Topic

NASA’s Moon Shot Launched Commercial Fuel Cell Industry

The first practical fuel cells were developed for Johnson Space Center in preparation for NASA’s Apollo missions because batteries would have weighed too much. The group that produced these and subsequent NASA fuel cells is now called HyAxiom Inc. and sells commercial fuel cells to power buildings and even utilities, still producing them at the same facility in South Windsor, Connecticut.

Webb Telescope Made Simulation Software Better

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope pushed optical modeling capabilities, driving advances in software used to design medical and augmented reality devices.

Temperature-Regulating Clothing Additive Heats Up

A highly emissive coating that NASA invented to protect the heat shield on a planned spaceplane in the 1990s was licensed and turned into the Emisshield product line. Now it’s been incorporated into textiles by Clean Textile Technology LLC of North Naples, Florida, under the brand name Trizar and improves temperature regulation in various outdoor gear and other apparel.

A Huge Development for Tiny Satellites

To fit tiny satellites into tinier spaces on launch vehicles, Goddard Space Flight Center developed a new equipment-deployment system that’s more reliable than previous solutions. Thermal Management Technologies LLC of Logan, Utah, later licensed this technology for use on commercial satellites.

NASA Helps Make Connections in Air and Space

When Johnson Space Center needed an Ethernet switch on the Orion capsule to manage data the spacecraft beams back to Earth, DornerWorks Ltd. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was subcontracted to construct a spaceworthy piece of hardware. The company now licenses this switching technology to other firms for applications such as self-driving cars.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month, 3D Systems' SLS 300 smaller-footprint 3D printer designed for use in settings other than a manufacturing floor.

Farmers Get Tools from Space

As NASA has continued to place more eyes in the sky and has made the resulting data troves freely available, a number of companies have sprung up to turn that information into tools for farming.

Keeping the Connection

One device enabling this satellite-to-satellite communication, the EyeStar radio developed by NearSpace Launch Inc., used NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) to prove a small instrument could deliver big results.

The Impact of Wearables on the World of Real-Time Sensing

Multimodal assessment allows healthcare professionals to assess multiple domains of functioning, providing a comprehensive evaluation of the disease's impact on an individual.

Revolutionizing Healthcare

This article delves into how the combined power of AI, wearables, and sensor data is redefining our understanding and management of mental health, paving the way for a more proactive, inclusive, and effective approach to mental well-being.

ISO 80369-7: Changing the Standard for Luer Connectors

ISO 80369 Part 7, the long-awaited replacement to ISO 594, introduced a number of changes to the standard governing dimensions and performance requirements of Luer connectors.

From the Editor - FDA's LDT Regulation Must Balance Safety and Innovation

Analytics firm GlobalData has weighed in on the U.S. FDA's proposal to reclassify laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) as medical devices. FDA historically exercised enforcement discretion over LDTs, meaning that it did not actively regulate them like it does for other medical devices, so this is a significant regulatory change.

Resorbable Scaffold Outperforms Angioplasty

Scaffold insertion also appeared to be as safe as angioplasty, in terms of procedure-related complications.

Soft Robotic System for Brain Surgery

Researchers have laid the groundwork for a soft robotic tool and control system that could grant surgeons an unprecedented degree of maneuverability within the brain.

Multimodal Graphene-Based E-Textiles

Instead of using toxic chemicals or optical masks for patterning, a research team used laser direct patterning technology to form laser-induced graphene (LIG) on e-textiles and successfully manufactured graphene-based e-textiles.

Sensors Measure Uric Acid Levels

Researchers have invented sensor-based noninvasive medical devices to make the monitoring and treatment of certain physiological and psychological conditions timelier and more precise.

Acoustic Touch Helps Blind to See

A cutting-edge technology known as acoustic touch helps people see using sound. The technology has the potential to transform the lives of those who are blind or have low vision.

Piezoelectric Material Printing

A microprinter can print piezoelectric films 100 times faster for the production of MEMS for sensors, wearable, or implantable medical devices, offering the possibility to lower the mass production costs.

Navigating the Future of Medical Device Safety: The Role of High-Attenuation Shielding in Electromagnetic Compatibility

The article explores the role of high-attenuation shielding in ensuring EMC in medical devices, highlighting Tech Etch's 2400 and 2500 series fabric over foam as examples to effectively block EMI in sensitive medical electronics.

Advancing Medical Device Sustainability with Specialty Thermoplastics

By choosing specialty thermoplastics, device manufacturers can help reduce the environmental impact of their products while gaining plastic's well-known benefits of expanded design freedom and streamlined, high-volume production of parts compared to metal alternatives.

Moving the Needle on Monitoring Skin Cancer

A research team has developed a new approach that integrates a minimally invasive, painless microneedle platform capable of absorbing the cell-surrounding, biomarker-containing fluid from deeper layers of the skin with an ultra-sensitive, single-molecule detection method (Simoa) that detects often rare, yet relevant biomarkers with higher sensitivity than conventional methods.

Bioink Enhances 3D Bioprinted Skeletal Muscle Constructs

An advancement in 3D bioprinting of native-like skeletal muscle tissues has been made by scientists at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI).

Exploring a New Approach to Treating Collapsed Airways in Newborns

Researchers at the EPFL have achieved a breakthrough in the treatment of tracheomalacia, a condition characterized by weak tracheal cartilage and muscles that normally keep the airway open for proper breathing.

Parkinson's Disease: A Neuroprosthetic to Correct Walking Disorders

The scientists set out in detail the process of developing the neuroprosthetic that has allowed a first patient with Parkinson's to be treated, enabling him to walk comfortably, confidently and without falling.

New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including an ultrathin cable module for single-use endoscopes from Omnivision, CUI Inc's dc-dc converter, Vision Engineering's stereo microscopes, Henkel's expanded portfolio for wearables, SupplyOne's packaging solutions, and more.

Product Focus: Motors & Motion Control

See the product focus this month, which is on motors and motion control, including Bison's enhanced washdown gearmotor line, Nippon Pulse's direct-drive AC servo motors, Portescap's brushless DC motors, and a new line of servomotors from Siemens.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on a pair of earbuds that can be turned into a tool to record the electrical activity of the brain as well as levels of lactate in the body, one on a non-invasive cancer treatment that uses ultrasound to break up tumors in the body, and more.