R & D articles from October 2003

R & D archives from October 2003

Innovative Micro Technology, Inc.: IMT provides a diversified range of MEMS services.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Innovative Micro Technology (IMT) is a leading MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) partner that combines collaborative design services with a unique mix of experience in prototyping, materials and process development, high-volume...

Disruption is inevitable.(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... Disruptive technologies are those new technologies that start off by targeting small, seemingly unprofitable market segments, but sometimes wind up taking over the entire marketplace. Examples of recent disruptive technologies include ink jet...

Advancing electronic packaging, one solder joint at a time.(Micro/Nano Technology)
October 1, 2003... The activity within microelectronics has centered around two main problems: 1) making IC's faster and 2) creating smaller, more reliable packaging. A group from the Univ. of Buffalo, N.Y., headed by Cemal Basaran and Alexander Cartwright, are...

Chemists get a hand in structure analysis.(Analytical Instruments)
October 1, 2003... Researchers, particularly synthetic chemists, are being targeted in the latest offering from JEOL, USA, Inc., Peabody, Mass., and ACD/Labs, Toronto, Canada. The companies have decided to bundle JEOL's Delta NMR suite with ACD's Elucidator...

MESA projects begins.(Laboratory Design)
October 1, 2003... Nestled within azure skies and seas of sand, administrators, government officials and researchers gathered recently to mark the start of construction for Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M., MESA project. As the lab's largest...

MEMGEN undergoes change.(Bulletin)
October 1, 2003... Burbank, Calif., based MEMGen announced that the company will now be known as Microfabrica, effective immediately. The change was ordered to better represent the company's microdevice manufacturing capabilities. Vacit Arat, President of...

December brings MRS to Boston.(Upcoming: Conferences & Events)
October 1, 2003... This December, the Materials Research Society (MRS) is set to hold their annual Fall meeting at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Boston, in Boston, Mass. Along with invited papers on interfacing silicon technology with the human body...

Pliable intermetallic metals unveiled.(Materials)
October 1, 2003... Researchers at Ames Laboratory, Iowa, have recently discovered a new range of rare earth intermetallic compounds. Typically, these materials exhibit brittle properties, which require added levels of handling before they could be used. However,...

Transmitting remote patient data.(Life Science)
October 1, 2003... Students at Penn State Univ., University Park, and health care professionals at the Milton Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa., are working on developing systems that will allow doctors, nurses, and qualified staff to remotely access patient...

Keithley Instruments, Inc.: keeping pace with OLED technology: testing OLEDs requires advanced measurement capabilities.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Researchers involved with emerging Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) technology are realizing the need for higher precision and more complex measurements. While investigating OLED materials and structures, they must characterize...

Expanding mini mills.(Laboratory Equipment)
October 1, 2003... Engineers at NETZSCH, Inc., Exton, Pa., have produced two new high-energy systems for use in the metal-free grinding product development markers. The MiniCer and MiniPur are non-metal grinding systems used to reduce particles to a targeted...

Surveying superalloys.(Test & Measurement)
October 1, 2003... Positron Systems, Boise, Idaho, has unveiled a technology to detect and quantify damage in single crystal nickel-based superalloys at the molecular level. Photon Induced Positron Annihilation penetrates materials with a photon beam generated by...

VAT, Inc.: VAT's latest innovation in design brings a new range of high vacuum angle valves for vacuum applications.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... The VAT design team focused on a solution that would offer the highest quality and value to the engineer. Using modular design with a minimum number of parts this valve affords three distinct advantages: easy maintenance, lower cost and...

Next-generation supercomputing gets a boost.(Lasers & Optics)
October 1, 2003... IBM, Somers, N.Y., and Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, Calif., have announced plans to partner in a $30 million effort to accommodate increasing bandwidth needs. Both companies will be researching the possibilities of integrating optical...

Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems: rotary vane vacuum pumps.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Tuthill Vacuum & Blower System's Kinney[R] KSV and KVAC Rotary Vane vacuum pumps have a modular design for ease of repair and replacement of components. The inherently rugged construction and simplicity of design provide dependable,...

Philips talks semiconductors.(Vacuum & Thin Films)
October 1, 2003... A few months ago, Royal Philips Electronics, Netherlands, began a period of transition. Surely not the only major vendor to be affected by the weakened economy, the company instituted a five-point recovery plan to restructure priorities and...

New offering in telemicroscopy.(Microscopy)
October 1, 2003... Soft Imaging System, Munster, Germany, has launched their analySIS intraScope package to facilitate the demands of researchers in light microscopy. This system allows users to remotely operate their microscope within existing network...

Dolly's makers go under.(Pharmaceutical)
October 1, 2003... A few years ago, PPL Therapeutics, along with the Roslin Institute, both based in Scotland, transformed the world of biotech by being the first to successfully clone a sheep: the now infamous Dolly. However, failed experiments and a weakened...

METTLER TOLEDO: METTLER TOLEDO sets a new standard in weighing with the ground-breaking XS analytical balance.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... METTLER TOLEDO has the strongest brand name in the industry and is identified worldwide with accuracy, innovation and reliability. Over the years, the company has become synonymous with expertise in weighing and analysis instrumentation for...

National Instruments: NI LabVIEW 7 express brings graphical development to every engineer.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... The concept of graphical programming and open connectivity to thousands of devices has made National Instruments LabVIEW[TM] a staple to many engineers and scientists. With the recent release of NI LabVIEW 7 Express, graphical programming for...

ELN addresses R&D needs.(Data Management & Analysis)
October 1, 2003... The first electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) solution that meets the demands of an entire R&D corporation has been launched by GenSys Software, Inc., Santa Monica, Calif. GenSys/ELN's capacity for easy configuration and adaptation allows the...

Research insights captured online.(Data Management & Analysis)
October 1, 2003... A software solution for recording and sharing research information throughout an entire enterprise has been developed by IBM, Somers, N.Y. IBM's InsightLink software uses a well-known interface to automate the management of varied research...

Fuel cells boom.(Data Management & Analysis)
October 1, 2003... The present US value of proton exchange membranes (PEM), and the remaining elements that comprise the fuel cell stack is at $149 million. This amount is expected to rise to $475 million by 2008, growing at an average annual growth rate (AAGR)...

Sluggish temperature controller market.(Data Management & Analysis)
October 1, 2003... The industrial electronic temperature controllers' worldwide market is forecast to attain $793.2 million in 2005, increasing at a 1.4% compound annual rate. This conservative rise will be caused by reduced prices resulting from tough...

JMP[TM]: JMP[R] version 5.1 coming soon.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... JMP[R] software is a powerful analytical engine that helps users, both novice and advanced, become better at driving knowledge from their data. It dynamically links statistics with graphics to interactively explore, visualize, and understand...

Nanocrystals enable diverse applications: the unique ability of nanocrystals to have their properties fine-tuned by altering their size and composition allows for multiple applications, prompting a growth in demand.(Emerging Technologies)
October 1, 2003... Nanocrystals of semiconductor materials, such as quantum dots, can be tailored, similar to bulk light-emitting materials, to absorb and emit different colors. What sets them apart is the ability to fine-tune this optical behavior by modifying...

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: the photos, opposite, depict recent technological advances developed at LLNL. These technologies are just a few that LLNL is seeking to license for commercialization and/or pursue collaborative research and development partnerships to further develop.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is a premier research facility that conducts some of the nation's most innovative science. Our primary focus is national security, whether it's ensuring the performance of the nation's nuclear...

Harnessing THz for medical applications: within the EM spectrum lies an underdeveloped frequency range with great potential for medical and military applications.(Emerging Technologies)
October 1, 2003... Sandwiched between microwave and infrared, the THz region has generated a buzz among spectroscopists and researchers alike. Decreased costs and its ability to conduct non-destructive analyses are driving the market to explore this option,...

Using GPS for soil sampling: growers of agricultural products, constantly under pressure to generate more crops at lower production costs, are using GPS and precision agricultural technology to work towards this goal.(Emerging Technologies)
October 1, 2003... Global positioning system (GPS) technology has become an integral part of farming in the past decade. Precision agriculture, the study and managementof variations within fields that can affect crop yield, has greatly benefited from the...

NuGenesis Technologies Corporation: the NuGenesis[R] Scientific Data Management System (SDMS).(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... NuGenesis Technologies Corporation provides products and services that place electronic data in the hands of decision-makers... with speed and accuracy. The web enabled NuGenesis[R] Scientific Data Management System (SDMS) platform is an...

Ian Foster named 2003 Innovator of the Year: from his roots in New Zealand to his joint positions at the Univ. of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, Foster has set the standards for how distributed computing systems should work.
October 1, 2003... Ian Foster is R&D Magazine's 2003 Innovator of the Year, selected for his work in developing advanced distributed computing, or grid, technologies. The commercialized embodiment of this work has been the Globus Toolkit. Since its inception as...

Minitab--quality solutions for quality professionals.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Today, the practical application of statistical methods is more widespread than ever. In manufacturing, process industries, hospitals and services, statistical thinking is being used to drive down costs, increase efficiency, reduce defects, and...

Matching cryopumping techniques to applications: cryopumps and cryopumping have become fairly ubiquitous in vacuum technology. There are many variations within the category, and it is necessary to understand the variations in order to achieve the best practical results.
October 1, 2003... The only answer to the frequently asked question, "What s the best pump?" is another question. "What are you trying to do?" That's because each type of pump has its own inherent strengths and weaknesses, and the right pump is the one that does...

MOCON[R]: new innovations in transmission rate systems.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Advanced levels of innovation are present in our newest WVTR (Water Vapor Transmission Rate) and OTR (Oxygen Transmission Rate) instruments, the PERMATRAN-W[R] Model 700 and the OXTRAN[R] Model 702. These systems incorporate MOCON's most...

Terra Universal, Inc.: NitroPlex[TM] zero-tolerance moisture control system.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Terra's NitroPlex[TM] Control System optimizes nitrogen purge efficiency in a multi-chamber cabinet for the most demanding applications, when every second of moisture exposure counts. This unique turnkey system provides the ideal dry storage...

GE Medical Systems set to acquire Instrumentarium.(Regulatory Update)
October 1, 2003... Regulatory agencies from the US Dept. of Justice, Canadian Competition Bureau, along with the European Commission have recently approved plans for General Electric Medical Systems, Waukesha, Wisc., to acquire Finnish medical device giant,...

New specs for USBs.(Regulatory Update)
October 1, 2003... The Universal Serial Bus (USB) Implementers Forum, Portland, Ore., has unveiled a new specification that defines the USB interface for video streaming devices. The spec, USB Video Device Class Specification Revision 1.0, provides a standard to...

LNG import terminal to be built.(Regulatory Update)
October 1, 2003... The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved plans to build a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, the first in twenty years. The facility will be based in Hackberry, La., and house three storage tanks with a capacity of...

FDA clears hypercalcemia therapy.(Regulatory Update)
October 1, 2003... Cancer patients suffering from hypercalcemia--elevated levels of calcium in the blood--may benefit from a new drug recently approved by the FDA. Ganite, or gallium nitrate injection, created by Genta Inc., Berkeley Heights, N.J., will be...

SPF labeled clothes?(Regulatory Update)
October 1, 2003... The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has recently developed labeling that will denote a fabric's ability to block harmful UV rays. The standards, EN 13758 part I and II, have been designed to 1) deal with testing apparel fabrics and...

Soft Imaging System Corp.: cell imaging.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Soft Imaging System Corp. produces software and hardware for image acquisition, processing, analyzing, and archiving. Our core software product analySIS[R] is used in combination with light microscopes, transmission electron microscopes, and...

New vacuum pumps and gauges.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Bestech's dual stage vacuum pumps are well suited for industrial and scientific applications with pumping speeds from 3.5 to 53 cfm and ultimate pressure 0.0005 torr. These high-performance pumps are designed with a gas ballast, anti-suck back...

High voltage power supplies.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Output ranges from 0-1000 volts to 0-30 kV, at 30 and 60 watts. Available in both modular and rack mouting configurations. Features include constant voltage/constant current crossover, multi-turn controls, low voltage monitor outputs, and...

Film thickness/birefringence.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... The Model 2010 prism coupler measures thickness ([+ or -] 1%) and index ([+ or -] .0003) in x, y and z directions for 0.4 to 150 micron dielectric or polymer films/coatings (maximum index 2.6). Samples can be rigid or flexible and matching...

Hermetic electrical seals.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... PAVE offers an expanded line of hermetically sealed electrical and fiber optic bulkhead feedthrough seals for low and high pressures and vacuums. Signal, thermocouple, RF coaxial, high voltage, power, EB weldable, Dsubs, MicroD, etc. versions...

Fully integrated turnkey manufacturing.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... More than 500 new products and 700 pages are featured in Nordex Design Guide 2004, "the building blocks of machines and instruments." From individual parts to building entire instrument subassemblies, we combine electro-mechanical assembly...

Meadowlark Optics.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Meadowlark Optics supplies OEM and research markets with precision, high-quality standard and custom optical components, mounting, and instrumentation for polarization measurement and control. Our exceptional polarization products include UV,...

VersaFlash system.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Supelco introduces the patent pending VersaFlash[TM] High Throughput Flash Purification system. VersaFlash purifies organic synthesis products from discovery through development scale on the same hardware. VersaFlash also allows cartridge...

X-Ray Microscope.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Horiba's XGT-5000 Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analytical Microscope proudly receives the R&D 100 Award for "one of the most technologically significant products introduced into the market place." As a desktop analytical instrument,...

SGE International: technology-based solutions for a global analytical science industry.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... SGE does more than supply products. It provides analytical science solutions via strategic partnerships that create product differentiation and market advantage. By developing custom-designed product solutions, the company has expanded...

Subscribe to national instruments newsletters.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Packed full of product information, industry news, and customer application successes, NI gives you valuable technical information for creating your measurement and automation solution based on industry-standard technology. For your FREE...

High vacuum components delivered when you need them.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... A&N Corporation (www.ancorp.com) offers same day shipping on stocked items. Catalog features high vacuum components including ISO-KF (QF), ISO-MF (LF), UHV (CF), ASA, Tri-Seal Flange, Vacuum Couplings, Feed-throughs, High Vacuum Valves and...

Duniway Stockroom Corp.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Specializes in vacuum equipment and supplies: ion pumps and controls: flanges, gaskets, bolts and nuts; vacuum gauges and controls; mechanical pumps and rebuild kits; supplies (oils, greases, hoses, bell jars) diffusion pumps and leak...

High performance plastic connectors.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Fischer Connector's 4032 Series miniature plastic connector is available with up to 19 gold-plated contacts in a half-inch diameter housing. The patented SureGrip plug body can be securely gripped, even with wet hands or gloves. This...

40 ton Autopellet Press.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... CARVER's new AutoPellet Press with 40 ton clamping capacity is uniquely suited to the larger pellets used in X-ray spectroscopy. The press features rigid slab side construction for precise alignment, an integral safety shield, an electrically...

Replacement specialty lamps.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Bulb Direct, Inc., the #1 source for replacement lamps for most applications; need help finding what you need, just call up. We offer a large assortment of name brand lamps for medical, photographic, LCD projectors, and graphic arts. We have...

Pre-owned analytical laboratory instruments.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Meadows Instrumentation offers a large selection of refurbished pre-owned HPLC and GC analytical laboratory instruments and systems. Waters, Hewlett-Packard and other major brands available. Large in-house inventory and onsite refurbishing...

Zeus introduces PEEK[R] Lay Flat tubing.(Product/Literature Showcase)
October 1, 2003... Lay-Flat tubing of PEEK[R] is a revolutionary high temperature, chemical resistant material for electrical insulation. With widths up to 4 in (2.5" ID) and wall sizes ranging from .002" to .006", PEEK Lay-Flat is manufactured in continuous...

High performance low cost digital I/O boards.(Product Review)
October 1, 2003... The OMG-PCI-DIO series from Omega Engineering provide 24, 32, 48, and 96 channels of buffered digital I/O emulating 8255s for industrial control applications. 10K pull up resistors are included on each port bit. Each board contains 8 bit I/O...

XS analytical balancer.(Product Review)
October 1, 2003... The XS balance from Mettler Toledo permits rapid and accurate analytical weighing by allowing air to pass through the slotted grid, without affecting results. The new SmartGrid weigh pan is suspended from the back of the balance, allowing speed...

Process management software.(Product Review)
October 1, 2003... Minitab Quality Companion integrates the soft tools needed for any process improvement project--brainstorming, consensus building, and process mapping--into one software package. Quality Companion can be installed on a network drive, allowing...

TW Turbomolecular Pumps.(Product Review)
October 1, 2003... Leybold Vacuum's TW Turbomolecular Pumps are wide range, high compression, compound turbo pumps. They are available in several popular sizes: 70, 300, 700, 1600, liters per second, pumping speed. The pumps have a compact design, and are offered...

New pass through features roll-up doors.(Product Review)
October 1, 2003... Terra Universal's newest pass through features dual-side, touchpad-activated rollup doors that eliminate clearance requirements and simplify operation. Motorized lifters are sealed inside a stainless steel housing, and ultra-smooth polyethylene...

Keithley Test & Measurement Products Catalog.(Product Review)
October 1, 2003... More than a dozen new products are featured in Keithley's 2003 Test and Measurement Catalog, including an Ethernet-based DMM/acquisition mainframe and plug-in modules, and source/measure systems optimized for automotive electrical testing....

High vacuum innovation.(Product Review)
October 1, 2003... A&N Corporation (www.ancorp.com) has created the industry's first ball valve designed specifically for high vacuum service. The valve body is machined out of 316 stainless steel, aluminum, or brass. Two Viton body seals and a four-part Viton...

Millipore Corporation: Elix[R] Technology: the key to consistent analytical-grade laboratory water.(Emerging technology: profile)
October 1, 2003... Pure water production is indispensable to any laboratory. However, inefficient or outdated water purification systems add high costs and extensive maintenance to the process. Furthermore, many water purification systems cannot guarantee the...