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Nano-based RFID tags could replace bar codes

Nano-based RFID tags could replace bar codes

A carbon-nanotube-infused ink for ink-jet printers first developed in the Rice Univ. lab of James Tour has been used to make thin-film transistors in radio-frequency identification tags that can be printed on paper or plastic. The transmitter can be invisibly embedded in packaging, instantly sharing far more information than a bar code.

Broadband wireless from a desk lamp?

The Optical Society of America has highlighted an upcoming presentation at an annual optics conference San Diego in which the researchers from Germany will describe a method for encoding a wireless broadband signal through the light generated by a common household lamp. Visible-frequency signals have a tremendous advantage in bandwidth, and modulation would be so fast no one would notice the flickering.

Microrings could nix wires for communications in homes

Microrings could nix wires for communications in homes

Purdue Univ. researchers have developed a miniature device capable of converting ultrafast laser pulses into bursts of radio-frequency signals, a step toward making wires obsolete for communications in the homes and offices of the future.

Custom molecules have the right stuff for all-optical computing

Custom molecules have the right stuff for all-optical computing

Polymethine organic dye materials tailored by a Georgia Tech team combine large nonlinear properties, low nonlinear optical losses, and low linear losses. These qualities are considered essential for optical engineers developing low-power, high-contract optical switching technology.

Robot dives into danger to retrieve 3-D images

Robot dives into danger to retrieve 3-D images

Built by university students in Missouri, the tractor-tread-equipped robot relies on an infrared camera and LIDAR technology to relay photographs of tight interior spaces like buildings or caves. Suitable for hunting terrorists or structural damage, the robots weighs about 200 pounds and costs $25,000. Future versions will likely get lighter and smaller.

'Loopy' technique could improve the efficiency of communications networks

A radical new approach to the design of communications networks, called "network coding," promises to make Internet file sharing faster, streaming video more reliable, and cell-phone reception better, among other improvements.

Wireless sensor test bed to guide industrial systems

Wireless sensor test bed to guide industrial systems

For consumers, wireless technology is great. But if you’re running a nuclear power plant or a pharma production line, the risk of failure is too great. Idaho Lab’s new wireless sensor network will track down the weaknesses of these systems by simulating industrial settings in a physical lab environment. They hope to supply standards the industry now lacks.

Story of Newton's encounter with apple goes online

Story of Newton's encounter with apple goes online

Among the most astonishing revelations made by humans about the natural world was Isaac Newton’s epiphany about the apple and its unwavering tendency to fall toward the center of the earth. The rare manuscript of this story, as told by Newton to William Stukeley, is now online for the first time.

Disaster apps bring hope

Disaster apps bring hope

Connectedness is not a luxury—it’s a tool for survival because it stimulates response. Haitians and their loved ones see the direct benefits in efforts by Google to provide up-to-minute news on the whereabouts of individuals. And, more indirectly, the rapid giving model is accelerating philanthropy in ravaged lands.

Spying red balloons and double agents

Spying red balloons and double agents

The Georgia Tech team did not win the DARPA Network Challenge—MIT found the 10 balloons in under nine hours—but they came close, finding nine balloons and along the way learning about the benefits and pitfalls of networked groups. Their charity pledge won fans and cooperation, but opponents infiltrated their network, giving false information.

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Much ado about next to nothing

Much ado about next to nothing

The recent review of the past 10 years of the National Nanotechnology Initiative--as presented by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology--suggested the rise of nanomanufacturing as the near future of nanotechnology. But the actual proposed funding reflects a cautious approach, even about nanotech in general.

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

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NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

NuGard First Response Protective Clothing are lightweight coveralls, jackets, and pants that provide protection from heat and flame while keeping the wearers body temperature constant.

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Professor David Wessel shows his multi-touch interface that uses computer technologies that allow him to experiment with fine controls to "caress" the instrument.

New To Market

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P2i showcases liquid repellent nano-coating for hearing aids
P2i showcases liquid repellent nano-coating for hearing aids

At the AudiologyNOW! 2010 show in San Diego next month, UK-based coatings company P2i will display their relatively new Aridion liquid-repellant nano-coating. Designed for exposure to humidity or sweat, the polymer layer is applied by a pulsed ion gas process that lower’s the hearing aid’s surface energy, coaxing water away from delicate components.

Submersible FlowCAM catches particle images and data in-situ and real-time

Fluid Imaging Technologies recently introduced its Submersible FlowCAM particle and cell imaging and analysis system at Ocean Sciences 2010 in Portland, Ore. The remote sensing platform can be used for continuous, unattended monitoring tethered to research vessels or autonomous submersibles.

Tools & Technology

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Benchtop NMR analyzer
Benchtop NMR analyzer

Oxford Instruments America, Inc.’s Magnetic Resonance Group released the second generation of its MQC analyzers.

Software solution for microarray image analysis

BioDiscovery Inc. released ImaGene 9.0 for microarray image analysis. The new features include improved memory performance for the latest high density arrays, streamlined processing pipeline focused on image quantification and intensity extraction, and new modular design with options to add modules for analysis of gene/miRNA expression or CGH data.

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