National University of SingaporeHumans use the sense of touch to accomplish almost every daily task such as picking up a cup of coffee or shaking someone’s hand. Without it, humans can even lose their sense of balance when walking. Similarly, robots need to have a sense of touch in order to interact

Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New JerseyA technique was developed that could allow expectant parents to hear their baby’s heartbeat continuously at home with a non-invasive and safe device that is potentially more accurate than any fetal heartrate monitor currently available in the marke

University of California, San DiegoResearchers have developed a formula that enables them to recreate different levels of perceived softness. Based on the results from their experiments, they created equations that can calculate how soft or hard a material will feel based on material thickness, Youn

Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Durham, North CarolinaA fully print-in-place technique for electronics could enable technologies such as high-adhesion, embedded electronic tattoos and bandages with patient-specific biosensors. Two electronically active leads directly printed along the u

In the past few years, it has become increasingly common for hospitals, clinics, healthcare and life science organizations, and other businesses to use an electronic temperature monitoring system to safeguard their products and satisfy regulatory demands. You may know that you need a monitoring syst

The Create the Future Design Contest, launched in 2002 by Tech Briefs Media Group (publishers of Tech Briefs magazine), recognizes and rewards engineering innovations that benefit humanity, the environment, and the economy. The annual contest draws product designs from engineers, students, and entre

Tufts University, Medford, MassachusettsA transistor has been made from linen thread, enabling the creation of electronic devices made entirely of thin threads that could be woven into fabric, worn on the skin, or implanted surgically for diagnostic monitoring. The flexible electronic devices could

Milk is one of the most widely used products, as well as being the raw material of all dairy products. Given this, measuring milk components has become very crucial for the dairy industry. Each dairy product requires milk with different ratios of its contents. Moreover, in order to keep track of the

In July of 2015, NASA published NASA Technology Roadmaps — TA9: Entry, Descent, and Landing Systems (EDL). In it, they laid out their EDL goals for the coming years: To develop new and innovative technology, not just for the moon, but also for future exploration throughout our solar system. Toward a

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, ILEngineers at the University of Illinois have found a way to redirect misfit light waves to reduce energy loss during optical data transmission. In a study, researchers exploited an interaction between light and sound waves to suppress the scat

Machine vision is a proven process control tool for a variety of industrial automation applications. Traditionally, this technology integrates commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) imaging sensors, lighting modules and processors to guide, inspect or identify parts as they move along production lines. Com

The use of laser light for precise illumination has been limited to high-end applications like optical lithography or small niche markets like measurement technologies. Now that such industries as automotive and consumer electronics are developing and ramping up the production of LIDAR and 3D sensor

UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, Los Angeles, CAUCLA engineers have made major improvements on their design of an optical neural network — a device inspired by how the human brain works — that can identify objects or process information at the speed of light. The development could lead to intelli

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MAMost of us know optical lenses as curved, transparent pieces of plastic or glass, designed to focus light for microscopes, spectacles, cameras, and more. For the most part, a lens’ curved shape has not changed much since it was invented many centur

Cervical Stabilization Device (CSD) Benjamin Booher ViaTechMD,Scottsdale, AZ ViaTechMD has invented and developed the first and only device-based treatment for various conditions known to contribute to preterm birth (PTB). PTB is a growing global healthcare crisis and is the leading cause of infant

Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Schematic diagram of the proposed MEMS grating modulator. (Image: Microsystems & Nanoengineering) A new Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) grating modulator has been developed, offering significant advancemen

Last December, Tech Briefs readers were asked to select one product from our 2025 Products of the Month to be named Readers’ Choice Product of the Year. Thanks to all of our readers who cast their votes. Here are the three 2025 winners: Contactless Real-Time Transmission Technology Phoenix Contact,

When Professor Gerry Sande, an experienced curling coach, needed a way to turn physically demanding sports skills into quantifiable performance data, he turned to PPS, a tactile sensing company, who developed a smart training brush. The brush’s embedded pressure sensors allowed Sande to measure an a

White Paper: Defense SPONSORED BY: Microscopes are essential for precise 2D and 3D visualization and measurement in quality control, failure analysis, and R&D. Choosing the right setup requires assessing specific application needs alongside optical performance, such as numerical aperture

In the 2025/2026 season, the UniNa Corse racing team from Federico II University of Naples took on the ambitious challenge of designing, building, and racing a fully electric car - pushing the limits of innovation and engineering. To meet this challenge, the team conducted multiple tests on the trac