R & D articles from July 2006

R & D archives from July 2006

The R&D wars.(research and development budgets reduced)(Editorial)
July 1, 2006... Over the past several months a few large industrial companies have announced substantial cuts in their R&D budgets. These reductions include the likes of big-time R&D spending organizations such as Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, and Lucent...

Record-breaking chip speed set.(VACUUM)
July 1, 2006... A research team from IBM, Yorktown Heights, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, has demonstrated the first silicon-germanium transistor able to operate at frequencies above 500 GHz. Though the record performance was attained at...

Refresh my airplane please.(National Institute of Standards and Technology develops robotic platform for safe working on airplanes)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... As part of its standard maintenance practices, the U.S. Air Force requires that coating on large aircraft be stripped off and replaced every five to six years. This process, however, typically places maintenance workers within a difficult and...

AAAS awards draw near.(American Association for the Advancement of Science)
July 1, 2006... The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will soon close its nomination process for the AAAS awards, an annual competition recognizing, honoring women and men who have made exceptional contributions to their fields in...

Sun investigates music mapping.(COMPUTERS)
July 1, 2006... A research project at Sun Microsystems' Labs, Santa Clara, Calif., is exploring new methods of searching music, not by title or artist, but rather, by acoustic content and context. Led by Paul Lamere, the company's "Search Inside the Music"...

NREL adds S&T facility.(National Renewable Energy Laboratory, science and technology facility)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... In early July, the Dept. of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, Colo., officially opened the doors to its new $22.6 million Science and Technology Facility (S&TF). The 6,500 [m.sup.2] S&TF is intended to speed up...

Using acoustics in assembly lines.(United States. Department of Energy. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Researchers at the Dept. of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Wash., have developed an inspection method based on sound waves in order to detect foreign objects in processing streams. Originally developed to look...

Self cooling soda cans.(thin filming technology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Univ., (RPI)Troy, N.Y., are making progress on a thin-film technology that adheres both solar cells and heat pumps onto surfaces, ultimately turning walls, windows, and maybe even soda bottles into...

China-based cancer research gets boost.(PHARMACEUTICAL)
July 1, 2006... Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and the Shanghai Biochip Co. Ltd have recently signed a co-operation agreement on genetic and bio-technology research for cancer treatment. Under the agreement, the companies will partner in an oncology research...

3M captures DOE award.(Mark Debe honored by Department of Energy)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded its 2006 Hydrogen Program R&D Award for Outstanding Achievement in Fuel Cell R&D to Mark Debe, Senior Staff Scientist at 3M, St. Paul, Minn., for his work on membrane exchange assemblies...

U.S. revises China-export rules.(technology products)
July 1, 2006... The U.S. Government has revised its rules for the export of technology goods to China. The proposed changes will be posted on the Federal Register for 120 days for public comment--a little longer than normal due to its sensitivity. The overall...

Indian tech salaries growing.(information technology workers)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The rapid growth of the information technology (IT) industry in India is starting to reflect in increasing salary demands for its scientists and engineers. Due mostly to the recruitment targets for IT growth, new employees coming right out of...

Sydney launches bio initiative.(for the treatment of chronic and degenerative diseases)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Univ. of Sydney's (Australia) Faculty of Medicine has announced the creation of a new research initiative, Bio3, targeted at the treatment of chronic and degenerative diseases. The initiative will focus on the development of biophysical...

Japan starts third 5-year plan.(science and technology)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Japan's Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, Iwao Matsuda, reinforced Japan's commitment at a recent AAAS meeting to aggressively support its third five-yr basic science and technology plan, which began this past April. The two...

China growing ag S&T.(agricultural science and technology)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... China's Minister of Agriculture, Du Oinglin, has announced that China plans to become a world power in agricultural science and technology by 2020. Oinglin stated that S&T would contribute 63% of the growth in its agricultural sector by 2020,...

Teaching computers context.(Carnegie Mellon University)
July 1, 2006... The inability of computers to understand the geometric context of a scene has limited their ability to recognize objects. Although researchers have had some success in instructing computers to distinguish objects, such as faces or cars, the...

Aiding social science.(National Science Foundation funds )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The eruption of electronic and Internet communication networks has created vast amounts of data that hold enormous potential for basic and applied investigations in the social sciences that has thus far been largely untapped. To that end,...

FDA updating, improving rules.(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... As part of its Critical Path Initiave, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Rockville, Md., has created a series of new policy and regulatory improvements aimed at updating the way the agency monitors bioresearch and clinical trials. ...

IEEE making RFID tag system more attainable.(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, radio frequency identification device)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The growing need to improve upon the visibility network protocol for RFID tags has prompted the IEEE, Piscataway, N.J., to begin work on a new standard to unify and update the system. The 1902.1 standard is expected to drastically improve upon...

E-giants lobby for privacy laws.(REGULATORY UPDATE)
July 1, 2006... Technology giants, including Intel, and Microsoft, are fighting for Congress to write uniform privacy standards, relieving the industry from "a complex patchwork" of laws. Scott Taylor, Chief Privacy Officer for Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto,...

RoHs exemptions questioned.(restriction of hazardous substances by European Union)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The EU's RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive, which came into effect on July 1, bans the manufacture and/or import/retail of new equipment that contains more than agreed upon levels of certain toxins. However, there has risen a...

Spy cameras draw concerns.(misuse)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Civil liberties experts in the U.S. see a "potential insidious abuse" of security cameras. Currently, neither Congress, nor most states have rules on how, when, or where such cameras can be focused. David Keene, chairman of the American...

2006 Laboratory Design Conference.
July 1, 2006... Monday, September 25 1:30-2:20 pm Preconference Workshop: If You Build it, Will They Come? Moderated panel of developers who create research-based mixed-use communities (including Forest City Enterprises, Alexandria Real Estate...

How to build a data acquisition system.
July 1, 2006... Data acquisition (DAQ) is the process of automating data collection from analog and digital measurement sources such as sensors and devices under test. Data acquisition uses a combination of PC-based measurement hardware and software to provide...

How to maximize results and automate analyses for Six Sigma.(JMP software)
July 1, 2006... JMP software combines comprehensive statistical analysis with unique graphical interactivity and scripting capabilities that enable everyone in an organization to contribute to the productivity gains promised by Six Sigma. Graphical...

How to drive innovation results with patent research tools.(Company overview)
July 1, 2006... What translates cutting-edge research and development into sales? In today's information-based economy, innovation alone does not guarantee competitive advantage. Transforming innovation into intellectual property is essential for...

How to synchronize your desktop statistical analyses with a Pocket PC.(personal computers)
July 1, 2006... Modern Pocket PCs and other mobile computing devices are capable of much more than keeping track of phone numbers and appointments. Expanded memory and increased processor speeds make statistical computing on such devices quite acceptable even...

How to optimize graph image quality.
July 1, 2006... When copied into a report or presentation that colleagues or clients will see, a graph's appearance is critical. But without the proper attention, image quality can suffer in the process. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way. In...

How to directly control scientific CCD cameras from IDL using SIDX.(Bruxton[R] Corp.)
July 1, 2006... Do you wish you could customize your image processing package, easily modify the user interface, or add your own processing algorithms without having to be a computer scientist? Do you wish your imaging application could also render texture...

How to specify a modular bio-clean room.(Terra Universal Inc.)
July 1, 2006... Looking for an economical, practical and proven way to create controlled lab space optimized for biological or pharmaceutical processing inside a larger, uncontrolled area? Modular bio-clean rooms can be specified in any size and shape and then...

How to simplify confocal microscopy.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... With standard fiber optic components, it is now relatively simple to couple a table full of laser sources into SM fiber and use the fiber to transport the excitation light to a collimator and then to a microscope system. Confocal techniques...

How to avoid errors in a stereo microscope measurement system.
July 1, 2006... Stereo microscopy is a widely used low magnification optical technique for sample inspection, manipulation, measurement and documentation in many industrial applications. Many such microscopes provide continuous zoom magnification over a large...

How to use FIB-SEM data for 3-D reconstruction.(focused ion beam, scanning electron microscopy )
July 1, 2006... The ability to acquire, display and interrogate three-dimensional volumes of image data has been well-established through various scientific disciplines. The medical field, in particular, has exposed the public to tomographic methods through...

How to employ wafer-level packaging in MEMS IR devices.(Ion Optics Inc. with IMT Inc., microeletromechanical systems, infrared radiation )
July 1, 2006... A new paradigm in infrared light sources is available today as a result of the collaboration between Innovative Micro Technology (IMT) and Ion Optics, Inc (IOI). The device combines the benefits of photonic crystal technology with low cost,...

How to put a circular chart recorder to work.(Omega Engineering Inc.)
July 1, 2006... A chart recorder is an electronic instrument that keeps track of various measurements required in industrial and laboratory environments. Broadly speaking, it is used to record: * process measurements for such variables as temperature,...

Geneva, Illinois: an emerging hub for innovation.
July 1, 2006... Geneva, Ill., located 40 miles west of the Chicago loop, is an ideal Chicagoland location for your next site selection. Geneva's 400-acre southeast planned office, research and light industrial development area is convenient to transportation,...

How to get better DSC results.(differential scanning calorimeters)
July 1, 2006... The modern Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) is a carefully developed and finely manufactured I instrument. Quality of results are often due to the skill and knowledge of the DSC operator. Sample preparation has become the "weak link" to...

Delving deeper into materials with STEM: researchers employ a new ultra high-resolution (S)TEM to explore high performance structural materials.(scanning/ transmission electron microscope)
July 1, 2006... A large number of economically important industrial segments, including the aerospace and automotive sectors, depend heavily on high performance structural materials. However, financial concerns related to product reliability require a high...

Restoring predictability to the Lab Design Process: gaps between the promise and performance of research lab design can be bridged through greater diligence and creativity during the beginning stages.
July 1, 2006... We are in a period of intense excitement about the power of design and what it can achieve. Credit Bilbao and the interest in New York City's ground zero proposals for igniting this attention. The expectation level is particularly high within...

Seal-valve vital for safety: analysis prompts change in design and produces improvements in graphite seal subassembly.(KB Engineering Inc. signed by Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station )
July 1, 2006... The Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) located near Phoenix, Ariz., operates three reactors that produce more than 30,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. Serving about 4 million people, PVNGS is the largest capacity nuclear...

HPC gets interactive; interactivity is the key to solving the application problem in high-performance computing.
July 1, 2006... High-performance computers (HPCs) are critical to solving some of today's most important problems through simulation. That said, the models and algorithms used in these pursuits are becoming increasingly complex. Consequently, advancements in...

Sensor aids stress studies; engineers construct a new rheology-tailored sensor based on differential pressure.
July 1, 2006... Rheology is the branch of science dealing with the flow and deformation of materials. Rheological instrumentation and rheological measurements, for their parts, have become essential tools in the analytical laboratory for characterizing...

Advancing state-of-the-art imaging capabilities: electron-optical beam lines will provide opportunities for complex problems which escape the imaging capabilities of traditional electron microscopy systems.(Argonne National Laboratory)
July 1, 2006... Traditional electron microscopy (EM) is an essential component in the imaging and characterization of materials. As researchers delve more deeply into atomic scale materials and phenomena, however, changes in the imaging and characterization...

Nanoscale imaging becomes interactive; AFMs were initially designed for imaging applications at the atomic scale. Lately, they have become imaging tools with pattern generating capabilities.(IMAGING in Research & Development)
July 1, 2006... Researchers at IBM's Almaden Research Center, San Jose, Calif., have recently demonstrated an atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based method that quickly separates small numbers of molecules and precisely delivers them onto prepared surfaces, the...

Record-setting CCD chip for astronomy and beyond: an ultra high-resolution camera chip will enable scientists to better map the heavens.(charge coupled device from Semiconductor Technology Associates Inc )
July 1, 2006... Scientists in the Astrometry Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) are responsible for the determination of the positions and motions of the stars and solar system objects, as well as for the establishment of celestial reference...

Light looks at your health: photonic technology is starting to offer the rapid and accurate results demanded for medical applications.
July 1, 2006... The emergency room of a hospital invokes a sense of urgency more than almost any other setting. Critically ill patients, victims of trauma, and sufferers from chronic disease all present themselves for care. The first step for emergency care...

Using lasers to break bonds.
July 1, 2006... A team of researchers from around the country has demonstrated a new technique for stripping hydrogen atoms from the surface of silicon using lasers--an advance that could significantly reduce the cost and improve the quality of computer chips,...

Slowing down light.(University of Southern California)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A joint team of researchers at the Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, and Duke Univ., Durham, N.C., have found a flexible way of slowing light in a controlled manner. The new system uses simple optical fiber and exploits the basic wave...

Negative modulus material.(ultrasonic metamaterial developed by University of California)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... An ultrasonic metamaterial that responds differently to sound waves than any substance found in nature has been developed by researchers at the Univ. of California, Berkeley. As opposed to natural materials that compress when a sound wave is...

Switching surfaces.(optically switchable material developed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Changing the surface characteristics of a material could now be as easy as flipping a switch, with the creation of an optically switchable material by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Univ., Troy, N.Y. To make the new material, the...

Focusing on the tiniest of the small.(Cornell University develops technique for molecular imaging)
July 1, 2006... Microscopists have found it extremely difficult to image molecules, as their constituent atoms jiggle and the larger atoms in the molecules tend to overshadow the smaller ones. Now, however, researchers at Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y., have...

Buckling under pressure.(National Institute of Standards and Technology)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Md., have developed a new high-speed method for measuring the stiffness of soft-polymer materials. The new method uses sensor films with known properties...

Seeing the invisible.(Goddard Space Flight Center develops quantum well infrared detector)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A team led by researchers at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., has developed an inexpensive detector that can see infrared (IR) light in a range of "colors," or wavelengths, The detecter, called a Quantum Well Infrared Detector...

Forging iron.(University of Wisconsin-Madison)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A new and unexpected form of iron has been discovered by researchers at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison. Designated iron VI, the new species of iron has just two valence electrons and is so reactive that it can only be studied at low...

Wearable technology.(from Sensatex Inc.)
July 1, 2006... A wearable system that monitors and relays heart rate, respiration, and body temperature in real-time has been developed by researchers from Sensatex, Bethesda, Md. The SmartShirt System integrates seamless textile and wireless fiber designs...

Power from biomass.(Virent Energy Systems Inc. derives energy from sugar and glycerin)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A system capable of directly converting sugars and glycerin into power has been demonstrated by Virent Energy Systems, Inc., Madison, Wisc. The system, based on Virent's Aqueous Phase Reforming process, is a one-step method for on-demand...

Personalizing medicine.(Pfizer Inc. with Imperial College of Science and Technology develop new method for prediction)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Scientists from Pfizer, Inc., New York, N.Y., and Imperial College London, UK, have developed a new method that could predict individual patient responses to drug treatments. The new approach uses a combination of advanced chemical analysis and...

Enabling flexible displays.(Toppan Printing Company Ltd. develops an amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film transistor )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Researchers from Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, have developed an amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film transistor (TFT) array. To achieve this, the researchers processed the TFTs on a plastic substrate under room temperature...

Building better labs.
July 1, 2006... How will today's science shape tomorrow's labs? What are the trends in laboratory design and construction? These and other questions will be addressed at the Fall 2006 Laboratory Design Conference, hosted by the editors of Laboratory Design...

PEM fuel cell market grows.(proton exchange membrane )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The component market for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells in North America is expected to rise at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 25.2% to $929 million in 2011. The membrane for PEM fuel cells market is estimated at $334...

Switch revenue increases.(ethernet switches)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Ten Gigabit Ethemet switches are on a strong growth track and will continue to be in hot demand through 2010. Though this Ethernet switch type will be a highlight, the entire Ethernet switch market is expected to show strong results over the...