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Briefs: Software
Licklider Transmission Protocol Implementation
This software is an implementation of the Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP), a communications protocol intended to support the Bundle Protocol in Delay-Tolerant Network (DTN) operations. LTP is designed to provide retransmission- based reliability over links characterized by extremely long message...
Briefs: Software
Core Recursive Hierarchical Image Segmentation
The Recursive Hierarchical Image Segmentation (RHSEG) software has been repackaged to provide a version of the RHSEG software that is not subject to patent restrictions and that can be released to the general public through NASA GSFC’s Open Source release process. Like the Core HSEG Software Package,...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Pressure Regulator With Internal Ejector Circulation Pump, Flow and Pressure Measurement Porting, and Fuel Cell System Integration Options
An advanced reactant pressure regulator with an internal ejector reactant circulation pump has been developed to support NASA’s future fuel cell power systems needs. These needs include reliable and safe...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Two-Stage Centrifugal Fan
Fan designs are often constrained by envelope, rotational speed, weight, and power. Aerodynamic performance and motor electrical performance are heavily influenced by rotational speed. The fan used in this work is at a practical limit for rotational speed due to motor performance characteristics, and there is no more space...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Combined Structural and Trajectory Control of Variable-Geometry Planetary Entry Systems
Some of the key challenges of planetary entry are to dissipate the large kinetic energy of the entry vehicle and to land with precision. Past missions to Mars were based on unguided entry, where entry vehicles carried payloads of less than 0.6 T and landed...
Briefs: Materials
Temperature-Sensitive Coating Sensor Based on Hematite
A temperature-sensitive coating, based on hematite (iron III oxide), has been developed to measure surface temperature using spectral techniques. The hematite powder is added to a binder that allows the mixture to be painted on the surface of a test specimen. The coating dynamically changes its...
Briefs: Materials
Detection of Carbon Monoxide Using Polymer-Carbon Composite Films
A carbon monoxide (CO) sensor was developed that can be incorporated into an existing sensing array architecture. The CO sensor is a low-power chemiresistor that operates at room temperature, and the sensor fabrication techniques are compatible with ceramic substrates.
Briefs: Materials
Substituted Quaternary Ammonium Salts Improve Low-Temperature Performance of Double-Layer Capacitors
Double-layer capacitors are unique energy storage devices, capable of supporting large current pulses as well as a very high number of charging and discharging cycles. The performance of double-layer capacitors is highly dependent on the nature of...
Briefs: Energy
Economics is a key factor for application of organic light emitting diodes (OLED) in general lighting relative to OLED flat panel displays that can handle...
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Briefs: Materials
Standardization of a Volumetric Displacement Measurement for Two-Body Abrasion Scratch Test Data Analysis
A limitation has been identified in the existing test standards used for making controlled, two-body abrasion scratch measurements based solely on the width of the resultant score on the surface of the material. A new, more robust method is...
Videos: Lighting
Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Mobile Lighting System
A new mobile lighting system features a fuel cell running on pure hydrogen, resulting in zero-emission electrical power. The fuel cell produces electricity for an advanced, power-saving light-emitting plasma (LEP) lighting system and additional auxiliary power up to 2.5 kW, which allows extra...
Briefs: Materials
Sustainably Sourced, Thermally Resistant, Radiation Hard Biopolymer
This material represents a breakthrough in the production, manufacturing, and application of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and radiation shielding, as this represents the first effort to develop a non-metallic, nonceramic, biomaterial-based, sustainable TPS with the...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Future astrophysics and planetary experiments are expected to require large focal plane arrays with thousands of detectors. Feedhorns have excellent performance, but their mass, size,...
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Briefs: Physical Sciences
Validating Phasing and Geometry of Large Focal Plane Arrays
The Kepler Mission is designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-sized and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone. The Kepler photometer is an array of 42 CCDs (charge-coupled devices) in the focal plane of a 95-cm Schmidt camera onboard the...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
180-GHz Interferometric Imager
A 180-GHz interferometric imager uses compact receiver modules, combined high- and low-gain antennas, and ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) correlator technology, enabling continuous, all-weather observations of water vapor with 25-km resolution and 0.3-K noise in 15 minutes of observation for numerical...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Maturation of Structural Health Management Systems for Solid Rocket Motors
Concepts of an autonomous and automated space-compliant diagnostic system were developed for conditioned- based maintenance (CBM) of rocket motors for space exploration vehicles. The diagnostic system will provide real-time information on the integrity of critical structures...
Briefs: Information Technology
Achieving Exact and Constant Turnaround Ratio in a DDS-Based Coherent Transponder
A report describes a non-standard direct digital synthesizer (DDS) implementation that can be used as part of a coherent transponder so as to allow any rational turnaround ratio to be exactly achieved and maintained while the received frequency varies. (A coherent...
Briefs: Information Technology
Surface Modeling to Support Small-Body Spacecraft Exploration and Proximity Operations
In order to simulate physically plausible surfaces that represent geologically evolved surfaces, demonstrating demanding surface-relative guidance navigation and control (GN&C) actions, such surfaces must be made to mimic the geological processes themselves....
Briefs: Medical
Wireless foot switches for the control of medical devices are gaining acceptance and growing in popularity — prompting OEMs to design medical equipment for use with a wireless foot switch or to...
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Briefs: Medical
Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System and their colleagues have developed a software tool that aims to make the detection of abnormalities in cell and tissue samples...
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Briefs: Materials
Benefits of Polypropylene Availability
Material selection plays an important role in the design of a medical device or bioprocessing system. It can improve end-user satisfaction, product reliability, and manufacturability of the device, as well as simplify the 510(k) application process. Various certifications such as animal-derivative-free, USP...
Products: Medical
Variable Frequency Drive System
The Eazy Series Variable Frequency Drive system from Amtech Drives (Atlanta, GA) is designed to precisely manage the electrical current for ultra high-speed motors and spindles. It utilizes a proprietary PWM sinusoidal waveform and provides control and protection to AC induction motors in the 40 to 1875 horsepower...
Products: Photonics/Optics
Accuratus (Phillipsburg, NJ) offers light-reflecting ceramic that maximizes light uniformity and intensity in high-energy laser systems, LED-based therapies, and intense pulsed light sources. The total reflectance...
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Products: Medical
Amplitude Systemes (Bordeaux, France) offers the s-Pulse HP ultrafast laser, designed to process medical devices such as stents, percutaneous valves, catheters, and electrodes. It can cut cobalt-chrome and Nitinol stents as...
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Products: Medical
Argotec (Greenfield, MA) has introduced ArgoMedPLUS 18411, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film-on-paper product that provides a controlled release between the paper carrier and the TPU film. It can be extruded in...
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Products: Medical
AVX Corporation (Greenville, SC) offers the Transguard® 0201 miniature multilayer varistor, designed for small handheld devices and embedded components such as hearing aids and camera modules. It presents a 16VDC device...
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Products: Motion Control
The EPOS2 36/2 motherboard from Maxon Precision Motors (Fall River, MA) gives the designer either a standalone multi-axis motor controller or one that can be integrated into the final product as a sub board....
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Products: Materials
Foster Corporation (Putnam, CT) has introduced the NanoMed™ EX compounds with greater stiffness and without reduction in elongation, compared to the Pebax 7233 MED. The compounds are designed to bridge the gap between the Pebax...
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Products: Photonics/Optics
Bern Optics (Westfield, MA) offers custom optical elements with dimensions as small as 0.20 mm. They can be custom engineered, ground, and polished to micron tolerances in a variety of configurations including...
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Ask the Expert

Ralph Bright on the Power of Power Cords
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Understanding power system components and how to connect them correctly is critical to meeting regulatory requirements and designing successful electrical products for worldwide markets. Interpower’s Ralph Bright defines these requirements and explains how to know which cord to select for your application.

Inside Story

Inside Story: Trends in Packaging and Sterilization
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Eurofins Medical Device Testing (MDT) provides a full scope of testing services. In this interview, Eurofins’ experts, Sunny Modi, PhD, Director of Package Testing; and Elizabeth Sydnor, Director of Microbiology; answer common questions on medical device packaging and sterilization.