Government

Using Streetlamps as EV Chargers

Electric vehicles (EVs) can have lower fuel costs and reduce emissions relative to cars that use gasoline, but they are only a practical option if drivers have convenient ways to charge them. For people who...

My Opinion: Quantum Computing Is Coming But Has This Engineer Puzzled

My Opinion: Quantum computing is coming but has this engineer puzzled. As we celebrate 2025, the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, I find that thinking about these things from an engineer’s point of view is quite challenging.

Hardening the Grid: Research Team Focuses on Quake Proofing Transformer Bushings

The electric grid we take for granted involves large, expensive equipment, most notably power transformers. If one goes down, it can take more than a year to...

New Atom-Based Thermometer Measures Temperature More Accurately

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created a new thermometer using atoms boosted to such high energy levels that they are a thousand...

New Research Sheds Light on Using Multiple CubeSats for In-Space Servicing and Repair Missions

As more satellites, telescopes, and other spacecraft are built to be repairable, it will take reliable trajectories for service spacecraft to...

Exploring Earth Science with a New Navigational System

NASA and its partners recently tested an aircraft guidance system that could help planes maintain a precise course even while flying at high speeds up to 500 mph. The instrument is...

Power Line Test Bed Energizes Technologies for Increasing Grid Capacity

As population growth and extreme temperatures strain the United States power grid, utilities and equipment manufacturers are looking for ways to increase the amount of...

What Changes Are Needed for Counter UAS Regulations in Civilian Airspace?

Lisa Ellman, Executive Director, Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA), is the guest on this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast.

Accelerating Climate Modeling with Generative AI

A climate model that combines generative AI and physics data is 25 times faster than the state of the art.

Navigating the Transition: Understanding RSS-102 Issue 6 Updates and Implications

Radio equipment marketed or sold into Canada must be certified with ISED Canada, the Canadian equipment authorization regulator. Radio transmitter equipment must be certified to the latest issue of Radio Standards Specifications (RSS). How well do you understand RSS-102 Issue 6 updates and its implications? Take this quiz to find out.

Polyphase Wireless Power Transfer System

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have successfully demonstrated the first 270-kW wireless power transfer to a light-duty electric vehicle. The demonstration...

Medium-Voltage Converters Can Replace Grid Transformers

To electrify everything from vehicles to heating systems to stovetops, the U.S. grid must expand by about 57% and get more flexible, too. Solar and wind energy are the renewables most...

New Dual-Armed Telerobotic System for Hazardous Waste Clean-Up

Because they can go where humans can’t, robots are especially suited for safely working with hazardous nuclear waste. But first, those robots need to become like the humans...

Architected Reefs Could Protect Coastlines

Artificial reefs can significantly reduce storm damage to coastlines.

My Opinion: Renewables' Weak Link — Transmission Lines

The electrification of practically everything these days calls for much more attention to be paid to the transmission system — the electric power grid.

Sustainability Strategies Drive the Future of Industry

As companies invest in the development of eco-friendly products and strategies, they will reap the rewards from increased consumer confidence, financial incentives, greater resiliency, and the ability to drive profound social change.

Invertible Neural Network Tool Helps Optimize Airfoil Design

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are building computational tools using artificial intelligence (AI) that can help optimize airfoil design for wind...

My Opinion: Innovation Happens When Scientists and Engineers Work Together

LIGO scientists and engineers working together to observe gravitational waves have achieved the remarkable feat of surpassing the quantum limit.

Bringing Sustainable and Affordable Electricity to All

A Cambridge, MA-based startup is commercializing MIT/IIT-Comillas University-developed planning and analysis software to help governments determine the most cost-effective ways to provide electricity to all their citizens.

NASA, Rocket Lab Launch First Pair of Storm Observing CubeSats

Two NASA CubeSats designed to study tropical cyclones, including hurricanes and typhoons, are in orbit after a successful launch.

NASA Targets 2026 for Launch of Israel's First Space Telescope

NASA will launch Israel’s first space telescope mission, the Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite (ULTRASAT). ULTRASAT, an ultraviolet observatory with a large field of...

Ignition Achievement Gives US New Opportunity to Lead World's IFE Research

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)’s historic achievement of fusion ignition Dec. 5 at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) positions the United States...

Extensive NREL Power Electronics Capabilities

Imagine a technology that can convert, amplify, limit, filter, control, and transform electricity in countless ways to supply power to the electrical grid. These are power electronics, and the...

NIST is Calibrating Gear Artifacts

Gears are sophisticated parts that play a vital role in cars, airplanes, construction and mining equipment, food processing, clock making, and more. And, companies are still trying to make them better —...

Micromobility Modes Could Replace One-Fifth of Short Car Trips

Carnegie Mellon University's Corey Harper, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Heinz School of Public Policy, led a study that...

Sandia Helps Puerto Rico Grid Resilience with Microgrid Designs

The days and weeks following a natural disaster are a critical time for residents, emergency response teams, and government entities to recover and rebuild infrastructure....

Answering Your Questions: What Makes Some Cameras 'ITAR' vs 'ITAR-Free?'

Two industry experts respond to a Tech Briefs reader question.