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High-Frequency Receiver
Researchers at Chalmers have succeeded in combining a receiver for high frequencies with an antenna on a small chip. Measuring just a few square millimeters, the receiver integrates an antenna, low-noise amplifier, and frequency converter, monolithically integrated on gallium arsenide. The receiver is designed to operate at...
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T-Ray Radiation
The hassle of going through airport security and taking off shoes, watches, belts, and other items could be alleviated with a safe form of electro- magnetic radiation called T-rays, or terahertz radiation. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, along with collaborators in Turkey and Japan, have...
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Techs of the Week
A cantilevered microbeam temperature sensor is free from the residual or induced stress characteristic of standard bridge-type strain gauges. The microbeam is supported at one end, and the other is free to oscillate relative to the substrate and is isolated from changes in strain caused from flexure of a diaphragm. The beam's...
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Sensitive Prosthetic Arms
Advances in limb prostheses have not obscured the fact that these devices still lack a sense of touch. Now, scientists from Northwestern University in Chicago have shown that transplanting the nerves from an amputated hand to the chest allows patients to feel hand sensation there. The findings could pave the way toward...
Blog
Child's Play
Before you run out and buy the latest electronic games and devices for your kids this holiday season, Temple University and University of Delaware psychologists want you to think simple. They say the overarching principle is that children are creative problem-solvers and discoverers, and they are active. Children build their...
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Current Attractions
The MV1000 and MV2000 paperless portable recorders from Yokogawa Electric Corp. (Newnan, GA) have been named NASA Tech Briefs Product of the Month for December. The recorders have integrated display, recording, and communications functions. They record on-site changes in temperature, voltage, current, flow, and pressure.
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Technology Business Briefs
Low Cost Substrate Coating for High-Quality Ink-Based Printing A novel approach of a coating method and composition of various substrates such as paper, canvas, polymeric films, etc. by utilizing a unique coating composition containing a dye-fixing compound. Click here for more info.
INSIDER: Electronics & Computers
Since their introduction in 1991, PC/104 standard based systems have been widely adopted in various applications. Unmanned aircraft control, onboard vehicle control and navigation systems,...
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Blog: Photonics/Optics
Assessing Crash Warnings
Engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed and tested a laser-based ranging system to assess the performance of automobile collision warning systems. Industry and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will use the technology to develop safety systems that alert drivers to...
Blog
CO2 Storage
Storing carbon dioxide below the Earth's surface could be a safe, long-term solution to one of the planet's major contributors to climate change. University of Leeds research shows that porous sandstone, drained of oil, could provide a safe reservoir for carbon dioxide. The study found that sandstone reacts with injected fluids more...
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Tech Needs of the Week
RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) is a storage architecture that offers data security in case of system failure. A company seeks patented technologies fundamental to the architecture of RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 6, and also in patented technologies that relate to them, such as hot swap, hot spare, RAID level...
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Spacial Students
NASA has selected 18 middle and high school teams across 12 states to fly in the 2007-2008 Student Launch Initiative rocketeering challenge. The annual challenge is designed to inspire young people to pursue careers in science, engineering, math, and technology - fields vital to NASA's ongoing mission in space. The Student Launch...
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Carbon-Neutral Hydrogen
Hydrogen as an environmentally friendly fuel source may be closer than we think, according to Penn State researchers. The researchers are employing microbial fuel cells to convert cellulose and other biodegradable organic materials directly into hydrogen, using naturally occurring bacteria in a microbial electrolysis cell...
Excerpts: Manufacturing & Prototyping
This is the last in our series of excerpts from "Better Be Running! Tools to Drive Design Success" by Dr. Ronald Hollis, President, CEO, and Co-founder of Quickparts.com (Atlanta, GA)....
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Blog
Neutron Scatter Camera
To help solve the problem of identifying smuggled special nuclear material (SNM), researchers at Sandia National Laboratories in California say a neutron scatter camera under development may be able to detect radiation from much greater distances and through more shielding than current detection instruments. According to...
Blog: Materials
Techs of the Week
A high-temperature ceramics-based composite exhibits superior heat and oxidation resistance and frictional properties. The material comprises a dense carbon-fiber-reinforced SiC-infiltrated composite or a dense SiC-infiltrated composite with granular carbon dispersed. It shows excellent machineability and frictional properties....
Blog: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Smog Chemical Detector
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a tool to quantitatively measure elusive atmospheric chemicals that play a key role in forming photochemical smog. The device measures atmospheric hydroperoxyl radicals - short-lived, highly reactive intermediates involved in forming...
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Data Conversion Shortcut
Mechdyne Corporation's VRCO Inc. subsidiary has demonstrated real-time interaction with professional 3D design tools in the 100 megapixel C6 Virtual Reality Room at Iowa State University's Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC) – the world's highest-resolution virtual environment. VRCO's Conduit software allows...
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
Evolutionary rather than revolutionary changes characterize the motion control market. Motors and motor controllers continue to gravitate toward higher performance and...
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Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Onyx guided parachute designed and manufactured by Atair Aerospace (Brooklyn, NY) is an autonomous precision airdrop system. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) uses motors and planetary...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
AMETEK Technical and Industrial Products (Kent, OH) has unveiled its MAE brand hybrid stepper motors in three series for high performance positioning applications. The HY Series steppers, in sizes 16, 17, 23, and 42,...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The N-310 NEXACT ceramic linear motor actuator from Physik Instrumente L.P. exhibits a 10 Newton push-pull force with 20 mm travel and a maximum speed of 10 mm/sec. It provides picometer resolution, millisecond...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Melexis MLX90283 vibration motor driver IC from Melexis Microelectronic Integrated Systems (Concord, NH) is designed to overcome the problem of single-phase brushless dc motors starting in the incorrect position,...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The ARMS series direct-drive rotary motion simulators from Aerotech (Pittsburgh) can provide resolutions as fine as 0.02 arcsecond, with accuracy to +/-2.5 arcsecond and repeatability to +/-0.5 arcsecond. The motor and...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The BFK458-L stopping and holding brake from Lenze-AC Tech (Uxbrdige, MA) is guaranteed to run for 10,000,000 cycles or two years of service life. The spring-applied brake has a cast iron casing and carries a two-year warranty.
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Haydon Switch & Instrument Inc.’s 35000 series double stack hybrid linear actuators measure 1.4 square in. and are available in captive, non-captive, and external linear versions. The size 14 actuators are...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
DSM (Franklin, TN) has introduced the VF-90 linear photoelectric amplifier for space-constrained and OEM applications. Compatible with National Instrument’s CompactRIO and CompactDAQ modular chassis, the amplifier is...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The DynaMotor from DynaMotors Inc. (Cleveland, OH) is designed to produce more torque than motors of comparable size. For instance, a NEMA 56 frame TEFC DynaMotor generates 11 foot-lb. of torque at 600 rpm — three times...
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Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The ServoClass coupling line from Zero-Max (Plymouth, MA) has been expanded with three new sizes to handle bore diameters from 0.875 to 1.378" and operating torque from 3.937 to 9,843 in. lb. The lightweight couplings...
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Ask the Expert

Dan Sanchez on How to Improve Extruded Components
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Improving extruded components requires careful attention to a number of factors, including dimensional tolerance, material selection, and processing. Trelleborg’s Dan Sanchez provides detailed insights into each of these considerations to help you advance your device innovations while reducing costs and speeding time to market.

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.