Each week, the editor of Planet Analog finds technical items of interest and highlights them in this “Also of Interest” feature. In addition, we also provide an archive of recent weekly Planet Analog Newsletters, viewable as pdf files; see the list at the very bottom.

[Sharp-eyed regular readers or those with good memories will notice that we no longer have our “Elementals” sub-section; it was just getting to be a lot of extra work for little return, since most of the items there could be found by basic keyword search. This is unlike “Also of Interest”, which has the special serendipity factor.]

The “Also of Interest” listing is the embodiment of our belief that engineers are interested in exploring topics which are not directly related to their jobs, but which will broaden their knowledge and sometimes spur further innovative and creative approaches.

Among the publications we check are IEEE Spectrum , Machine Design , Design News , Laser Focus World , Photonics Spectra , NASA Tech Briefs (in its various manifestations), Microwave Journal , RF & Microwaves , and Physics Today —and there are others, as well.

Consider these items as online “extras”, and worth a look and a few minutes of your time. (Please note: there are also links to the past weeks' editions of this feature, in the “Navigate” box to the right.)

Also of Interest:

• The purpose of this system is to simulate an internal short on battery cells by causing deformation (a crushing force) in a cell without penetration:
  “Crush Test Abuse Stand,”
  NASA Tech Briefs , September 2011
• Many less-experienced users of finite-element-analysis (FEA) software often have no clue if the results they get are anywhere near the correct answer:
  “Surface contact 101: Block and ramp with friction,”
  Machine Design , July 7, 2011
• Commercial uses include lithium-ion batteries used in a human-rated environment, such as in automobile applications:
  “Thermal Properties of Microstrain Gauges Used for Protection of Lithium-Ion Cells of Different Designs,”
  NASA Tech Briefs , September 2011
• The Telam constant-gear-mesh infinitely variable transmission (IVT) from Tom Troester is a special type of continuously variable transmission (CVT):
  “This infinitely variable transmission has the gearing range of an 11-speed automotive transmission,”
  Machine Design , July 7, 2011
• Wounds can be closed rapidly, without staples, sutures, or tapes:
  “Microwave Tissue Soldering for Immediate Wound Closure,”
  Medical Tech Briefs , August 2011

(used in AOI)

• Ultrasonic guided waves are a nondestructive technique for monitoring damage in aircraft and rotorcraft structures:
  “Ultrasonic Guided Wave Analysis for Detecting and Classifying Damage in a Thin Metallic Plate,”
  Defense Tech Briefs , August 2011
• Researchers help space-challenged RF designers with smaller antennas:
  “Designing New Antennas,”
  Desktop Engineering , November 2011
• Multispectral machine vision systems are one way to speed up quality control on production lines, and make sure our food is safe for consumption.:
  “Optical Filters Take Food Inspection to a Whole New Level,”
  Photonics Spectra , July 2011
• Some see fiber continuing to make large gains in the manufacturing space, but others say don’t count thin-disk out.:
  “Fiber vs. Disk: Which Laser Will Make the Cut?,”
  Photonics Spectra , July 2011
• Widely used as low-power, high-efficiency laser sources, VCSELs are finding new applications as they become more versatile, with increasing power, speed, and range of wavelengths:
  “Vertical cavity lasers reach higher speeds and powers,”
  Laser Focus World , June 2011

Recent Planet Analog Newsletters (click to see as a pdf):

• November 23, 2011
• November 16, 2011
• November 9, 2011
• November 2, 2011