Instrumentation

Comb on a Chip Could Revolutionize Clocks, Telescopes, Telecommunications

Just as a meter stick with hundreds of tick marks can be used to measure distances with great precision, a device known as a laser frequency comb, with its hundreds...

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...

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?"

ZERODUR: The Highly Technical Glass-Ceramic

Highly technical glass-ceramic delivers optical precision at nanometer scale.

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.

New on the Market: July 2020

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

Product of the Month

Tektronix announced new digital storage oscilloscopes.

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.

A Rock-Vaporizing 'SuperCam' for the Mars Rover

In this episode of Here's an Idea, we learn how researcher Roger Wiens went from sketching Mars and making homemade telescopes to bringing science instruments to Mars itself.

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.

New Products

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 positioning. The system consists...

Selecting Pressure Sensors for Autoclaves

Find the right pressure sensors for your sterilization applications.

Mars 2020 – The Anatomy of Perseverance

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

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.

Mars 2020 – The Science of Mars 2020

Learn about the four goals of the Mars 2020 mission.

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.

Product of the Month

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

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

An empty airport tells you more than you might think.

New Products

Photodetectors, ultrafast lasers, energy sensors, and more.

Radiation-Hardened Gain Digitizer

This instrument has applications in medical equipment, robotics, and satellites.

Foldable Mechanical Devices

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

New on the Market: May 2020

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

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.

Product of the Month

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

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.

'mRIXS' Offers Deeper Look into Battery Chemistry

A Berkeley Lab system provides a much more sensitive probe of the chemical state of battery electrodes, especially when the battery is operated under high capacity mode.

Reimagining Robotics in a Connected World

Manufacturers are beginning to realize the same benefits by cloud-connecting their equipment and processes on the shop floor.

New on the Market: April 2020

Vision-based 3D printing, network analyzers, particulate sensors, and more.

Multifunctional Structure Stabilizes and Rotates Satellites

This technology cancels out the vibrations of a satellite by vibrating the solar panels in the opposite direction.