Terahertz (THz) electromagnetic radiation penetrates cloth, paper and partially into the skin without the damaging effects of X-rays. Portable electronic devices capable of generating this radiation w...
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Pulsed laser polishing (PLP) helps smooth metal and other material. The technique employs lasers to irradiate a surface, melting small areas with each pulse. In these molten areas, rough surface protr...
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In ultrasonic welding, work pieces are clamped between a horn and anvil and then joined using high-frequency vibration energy. Friction and heat between the surfaces causes them to soften and meld tog...
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Approximately half of all diseases affect the function of ion channels in cell membranes. Testing the flow of ions and molecules through these membranes clearly is vital to drug discovery and research...
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Articulated mechanisms like robot arms can be understood as a set of rigid segments linked by joints. The motions of each joint are related in a type of movement chain. For example, a wrist joint may ...
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3-D printing, or rapid prototyping, makes use of additive manufacturing to produce a 3-D object. Additive manufacturing is the transformation of a virtual design into a physical object by creating suc...
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Many commonly used machines require moving and stationary parts to generate electricity. Conventional rotating electrical machines utilize magnetic fields and/or a change in inductance between moving ...
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The finite nature of fossil fuels along with rising oil prices has prompted a need for alternative fuel sources. One alternative involves the conversion of biomass materials into biofuel. But current ...
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Diesel engines, also known as compression ignition engines, are among the most energy-efficient engines available, with high power output per fuel consumption. Unfortunately, they are also among the &...
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A carburetor is used to generate the air/fuel mixture in engines by drawing air through a venturi during the intake stroke of an engine. The influx of air lowers the pressure, drawing fuel from a smal...
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Nanowires have many potential applications including use in microprocessors to greatly increase computing speed, in the creation of devices like nanorobots that could one day be used to treat cancer, ...
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Electromagnetic radiation may be generated by the acceleration or deceleration of charged particles such as electrons. Synchrotron radiation occurs when the trajectory of high-speed electrons is curve...
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Existing power machines provide the ability to capture power from a mechanically rotating source, such as a wind turbine. One example of such power machines is the synchronous motor, which contains a ...
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Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) provide torque through the interaction of a magnetic field generated by one or more armature coils and one or more permanent magnetic elements. These motors ...
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Patch clamping is a well known method for measuring the flow of ions and molecules through ion channels imbedded in the cellular membrane.  The method employs micropipettes, or similar microscale...
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Diodes are two-terminal electrical devices that only allow electrical current to flow in one direction. Diodes are used often in electrical circuits to extract a direct current from an alternating cur...
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Robotic systems have many industrial and research applications, such as in the automotive industry.  These robotic systems generally require six degrees of freedom (DOF), which can be broken up i...
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Over the past decade, polymer composites have emerged as a new class of high performance materials with unique and desirable material properties such as strength, weight and rigidity. These composites...
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As electronic gadgets continue to get smaller, tiny metal silicide nanowires may one day be used as fundamental building blocks in devices from cell phones to lasers.  Metal silicides already are...
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Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) have been used to create mechanical resonators for switching, filtering and other purposes in electrical systems. NEMS/ME...
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Rectifiers are devices that convert alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). The simplest and least expensive type of rectifier uses a full- or half-bridge of diodes to convert single- or th...
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Distributed energy resources (DER) are small power generators that are typically located at customer sites where the energy they generate is used. Small DER produce low emissions, can be manufactured ...
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Before DNA or proteins can be attached to a surface during the making of microarrays, the surface must be functionalized, i.e., chemically prepared to carry functional groups capable of...
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Concrete normally is a brittle material until reinforcement bars, or rebar, are incorporated to create a stronger and more flexible material referred to as “reinforced concrete.”  Man...
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Silicon-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) work well for optical- and physical-sensing applications, and can be fabricated very precisely by using standard integrated circuit technology. Howe...
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