R & D articles from August 2007

R & D archives from August 2007

Back to the sea in R&D.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
August 1, 2007... The cover story of this month's issue focuses on Elon Musk, a true rocket scientist and this year's R&D Innovator of the Year, who is working to make space travel more practical through his cost-effective space transport systems. Also, in a new...

CRADA improves biofuel energy yield: cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs) between private companies and government research labs allow partners to optimize their resources and share technical expertise in a protected environment.(GOVERNMENT SOURCEBOOK)
August 1, 2007... Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M., and Monsanto Co., Creve Coeur, Mo., are engaged a three-year research collaboration that is expected to play a role in both organizations' interests in biology and bioenergy. ...

Another tool in the toolbox: private funding for technology maturation will help enable better commercialization of governmental scientific research.(GOVERNMENT SOURCEBOOK)
August 1, 2007... However compelling the technology, a gap often exists between government-funded research and its transfer to the marketplace. As a research project nears completion, federal dollars often dry up before an invention has progressed enough to spin...

A galaxy of spinoffs: through partnerships and spinoffs, NASA engineers advances in medicine, safety, and deep space observation.(GOVERNMENT SOURCEBOOK)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
August 1, 2007... The great scope of ideas generated at NASA's network of research centers, test facilities, and spaceports have for years been the seed for germinating technologies. From freeze-dried foods to the latest spacesuit glove design, enabled concepts...

Advancing the frontiers in cancer research: technologies are being adapted to characterize cancer cells and provide new treatments.(GOVERNMENT SOURCEBOOK)(Disease/Disorder overview)
August 1, 2007... Cancer includes hundreds of diseases, each with a specific pattern of behavior and genetic makeup. No universal method can treat the many different types of cancer. Some cancers require surgery, while others are best treated with radiation,...

Rocket man: from the Internet to manned spacecraft to electric cars to solar cells to education, Elon Musk is on a mission to develop innovative solutions to many of mankind's toughest challenges.(Cover story)
August 1, 2007... By any measure, Elon Musk is a true innovator. He made his fortune on developing innovative Internet-based tools. Now he hopes to expand that fortune by building cost-effective, reliable manned spacecraft. But his story doesn't stop there at...

Modeling non-normal data using statistical software: process control and process capability can now be modeled using non-normal distributions.(SOFTWARE)
August 1, 2007... Consider the following examples of key quality characteristics for different products: * Trace contaminant concentration in a semiconductor raw material. * Noise level from a portable generator. * Concentricity of an engine drive...

New version of Star-P software for Python users.(Tools of the Trade)(Interactive Supercomputing Inc.'s Star-P 2.5)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Interactive Supercomputing Inc. has unveiled a new version of Star-P software designed for users of Python, an open source, high-level programming tool. The new Star-P 2.5 for Python is an interactive parallel computing platform that enables...

Ansoft announces HFSS v. 11.(Tools of the Trade)(Ansoft Corp.'s simulation software)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Ansoft Corp. has released HFSS v. 11. This product features new technology that delivers better accuracy, capacity and performance than before. HFSS v. 11 includes new higher-order hierarchical basis functions combined with an iterative solver...

Parallel Computing Toolkit 2.1 unleashes Mathematica 6.(Tools of the Trade)(Wolfram Research Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Wolfram Research has launched Parallel Computing Toolkit 2.1-an optimized parallel solution for anyone with access to Mathematica and more than one processor. Now compatible with Mathematica 6, Parallel Computing Toolkit is a bridge for...

Stata is fast, accurate, and easy to use.(Tools of the Trade)(Stata Corp.'s Stata 10)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Stata is a complete, integrated statistical package that provides everything you need for data analysis, data management, and graphics. Stata 10 adds many new features such as multilevel mixed models, exact logistic regression, multiple...

GINO v. 7.0 release.(Tools of the Trade)(Bradly Associates Ltd.'s software)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Bradly Associates announces the Windows release v. 70 of GINO. New features and enhancements have been included such as 54 new routines and functions, 3-D DXF input/output, full support for Visual Studio 2005, and a full suite of Intel 9.1...

Mobile Map Connect for high performance mobile GIS.(Tools of the Trade)(GeoAge Inc.'s new product)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Mobile Map Connect is a new software product designed to provide true map mobility. Mobile Map Connect, created by GeoAge, enables mobile workers to take ESRI maps into the field and navigate, identify, search, and track. * GeoAge,...

NMR: an MVP in spectroscopy: nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is so pervasive that it has spawned several major multidisciplinary NMR facilities.(ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS)
August 1, 2007... Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy allows scientists to see fine details of molecular structure by placing a molecular sample into an ultra-high magnetic field created by the NMR magnet. Once in the magnetic field, atoms in the...

PrismaPlus--the new mass spectrometer with the added plus.(Tools of the Trade)(Pfeiffer Vacuum Ltd. )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Pfeiffer Vacuum offers PrismaPlus, a new mass spectrometer for qualitative and quantitative gas analysis and leak detection. The combination of high sensitivity, stability, and intelligent operation is the added plus in the PrismaPlus mass...

LC-IR detector automates separation, analysis and reporting processes.(Tools of the Trade)(Spectra Analysis Inc.'s DiscovIR-LC )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The DiscovIR-LC detector utilizes advanced desolvation technology to physically remove the solvent and obtain solid-phase transmission phase spectra of each HPLC peak. DiscovIR FT-IR detectors are compatible with any LC or GC. The device is...

New Turbidimeter from ICM.(Tools of the Trade)(ICM Meters' Turbidimeter)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The ICM Turbidimeter features a two-point calibration, 3.5-inch LCD display and operates on AC power. The field unit has rechargeable batteries and units come complete with primary and secondary standards of .5 & 10 NTU, sample cuvettes, light...

Advanced microanalysis tools.(Tools of the Trade)(ruker AXS Advanced X-Ray Solutions GmbH's QUANTAX EDS )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The QUANTAX EDS system from Bruker AXS utilizes a high-resolution 125 eV XFlash detector and, with the latest release of ESPRIT software, introduces new features and modules that can help users find elusive trace elements and make routine...

Flow through and small micron sample viscometer.(Tools of the Trade)(RheoSense Inc.'s VROC)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... VROC is a viscometer that is small, precise, and fast. The VROC measures 'true' viscosity, temperature, and pressure with one instrument. For more detailed information visit RheoSense's Web site. * RheoSense, Inc., www.rheosense.com ...

Cheminert C72 Ultra-High Pressure UHPLC Injector.(Tools of the Trade)(Valco Instruments Co.'s product)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Valco's new Cheminert C72 Ultra-High Pressure UHPLC Injector features a proprietary stator coating that permits pressures up to 15,000 or 20,000 psi. Many of the latest analytical techniques require systems that are capable of this much...

Material testing: weathering the storm: a properly designed weathering testing program enables manufacturers to achieve their product goals efficiently and productively.(LABORATORY EQUIPMENT/DESIGN)(product testing)
August 1, 2007... The race to market is a lot shorter today as new products and better warranties drive the competition. Many manufacturers quickly put together a weathering program designed to help them understand their product's durability and performance....

Rotary evaporator control with motor lift.(Tools of the Trade)(Brinkmann Instruments Inc.'s Model 4003 )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Brinkmann Instruments, Inc. offers the new Heidolph rotary evaporator Model 4003 control with motor lift. The evaporator features an integrated vacuum controller and vapor temperature controller with a choice of three programs for auto mated...

New mobile benches and overhead service carriers.(Tools of the Trade)
August 1, 2007... New for 2008-A.T.Villa's Ergolab mobile benches and satellite overhead service carriers which have been expanded to include a stationary version. * A.T. Villa-USA, www.atvilla-usa.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

High density active aisle storage systems.(Tools of the Trade )(Metro Industries Corp.'s products)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Metro's qwikTRAK has a unique design that allows standard Metro shelves and posts to be joined end-to-end for more storage within limited space. Metro qwikTRAK and Double Deep qwikTRAK are available for use with Metro wire, solid, and polymer...

Ruggedized COTS enclosure services.(Tools of the Trade)(Carlo Gavazzi Computing Solutions, commercial off-the-shelf)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Carlo Gavazzi Computing Solutions announces its elec tronic packaging services for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products. These products offer users the capability to outfit standard commercial products such as computers, servers, data...

New balance enclosures.(Tools of the Trade)(Air Science USA's new product)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Air Science USA introduces a new line of balance enclosures designed for precision containment/operator protection when compounding and powder weighing. These units exceed OSHA, ANSI, and all relevant international standards for vented...

New system gives a four-way point of view: the dream of being able to integrate multiple probes in an SPM system has finally become a reality.(MICROSCOPY/IMAGE ANALYSIS)(Nanonics Imaging Ltd.'s MultiView 4000 )
August 1, 2007... The integration of multiple probes in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has been a researcher's dream since its inception two decades ago. SPM systems use a stylus-like sensor to measure topography and certain functional properties, such as...

New microscope technology: emerges from research labs: the newly developed ORION helium ion microscope provides high magnification images that exceed the capabilities of scanning electron microscopes.(MICROSCOPY/IMAGE ANALYSIS)(Carl Zeiss SMT)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Since the 1940s, the traditional scanning electron microscope (SEM) has evolved into a valuable imaging and analysis tool due to its long depth of focus, high magnification, and easy to interpret images. The 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics was...

Trinocular metallurgical microscope.(Tools of the Trade)(Unitron Ltd.'s MEC2)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Unitron Ltd. now has a new MEC2 inverted trinocular metallurgical microscope with digital imaging. The MEC2 is designed for use in mate rials inspection and QC in a production line or laboratory environment. It is compact with an ergonomic...

Spyder 3 CL line scan camera.(Tools of the Trade)(Dalsa Corp.'S new scan camera)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Spyder 3 CL line scan camera with camera link interface from Dalsa Corp. surpasses its predecessor, the Spyder 2, with three times more responsivity and twice the speed, without impacting noise levels. The camera's responsivity is important...

Colibri LED light source fluorescence microscope.(Tools of the Trade)(Carl Zeiss MicroImaging Inc.'s new product)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH introduces the Colibri, a light emitting diode (LED) light source for fluorescence microscopy. The narrow band LEDs replace conventional white light sources to produce high contrast images with excellent...

Low cost deformable mirror with increased stroke.(Tools of the Trade)(Boston Micromachines Corp.'s enhancement of MiniDM)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Boston Micromachines Corp. has manufactured an enhanced version of its MiniDM with increased stroke. This new mirror provides vision science and microscopy researchers an economical entry level mirror to accomplish "proof of concept"...

Bursting with possibilities: laser-controlled microfluidic systems hold promise for biological purposes and more. How exactly the photons will be used, however, remains a question.(PHOTONICS/OPTICS)
August 1, 2007... The multiplicity of uses for laser light is tremendous. From semiconductor failure analysis to laser ablation for mass spectrometry, laser light is central to innumerable applications. Now, investigations into how lasers might be used in...

Clare releases first device in new family of optically isolated, self- biased gate drivers.(Tools of the Trade)(Clare Inc.'s CPC1580)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Clare, Inc. has released the CPC1580, an optically isolated MOSFET gate-driver integrated circuit which provides 3750Vrms of input-to-output isolation and requires no external power supply. An external power MOSFET is controlled by the...

Fiber optic laser interferometer encoder.(Tools of the Trade)(Renishaw Inc.'s RLE20)
August 1, 2007... RLE20 fiber optic laser interferometer encoder from Renishaw provides picometer resolution, differential measurement, and part-per-billion laser frequency stability. Key to this transformation is the use of fiber optics to deliver the laser...

Optical heated windows.(Tools of the Trade)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Heated windows are the most cost effective way to keep imaging planes or optical instrumentation windows free of moisture or fog. Reynard Corp. has created a custom optical heated window using conductive materials. Reynard's heated window...

TechSpec light pipes homogenize non-uniform light sources.(Tools of the Trade)(Edmund Optics Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Edmund Optics has released the TechSpec family of light pipe homogenizing rods for OEM illumination needs. The rods use total internal reflection to turn a non-uniform light source into uniform illumination and deliver it to the target site....

NuFire 200W fiber laser.(Tools of the Trade)(Nufern's new fiber optic equipment)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Nufern's new NuFire 200-W ytterbium fiber laser system is user friendly, with a standard wall plug, air cooling, monolithic architecture, 3RU form factor, and remote mountable I/O panel. A Windows-based interface, including a visual...

NI moves into: embedded, multicore, & statechart designs: the latest release of LabVIEW expands upon multithreading and industrial applications.(TEST MEASUREMENT, & ANALYSIS)(National Instruments)(Product/service evaluation)
August 1, 2007... EveryAugust, National Instruments (NI), Austin, Texas, holds user meeting called NIWeek at the Austin Convention Center. They use this meeting to introduce new products, provide glimpses into upcoming technologies, and learn what's important to...

High speed, sub-micron positioning, voice coil stages.(Tools of the Trade)(Equipment Solutions Inc.'s VCS-1 OH Voice Coil Stage)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Sub-micron, 150-nm positioning resolution, voice coil stages are compact, can be used as a horizontal or vertical axis, and are low cost. The high-speed, 10 mm travel, Equipment Solutions', VCS-1 OH Voice Coil Stage features an integrated...

Very fast--ruggedized for defense applications.(Tools of the Trade)(Electro Standards Laboratories' Model 4149)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Electro Standards Laboratories announces its new Model 4149 high speed ruggedized Fiber to RS485/422/232 interface converter. Typical operating speeds are 1.5 Mbps for RS232 to fiber conversion and 20 Mbps for RS485/422 to copper conversion....

Heavy duty linear actuator offered in five standard lengths.(Tools of the Trade)(Bishop-Wisecarver Corp.'s SRX-150)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The heavy duty SRX-150 linear actuator is now available in five standard lengths for faster delivery. This product line features high precision, compact aluminum profile linear actuators in belt or ball screw driven versions. Both versions of...

Sticky samples are no problem.(Tools of the Trade)(Mettler-Toledo Inc.'s new InLab ph electrode sensors)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Mettler Toledo now has a new line of InLab pH electrode sensors. The new sensors, a combination of new technologies and glassblowing tradition, make fast pH, ORP, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen measurements possible. Sticky samples are no...

Creating unique polymeric particles.(MICRO NANO: TOOLS & PRODUCTS IN MICRO & NANOTECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2007... Two different methods of making polymeric particles from two different teams result in quite similar particles. Each group has fabricated custom designed polymeric particles with complex geometric shapes, going from spherical to unique...

New surface plasmon.(NANOTECH BRIEFS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... An acoustic surface plasmon, a new type of electron wave that exists on metal surfaces, has been proven to exist by Bogdan Diaconescu and Karsten Pohl, Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham. The acoustic plasmon can be excited with any wavelength....

CNT demand soars.(NANOTECH BRIEFS)(global carbon nanotube)(Carbon Nanotubes: A Global Strategic Business Report)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The global carbon nanotube (CNT) market is projected to exceed $1.9 billion by 2010, according to the report "Carbon Nanotubes: A Global Strategic Business Report," by Global Industry Analysts Inc., San Jose, Calif. Currently, the U.S....

Nanotubes behave like supercompressible springs.(Nanotechnology)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Long, vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) under repeated high compressive strains that display viscoelastic behavior similar to soft-tissue membranes have been reported by Pulickel Ajayan at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute...

Blowing nanofilms from bubbles.(Process Measurement & Nanotechnology)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Blown-bubble nanofilms that consist of dense, uniformly aligned nanowires or nanotubes over a large area have been demonstrated by Charles Lieber at Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass. The film is created using a version of the blown film extrusion...

AC Josephson effect detects mechanical motion.(NANOTECH BRIEFS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The AC Josephson effect that can be used to detect mechanical motion of atoms or nanostructures has been reported by Alexei Marchenkov and Uzi Landman, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Atlanta. In the work, a niobium (Nb)...

Nanosoccer debuts.(NANOTECH BRIEFS)(2007 RoboCup's nanoscale soccer games)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The first nanoscale soccer games at the 2007 RoboCup in Atlanta were hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, Colo., on July 7-8. In the competition, soccer nanobots were operated under an optical...

Manipulating and visualizing samples concurrently.(Process and Measurement)
August 1, 2007... A form of subwavelength microscopy consisting of an electrode-free, continuously tunable, coherent visible light source that uses individual potassium niobate (KNb[O.sub.3]) nanowires has been demonstrated by Jan Liphardt at the Univ. of...

Shortening MEMS design.(MEMS BRIEFS)(Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The MEMS Materials Database: Packaging Module is available through ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio. The database offers search, select, and report features to find and compare candidate materials; identifies materials that optimally...

Inkjet head market grows.(MEMS BRIEFS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Representing ~28% of the MEMS market, the inkjet-print head sector will record a compound annual growth rate of 40/o from 2006 to 2011, according Yole Developpement, Lyons, France. In this global MEMS market, revenues reached $5.9 billion in...

Moving microstructures.(MEMS BRIEFS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Flagellated bacteria that move microstructures have been demonstrated by Min Jun Kim at Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, Pa. Equilateral triangular microstructures (50-[micro]m tall; 10-[micro]m thick), are released on the surface of Serratia...

Microfluidics to change the world of chemistry.(INDUSTRY REPORT)
August 1, 2007... The world is flat, some people say, but, happily, there are still cultural differences. This is a good thing for science, as there wouldn't be many new discoveries with everybody heading in the same direction. When Columbus couldn't convince...

Detecting single molecules, in real time, without labeling.(Biotechnology & Microsystems)(Si microtoroid resonators)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Doughnut-shaped microcavities that detect single biomolecules in real time without labeling a target molecule with fluorescent tags have been developed by Kerry Vahala at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena. The optical...

Recipe for success: carbon nanotubes are trickling into the product stream in surprising ways. The trick remains how to make more.(Nanotechnolgoy)
August 1, 2007... Imagine many of the today's products--polymer panels, machinery and hydraulic gaskets, battery electrodes, metal tools, transistors--performing several times better without any compromise in capability. Now imagine the material needed to make...

Improving membranes.(BIOTECH BRIEFS)(use of semiconductor membranes)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The simulated operation of a semiconductor membrane that offers more flexibility and better electrical performance than biological membranes has been reported by Jean-Pierre Leburton, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). By creating...

Bonding with proteins.(BIOTECH BRIEFS)(gold nanoparticles)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Gold (Au) nanoparticles that are attached to multiple proteins forming sheets of protein-Au arrays have been demonstrated at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, N.Y. Au nanoparticles are coated with functional organic molecules using a...

Changing shape with pH.(BIOTECH BRIEFS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The shape of silver (Ag) nanostructures on a quartz substrate that change by adjusting the pH value of an immersion solution has been reported at Northeast Normal Univ., China. When immersed in the buffer solution with pH 5.0, the substrate's...

Labs21 eyes challenges of high performance labs.(CALENDAR)(Calendar)
August 1, 2007... Laboratory professionals from around the world will be gathering at the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex, S.C., for the Labs21 2007 Annual Conference on Oct. 2-4. Some of the highlights of the conference will be a technology and...

Diamond-related films to double.(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The world market for diamond, diamond-like carbon coatings (DLC), and cubic boron nitride (CBN) films are forecast to grow from $530.8 million in 2007 to more than $1 billion by 2012, representing a compound annual growth rate of 14.3%. In...

Semiconductor R&D set to surge.(research and development)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... In 1978, as the semiconductor market emerged, total R&D in this sector was about $600 million. By 2006, R&D spending for the semiconductor industry had grown to $45 billion and are now expected to reach about $1 O0 billion by 2012. Driving the...