition

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.

Briefs: Energy

Open-Source Software Analyzes Economics of Biofuels and Bioproducts

This fast, flexible tool allows researchers to quickly compare and prioritize strategies for converting biomass to fuels and products.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Bats Inspire Detectors to Help Prevent Oil and Gas Pipe Leaks

Engineers have developed a new scanning technique inspired by the natural world that can detect corroding metals in oil and gas pipelines.

Products: Test & Measurement

New Products: May 2020 Photonics & Imaging Technology

Photodetectors, ultrafast lasers, energy sensors, and more.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Moving Precision Communication, Metrology, Quantum Applications from Lab to Chip

A team is exploring new materials for telecommunications and LIDAR applications.