Lab & Test Technology News & Analysis

DOE to Invest Up to $80M in Advanced Nuclear Reactors

The awards will support work by X-energy to develop the Xe-100 Pebble Bed Advanced Reactor and the Southern Company to develop molten chloride fast reactors.

Solar Panel Material Could Slash PV Costs

Researchers have developed a molecularly engineered hole-transporting material that costs one-fifth that of materials currently in use.

NREL Develops System to Wall Off Smart Grid from Hackers

The two-way communications technologies work like an independent "electricity-only internet" with access restricted to utilities.

Lightweight Gold Aerogel Made in a Lab

The aerogel has visual properties practically identical to bulk gold, but offers densities that are lighter along with unprecedented physical properties.

Laser-Based X-Ray Can Help Detect Smuggled Uranium

Just as a laser pointer can be directed across a large auditorium, the technology can shoot a thin X-ray beam long distances, enabling inspection of cargo ships before they reach port.

Color Meters and Appearance Instruments: Operation and Use

Color measurement instruments are used primarily for determining the color characteristics of objects, imaging input and output devices.

Improved Electric Motor Efficiency via Shape Optimization

Researchers applied optimization techniques to an interior permanent magnet brushless electric motor, the kind found in washing machines, computer cooling fans and assembly tools.

Keep It Dry: Your Guide to Waterproof Membranes

Waterproofing is the combination of materials used to prevent water intrusion into the structural elements of a building or its finished spaces.

Robots Break Free from the Factory--Part 2

In this second of a two-part conversation, the legendary Red Whittaker talks about some of the projects underway at his own company RedZone.

Finding the Crossroads of Engineering and Art

Somehow we’ve beaten the artistry out of our engineers. Four thought leaders explore how to reverse course.

Google X Readies Wind Energy Kite for Test Flights

Google X's prototype operates on the same aerodynamic principles as a conventional wind turbine.

IEEE Inks MOUs with Test Labs on Nuclear Safety

Nuclear plant construction suppliers with no industry experience will likely enter the market in decades to come.

Sensor Detects Cable Fire Before It Starts

The sensor could be used to improve the safety of cable ducts or to detect toxic mold gases during food control, explosive gases in fertilizer silos or leaks in gas pipelines.

Ingestible Device That Monitors Vital Signs

Sensor calculates heart and breathing rates from the distinctive sound waves produced by the beating of the heart and the inhalation and exhalation of the lungs.

Methane Cracking Generates Energy Without CO2 Emissions

Cracking" methane involves separating it into its molecular components, hydrogen and carbon, without releasing potentially harmful emissions.

Silicon Anodes Boost Lithium Batteries' Energy, Researchers Claim

Silicon anode materials have a much higher capacity for lithium and are capable of producing batteries with almost 10 times more energy.

Method for Packing Natural Gas Into Fuel Tanks Could Open Up Passenger Car Market

Chemists at the University of California Berkeley have developed a way to store methane that they claim could speed the development of natural gas-powered cars that do not require the high pressures or cold temperatures of the current compressed (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles.

Lab and Test