R & D articles from January 2004

R & D archives from January 2004

U.S. automotive R&D needs refocusing.(Editorial)
January 1, 2004... In the last half of 2003, Toyota Motor Corp. became the second largest global automotive manufacturer, surpassing Ford Motor Co. and now second only to General Motors. Toyota accomplished this feat while spending only about two-thirds of what...

Transition metals for the automotive industry.(Materials)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The best of both worlds is the theme behind research currently underway at the Univ. of Missouri-Rolla (UMR). A team led by Frank Liou, Prof. of mechanical and aerospace engineering, is experimenting with a different class of composites, known...

"Green" buildings get noticed.(Laboratory Design)( U.S. Green Building Council )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... While it is true that today's building codes provide a framework for the construction of environmentally friendly buildings, the same does not hold true for existing structures. A large portion of the buildings, labs, and centers already in...

Bill brings historic levels of funding.(Bulletin)
January 1, 2004... This past December, Pres. George W. Bush signed into passage the 21st Century Nanotech Research and Development Act. This legislation will allocate $3.7 billion in federal monies for the development and commercialization of nanotechnologies,...

Terrorism tech bid.(Analytical Instruments)
January 1, 2004... The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, Ga., has awarded PerkinElmer, Wellesley, Mass., and its partner, MDS Sciex, Ontario, Canada, a contract for 36 inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometers (ICP-MS). The bid is part of the...

It's that time again--PITTCON 2004.(Upcoming Conferences & Events)(Calendar)
January 1, 2004... A mere two months away, PITTCON 2004 is steadily upon us. This year's mega conference on analytical instrumentation will run from March 7-12, and be held in Chicago, Ill. Conference organizers are offering some new and inviting options this...

Optics delivery supports research.(Lasers & Optics)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory, located in the Chilean Andes range, has taken receipt of three new mirror assemblies provided by Goodrich Corp., Charlotte, N.C. The system, comprised of a 4.25-m primary mirror and two smaller...

Finding NNEMO 1.(Bulletin)
January 1, 2004... Northrop Grumman, Arlington, Va., welcomed the latest addition to their Newport News (NN) division. The NNEMO 1 or Newport News Experimental Model 1 is a scaled, radio-operated, model of NN's advanced hull form concept submarine design. ...

Virtual RGA.(Laboratory Equipment)(Residual Gas Analyzer)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The face of research today calls for the ability to operate scientific instruments remotely. Telescopes moved by remote control, wafer processing, and blood studies handled by efforts in automation and robotics. MKS Instruments, Andover, Mass.,...

New wireless test beds planned.(Test & Measurement)
January 1, 2004... Three members of the wireless networking community have now been cleared to receive federal funds for the development of new test bed facilities for wireless systems. Vanu, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J,...

The wonders of Small World.(Microscopy)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The program is fairly simple. Researchers across the globe were asked to take photos of objects under study using their microscopes. The best photos are then selected as part of Nikon's Small World Competition. The 2003 winners of this...

Molecular self-assembly techniques generate a stir.(Micro/Nano)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Researchers at IBM, Armonk, N.Y., are claiming victory as the first group to successfully implement molecular self-assembly techniques for the creation of a nanocrystal FLASH memory device. In their work, self-assembly techniques were used to...

Newest web-based chem tool.(Life Science)
January 1, 2004... You don't have to be a chemist to understand the issues in using web-based tools. One of the most common complaints in using such services is the need to load new plug-ins and incredibly slow response times. As a response to user feedback,...

Advancing the marriage of silicon and semiconductors.(Vacuum/Thin Films)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... There is a large potential for new applications if researchers can bridge silicon computer chips with light related technologies. Many have tried combining silicon and III-V group materials with limited success. Where they have failed, a group...

Monitoring patient doses.(Pharmaceutical)
January 1, 2004... Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill., has recently launched a new medication management system for use in I.V. drips. The MedNet system, developed in SQL (Structured Query Language), allows hospitals to set drug dosages for up to 1,200...

Mining boosts materials search.(Data Management & Analysis)
January 1, 2004... The production of new materials has traditionally been done by experimentation, followed by painstaking characterization to determine the materials' properties. Computational techniques have also been employed to predict the structure and...

Hardware system stops malware.(Data Management & Analysis)(Field-programmable Port Extender )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The majority of Internet viruses and worms, such as Nimba, SoBigF, and MSBlast, are discovered too late, after they have compromised a PC. With standard firewalls and end-users proving to be inefficient and untrustworthy against such attacks,...

Physics software for well-known problems.(Data Management & Analysis)
January 1, 2004... The late-seventeenth century was clouded with speculation as to who was the first developer of differential calculus, the German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz or the English mathematician Isaac Newton. Now basically credited as an...

Strong federal R&D helps modest industrial increases.(2004 R&D Funding Forecast)
January 1, 2004... * Overall growth in U.S. R&D spending is expected to increase to $291 billion in 2004, a 2.5% increase over that spent in 2003. * Record Federal R&D increases will push spending to government R&D to $89 billion, a 4.8% increase from 2003....

Upturns and defense drive R&D in 2004: renewed economic growth, albeit slow for industrial R&D, and strong federal funding for defense R&D will be the primary drivers for improved U.S. R&D spending and performance in 2004.(2004 R&D Funding Forecast)
January 1, 2004... The last quarter of 2003 saw renewed U.S. economic growth that reinforced analysts projections of 2004 being one of the best, if not the best, years in terms of economic growth in the past 20 years. According to the New York City-based The...

Six sigma "add-ons" help companies make the leap: companies looking to improve processes by using six sigma can now choose from a variety of complementary strategies to get things underway.
January 1, 2004... For a process that has been around for nearly 20 years, Six Sigma itself really has not undergone any significant changes or updates. Still tried and true, many companies find it a reliable and effective way to solve process management...

Forecasting the Future of Light: executives from industry and the U.S. government converge to inject their observations on the status of the photonics industry and where the next sources of prosperity might lie.
January 1, 2004... An upsurge in commercial lighting applications, achievements such as the human genome project, and broader uses of fiber communications, have all provided definitive arenas for larger return-on-investments and better photonics-based...

Vision correction for the 21st century: borrowing on its success in fields such as astronomy, adaptive optics is set to aid physicians and their patients in the treatment of vision disorders.
January 1, 2004... For many patients, a diagnosis of glaucoma, macular degeneration, or retinitous pigmentosa, a hereditary deterioration of the light sensitive cells of the retina, signifies eventual blindness. Such disorders have posed a formidable challenge...

NIH to launch ethics probe.(Regulatory Update)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Under mounting pressure, National Institutes of Health (NIH) director, Elias Zerhouni, has called for a "blue ribbon" advisory board to be convened amidst allegations of possible conflict of interest problems within the NIH. The board, which...

2003 pollution levels.(Regulatory Update)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its final numbers on the effectiveness of its enforcement practices. The report finds that in FY2003, the agency handled, reduced, or disposed of roughly 272 million kg of pollutants, an...

How old is that label?(Regulatory Update)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Institute of Medicine, a subdivision of the National Academies of Science, has released a report recommending that the U.S. government update the dietary reference intake values that grace common food packaging. The board notes that the...

Verifying patent and trademark status.(Regulatory Update)(U.S. Patent and Trademark office)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The U.S. Patent and Trademark office (USPTO) has launched a web-based search feature to allow the public increased access to the recorded assignment information of patents and trademarks already held. The Trademark Assignment portion of the...

Monster SUVs under review.(Regulatory Update)(National Highway Safety Transportation Administration )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHSTA) has unveiled plans to institute new fuel efficiency standards for vehicles weighing 3,856-4,536 kgs. Currently, vehicles in this class, such as the popular Hummer, GMC Envoy, and...

Nanobumps enhance implants.(Academic Emerging Technologies)
January 1, 2004... As the number of people living into their twilight years rises, so does the need for improved artificial body parts. Hip replacements alone, for instance, are expected to increase by 33% by 2030. And with current implants lasting an average of...

Assistive environments.(Academic Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Researchers at the Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, have built an experimental "smart house" that offers elderly people the assistance they require, automatically. Unlike existing separate assistive devices, the 46-[m.sup.2] house uses a...

Overcoming PTSD.(Academic Emerging Technologies)(post-traumatic stress disorder )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Serious car accidents are one of the most common traumatic events in the U.S. with ensuing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) completely disrupting survivors' lives. Helping treat this debilitating condition is a two-seated, driving...

Efficient power stations.(Academic Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... A project led by scientists at the Univ. of Greenwich, UK, aims to maximize power stations' efficiency and improve air quality by reducing pollution. Using a 3-D digital visualization method, the researchers monitor and characterize fossil fuel...

2-D color calibration technology.(Industrial Emerging Technologies)
January 1, 2004... Generating stable and consistent output from printers is one of the main challenges faced by today's color printer manufacturers. To attain that consistency, vendors typically offer different color correction solutions, including a calibration...

Scanner yields 3-D pictures.(Industrial Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Most homes and offices are limited to flatbed scanners that scan flat objects before having them displayed as a 2-D digital image file. However, with a relatively inexpensive scanner developed by the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial...

Smarter road safety.(Industrial Emerging Technologies)
January 1, 2004... A device created by Cambridge Consultants Ltd (CCL), Cambridge, UK, promises to provide smarter anti-collision capabilities for large industrial and commercial vehicles. By incorporating a video link to its existing CCL-Softcar anti-collision...

Automated HPLC-MALDI prep.(Industrial Emerging Technologies)
January 1, 2004... Gilson, Inc., Middleton, Wis., has produced a compact device, the MALDILC System, capable of nano, capillary, and micro HPLC with direct fraction collection to MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization) plates. Complex tryptic digests...

DNA separates CNTs.(Eureka Emerging Technologies)
January 1, 2004... The electronic properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) make them potential building blocks in a variety of electronic tools, including sensors, computer memory and medical diagnostic instruments. But during the manufacturing process, different...

Hypersonic speed aircrafts.(Eureka Emerging Technologies)(Allied Aerospace)
January 1, 2004... An alliance between Boeing Co., Chicago, III., and Allied Aerospace, Newport News, Va., was formed to build three experimental aircrafts that will achieve hypersonic speeds, which are five to seven times the speed of sound. To reach these...

Decolorable printing system.(Eureka Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Helping the Japanese deal with paper waste, which accounts for 40% of office waste in that country, Toshiba Corp., Tokyo, Japan, has started the commercialization of the e-blue system. Composed of a decolorable toner, an erasing machine, a...

Targeting cancer cells.(Eureka Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... A compound that selectively destroys cancerous cells, leaving healthy ones intact, has been developed by scientists at the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. When exposed to lymphoma and leukemia cells from mice, the substance killed by...

Keithley's 2004 catalog.(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Keithley's 2004 catalog offers details and specifications on the company's general-purpose and sensitive sourcing and measurement products, DC and broadband switching, data acquisition solutions, semiconductor test systems, and optoelectronics...

Precision 20,000 psi micro-flow pump.(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)
January 1, 2004... The new 65D syringe pump from Isco, Inc, delivers precise, positive pressure and flow from sub-microliter to 25 ml/minute--and handles viscosities from liquefied gases to slurries and pastes. Low-flow stability at up to 20,000 psi makes this...

2004 Optics catalog.(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Edmund Optics' new January 2004 catalog contains over 10,000 products, including over 300 new products ranging from UV-and-NIR corrected achromats to proximity sensor equipment to new EO designed and manufactured telecentric lenses. Choose from...

MINITAB Release 14 is here.(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... MINITAB Release 14 is a powerful statistical software package designed for quality professionals. Its visually engaging graphs and easy-to-use collection of methods--including Basic and Advanced Statistics, Regression and ANOVA, Reliability,...

Monarch hydraulic lab presses.(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... CARVER, Inc. introduces Monarch presses with integral hydraulic systems and high technology options. All equipped with expanded metal safety guards for operator and bystander protection. Available in 30, 50, 75 and 100 ton clamp capacities with...

Surface Tensiometers.(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)
January 1, 2004... These Surface Tensiometers from SensaDyne Instruments Div. solve coating formulation problems for laboratory and in-process applications. Formulators can improve transfer, spreading and adhesion of inks, coatings and other formulations by...

JMP 5.1 is now available!(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... JMP software dynamically links statistics and graphics allowing users to interactively explore data, make discoveries and gain knowledge for better decision making. Upgrades include: --Support of Linux operating system --New...

OMEGALYNX wireless sensor link.(Manufacturers' R&D Showcase)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... OMEGA's OMEGALYNX is designed to replace cable mad conduit that connect 4 to 20 mA sensors with data processing or acquisition systems. The OMEGALYNX transmitter collects analog signals from up to four 4 to 20 mA sensors and transmits the...

Automated and manual staining of blood smears.(New Products)(Cambridge Diagnostic Products, Inc. )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Cambridge Diagnostic Products, Inc. has developed a system for use in automated and manual staining of blood smears for hematological studies. Combining the three products in the Cameo 400 series in a 5-step process provides stained blood...

PetroPRO portable gas chromatograph.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Photovac, Inc. introduces its new PetroPRO, a highspeed portable gas chromatograph, specifically designed for accurate, rapid screening of common volatile organic compounds on site. The PetroPRO can analyze benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and...

Epi-Fluorescence Module improves fluorescence imaging.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... Nikon Instruments Inc. introduces its new Universal Epi-Fluorescence Reflected Light Illuminator Module for Nikon Eclipse upright microscope models. This Universal Epi Illuminator provides superior fluorescence imaging for cutting-edge...

Thermoplastic pressure gauges.(New Products)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... New Swagelok industrial process thermoplastic pressure gauges monitor vacuum and positive system pressures up to 100,000 kPa in the chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, power, pulp and paper, and other general industries. Featuring 115- and...

Determine density more easily.(New Products)
January 1, 2004... The METTLER TOLEDO Densito 30PX density meter incorporates an easy-to-use pictogram-labeled key design and a backlit dot matrix display. Employing the oscillating tube method, combined with precise temperature measurement and a simple user...

UV and NIR spectroradiometer.(New Products)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Optronic Laboratories offers a UV and NIR version of the OL 770, its highspeed, USB interface spectroradiometer. The OL 770 UV/VIS has a wavelength range of 200 to 780 nm and spectral resolution of 0.6 nm. The OL 77VIS/NIR's wavelength range...

Cylinder applications solution.(New Products)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... VersaCyl from Precision Fabricators Ltd. comes in a variety of materials, sizes, and configurations and offers a robust, safe, and economical solution to chemical, food, and pharmaceutical equipment needs. VersaCyl's safety seal with a threaded...