R & D articles from February 2002

R & D archives from February 2002

The whole is not always the sum of its parts.(micro- and macro-scientific issues)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
February 1, 2002... Reductionism, in Stephen Rothman's recently published book "Lessons From the Living Cell," has been the goal of researchers for thousands of years, By probing smaller and smaller we obtain fundamental knowledge. The molecule is more fundamental...

Triple jeopardy. (de facto).(artificial intelligence)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... In the shadow of terrorist threats, technology pushes on. In November, for example, Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass., announced the first-ever cloning of a human embryo. And all the while, engineers refine the manufacturing...

Keeping data safe: blow it up. (Materials).(semiconductor chip researcg)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Silicon wafers--the raw material for computer chips--can be turned into tiny explosives, according to chemists at the Univ. of California, San Diego. Like gunpowder--a mixture of carbon, potassium nitrate, and sulfur--the scientists knew that a...

IBM tops the patent list--again. (Bulletin).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has listed International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Armonk, N.Y., as the No. 1 private company receiving patents in 2001. For the ninth consecutive year, IBM received more patents than any other...

Protein science a survey singles out suppliers. (Analytical Instruments).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Amersham Biosciences, Piscataway, N.J., is the company that scientists most closely associate with products and services for protein research and proteomics research, according to a multipart survey from BioInformatics LLC, Arlington, Va....

Feds promote lobby access strategies. (Laboratory Design).(security management at building entrances)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... In an era of security reassessment, building entryways and lobbies are a high priority. The "First Impressions" initiative, created by the federal General Services Administration in consultation with building managers and designers, offers the...

Growth views hearty near future. (Laboratory Equipment).(laboratory equipment industry market forecast)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... US sales of laboratory products for the industrial-bioscience market reached $1.068 billion in FY2000 for durable laboratory equipment products; nondurables tallied $1.97 billion to total nearly $3.037 billion for the same period. The figures,...

Researchers combine optics, plastic magnets. (Lasers & Optics).(first light-tunable plastic magnet developed)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... In the past, scientists have developed plastic magnets and others have created light-responsive magnets, but in a technological first, researchers at Ohio State Univ., Columbus, have developed what's believed to be the world's first...

Piglets key to organ transplants. (Life Science).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The birth of five piglets may be a vital step for xenotransplantation. PPL Therapeutics Plc., Scotland, has cloned "knock-out" pigs that are genetically altered so that their organs may be safely transplanted into humans. Researchers found...

US MEMS industry to grow exponentially. (Micro/Nano Technology).(micro-electromechanical systems)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A report issued by the MEMS Industry Group (MIG), Pittsburgh, the trade association representing the micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and microstructures industries, shows the nation's MEMS industry is growing at an exponential rate,...

Integrated visual inspection system provides precision. (Microscopy).(TechnoLOOK digital video microscope from Sony Precision America Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... The TechnoLOOK digital video microscope from Sony Precision America Inc., Lake Forest, Calif., offers a complete integrated visual inspection systems, which is ergonomic, portable, and easy to use. It combines broadcast-quality video and charge...

Human genome project leader steps down. (Pharmaceutical).(J. Craig Vente leaves presidency of)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Biologist J. Craig Venter--a founding father of human genome mapping--has stepped down from his role as president of Celera Genomics Group, Rockville, Md. He plans to spend more time working with The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR),...

Semiconductor partnership begins. (Test & Measurement).(Keithley Instruments Inc. collaborative relationship with GGB Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Keithley Instruments Inc., Cleveland, has announced a collaborative relationship with GGB Industries Inc., Naples, Fla., that provides technical and marketing support for each other's products used in semiconductor parametric testing. The first...

Parker Hannifin takes on vacuum partner. (Vacuum & Thin Films).(Parker Hannifin Corp. and Myotoku Ltd. complete global marketing alliance)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A global marketing alliance agreement has been completed between Parker Hannifin Corp., Cleveland, and Myotoku Ltd., Tokyo, a manufacturer of vacuum technology products. Myotoku's products are produced under the "Convum" brand. They in-clude an...

Computers may surpass the human brain. (Market Trends).("Mind at Light Speed: A New Kind of Intelligence")
February 1, 2002... Imagine a machine that can sift through faces in a crowd to locate terrorists. Or a computer that can read images much like the human eye does, instead of as they do now, taking the big picture in bit by bit and pixel by pixel. Right now...

Platform creates technology exchange. (Market Trends).(ASU Intellectual Property Exchange web site)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The transition from laboratory to marketplace can be a rotted route for innovators. Especially when it comes to enticing a company with the renovation and facilitating the possible sale, licensing, or marketing of the product. With this...

Upcoming events.
February 1, 2002... Feb 26-March 1 ICDE 2002, 18th International Conference on Data Engineering, San Jose, Calif., www.argreenhouse.com March 5-7 South-Tec, Charlotte, N.C., www.sme.org March 12-14 BioIT World Conference and Expo, Boston,...

Sectors that use RF-ID hardware. (Advanced Data Management & Analysis).(radio frequency identification)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... Sectors That Use RF-ID Hardware (Percentage of hardware revenues) 2000 total: $663.3 million Industrial 44.5% Transportation, distribution, and warehousing 30.3% Government 10.4%...

Users anticipate adoption of technologies. (Advanced Data Management & Analysis).
February 1, 2002... Users Anticipate Adoption Of Technologies (Percentage of total users responding) [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Two-thirds of OEMS, system integrators, and end-users plan to implement switch fabrics and similar technologies, even though they do...

Bioinformatics hastens drug discovery and development. (Advanced data management & analysis: case study).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... With the recently completed first draft of the human genome, life science companies are moving forward in a race to unlock the secrets of the DNA blueprint. Contained within more than 30,000 protein-coding genes are millions of potential...

For RMS measurements, accuracy depends on speed and noise. (Advanced data management & analysis).(root mean square measurements)
February 1, 2002... As a standard option on many multimeters, root mean square (RMS) measurements on alternating current (AC) signals can seem as easy as connecting a few leads. Unfortunately, such measurements won't guarantee accuracy or measurement speed that...

Measurement systems hitting the road. (Advanced data management & analysis).(portable data acquisition systems)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The idea of building portable data acquisition (DAQ) systems is not new. Folks have tried to pack automated measurement systems into boxes small enough and light enough to load onto all manner of vehicles since they started building DAQ systems...

Analytical instruments go interactive: pharmaceutical and chemical applications benefit from automation technologies that increase efficiencies of analyses and provide increasingly user-friendly interfaces. (2002 Pittcon Preview).(new analytical instruments at 2002 Pittsburgh Conference and Exposition on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy)
February 1, 2002... In apparent disregard of market doomsayers, new analytical instruments at the Pittsburgh Conference (Pittcon), March 17-22, New Orleans, continue to emerge--and not just in the bio and life sciences, but for nanotechnology research, for the...

Lab-on-a-chip technology gains ground: not only is this miniaturization vastly cheaper and more efficient, the processes are beginning to trickle down to related sciences. Results while you wait impacts a host of testing processes. (Analytical Instruments).
February 1, 2002... Lab-on-a-chip, begun as a process-related technology popularized in the biological sciences, has expanded and broken new ground to include an extensive family of miniaturized laboratory functions. The advantages to relegating these multiple...

Online HPLC automates dissolution testing: pharmaceutical companies have automated testing options when working with solid dosage forms. Dissolution testing using HPLC offers high-quality results. (Chromatography).(high-performance liquid chromatography)
February 1, 2002... Federal regulations require pharmaceutical companies to determine the dissolution rate (the amount of active released vs. time) of all solid dosage forms during the development of the formulation and as part of quality control during...

ESI-MS quickens analysis of contaminants: electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a detection method suitable for the analysis of permanently ionized or polar, ionizable compounds. (Chromatography).
February 1, 2002... Ion chromatography (IC) is widely used for the compliance monitoring of common inorganic anions in drinking water. However, there has been considerable interest in the development of IC methods to meet regulatory requirements for analytes other...

RF process monitoring--who needs it? Statistical process control of wireless device manufacturing requires production-worthy s-parameter measurements. (Test & Measurement).(radio frequency process monitorint)
February 1, 2002... Whether you are manufacturing radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC) for cell phone modules on III-V wafers or digital signal processors (DSP) on silicon-based technology, predicting final product performance and reliability requires...

Water vapor pumping produces unique problems: water vapor pumping presents problems to all vacuum processes, and it requires careful understanding in order to achieve full pumpdown efficiency and performance. (Vacuum Technology).
February 1, 2002... Although vacuum technology is replete with problems and concerns in terms of achieving ever better vacuum levels and reaching them faster, none is more ubiquitous or frustrating than that of having to deal with water vapor. The pumpdown process...

General areas of expertise: Independent Research and Development Organizations.(Directory)
February 1, 2002... General Areas of Expertise Independent Research and Development Organizations Advanced computers and Organization ...

High-performance plastic connectors. (Product/Literature Showcase).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Fischer's 4032 Series miniature plastic connector is available with up to 19 gold-plated contacts in a half-inch diameter housing. The patented SureGrip[TM] plug body can be securely gripped, even with wet hands or gloves. This competitively...

Electronic flowhood. (Product/Literature Showcase).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Gives direct digital readout of air flow with automatic correction for local air density and back pressure. Reads 20 -- 2,500 cfm supply or exhaust, in cfm or I/sec. Brochure describes the unit. 480/991-6744; Fax: 480/443-1267. Shortridge...

Complete your motion applications with motor and stage advisor. (Product/Literature Showcase).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Using the new National Instruments Motor and Stage Advisor you can select from a variety of motors and stages to complete your motion control application. Engineers and scientists now have a one-stop resource on the Internet for selecting...

Vacuum components. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... Get em' fast! Put 35 years of experience to work for you. Unparalleled quality and service. Same-day shipping on cataloged items. Catalog features vacuum components including valves, feedthroughs, couplings and flange systems such as CF (knife...

Kanthal Product Guide includes electrical heating elements, element materials and thermocouple alloys. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... High performance Globar SiC elements join the proven SUPER[R] MoSi2 elements in Kanthal's newest Product Guide. A complete listing of thermocouple alloys has also been added to Kanthal's line of FeCrAl, nickel and copper-nickel alloys....

Roots pumping package. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... PackageLine is a large volume throughput, roots pumping package for dry, inert and non-reactive gases and gas mixtures. It is economical, environmentally friendly and compact with applications in E-Beam welding, backing high vacuum systems,...

Free Measurement and Automation Catalog 2002. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... The National Instruments Measurement and Automation Catalog 2002 is the leading resource for engineers and scientists seeking the most effective customer-defined measurement and automation solutions. You will find everything you need from...

New Computrac[R] Vapor Pro Rx[TM]. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... The new Computrac[R] Vapor Pro Rx[TM] moisture analyzer, designed specifically for lyophilized pharmaceuticals, measures down to 100 ppm or 0.01% on samples ranging from 10 milligrams to 20 grams in as little as 3 minutes without disturbing the...

GCMS-QP2010. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... The new Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 combines the highest sensitivity of our new ion source design, high expandability, ease of use, and comprehensive integrated software to emerge as the most advanced GC/MS available. Coupled with the capability to...

Digital vacuum gauges. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... Pfeiffer Vacuum offers a complete line of digital vacuum gauges to meet the most demanding pressure measurement and process control requirements. DigiLine gauges feature exceptional connectivity capabilities including RS-485, Profibus, and...

PCI-bus I/0, communications and utility cards. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... 56-page catalog features complete line of PCI bus data acquisition cards, including analog and digital I/0 cards, communications interfaces and watch-dog timer card. Products come with 30day return policy and 3.year warranty. 800/326-1649; Fax:...

Hellma BestCELLers. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... BestCELLers catalog provides useful information on most popular cells including Standard, Fluorescence and Special Application types. Also included are Secondary Calibration Standards, Quartz Microplates, Fiber Optic Immersion Probes and...

General purpose CW laser. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... The Model 3900S solid state Ti:Sapphire laser remains the first choice for tunable continuous wave radiation in the near IR spectral range. This versatile laser can be tuned from 675 nm to 1100 nm, delivering up to 3.5 W of TEMoo output for...

Film thickness/birefringence. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... The Model 2010 prism coupler measures thickness ([+ or -]1%) and index ([+ or -].0003) in x, y, and z directions for 0.4 to 100 micron dielectric or polymer films/-coatings. Samples can be rigid or flexible. For thicker materials, index up to...

Vibration solutions. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... TMC's new, 114-page Resource Guide 2002 presents its full line of vibration isolation systems. Highlights include lab tables and tabletop systems with Gimbal Piston[TM] vibration isolators. Full range of options and accessories available. Other...

Microlithography services. (Product/Literature Showcase).
February 1, 2002... * Line and spaces down to 10 microns * Microwave hybrids * IC fanout boards * Substrates up to 6" square * Etchback, lift-off, pattern plate-up techniques * In-house CAD * Full machine shop for custom tooling ...

State and timing modules.
February 1, 2002... Three new state and timing modules, the 16740A, 16741A, and 16742A, offer clock rates up to 200 MHz and deep memory and fast update rates to accelerate debugging. The three modules, which offer 68 channels/module, feature quick waveform draw,...

Viscometer and dual detectors.
February 1, 2002... The models T-50 and T-60 detectors are designed to add viscometry and light scattering detection to conventional gel permeation chromatography/size exclusion chromatography (SEC) systems, and to transform them into triple detector (SEC3)...

Fluorescence system.
February 1, 2002... A turnkey, application-specific package for studying the thermal characteristics of DNA and proteins, the fluorescence BioMelt system combines an ultra-sensitive fluorescence spectrophotometer with thermal application software and a...

Tube supports.
February 1, 2002... Available in a variety of materials, four new tube supports are designed for stainless steel tubing up to 26 mm OD. Included are P clamp supports, tube support strips, cushioned clamp tube supports, and bolted plastic clamp supports in welded...

Test systems.
February 1, 2002... Updated light, current, and voltage test systems for testing laser diode modules includes sub-microsecond pulse testing and up to 5 [Angstrom] maximum continuous wave testing. A major portion of the test program does not have to be coded by a...

Dry leak detector.
February 1, 2002... The ASM 182 TD+ offers high sensitivity, fast response time in spraying mode via a high helium pumping speed, which is 2.5 times faster than current products. The unit has been designed to achieve high roughing capacity, and automatic operation...