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.
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:
- Acoustic micro imaging uses a moving transducer that pulses ultrasound into materials and receives the return echoes from material interfaces:
“The Role of Software in Acoustic Micro Imaging,”
NASA Tech Briefs , June 2011 - With the ability to hold positioning accuracy as tight as ±0.001″ and ongoing technological advances in micronozzles and the ability to cut angles, an increasing number of medical manufacturers are adopting abrasive waterjet machines to boost the productivity of their operations:
“For Precise Medical Components, Abrasive Waterjet Makes the Cut,”
NASA Medical Design Briefs , June 2011 - Once powered exclusively by hydraulics, the giant barriers are now moving to simpler, greener electric actuators:
“Roadway Barriers Go Electric,”
Design News , June 2011 - Harnessing the energy in the high altitude winds is a technology that can support the world’s energy needs:
“The Sky’s the Limit for Wind Power Conversion,”
Power Electronics Technology , August 2011 - As in any energy conversion from original source to a usable form, the various stages of adaptation introduce efficiency losses.:
“Improving Microinverter Performance in Photovoltaic Systems,”
PhotonicTech Briefs , September 2011 - Biomedical engineers may be on the verge of giving a big boost to the human heart, as they transform the venerable electrocardiogram (ECG) from a complicated jumble of wires to a tiny electronic patch about the size of a bar of soap:
“Heart Monitors Pose Miniaturization Challenge,”
Design News , August 29, 2011
Recent Planet Analog Newsletters (click to see as a pdf):
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