When Microsoft’s Kinect—a device that lets Xbox users control games with physical gestures—hit the market, computer scientists immediately began hacking it.

Inspired by the popularity of up-close recreational experiences in the land of 10,000 lakes, a Minnesota company has figured out how to design and manufacture a unique line of small, electrically powered watercraft. However, the company had a manufacturing problem: The small fiberglass boat was designed and prototyped by hand, which meant that it was not totally uniform and symmetrical.

A Quality Digest reader wrote in asking for techniques to evaluate touch-trigger probes for accuracy. Specifically, he asked how someone can evaluate touch probes and magnetic modules for wear, or to determine if they have been damaged as the result of a collision or being dropped. He wanted to be able to recognize when to replace worn equipment when necessary, but also avoid replacing equipment that is still good. Finally, he asked how to do all this without specialized equipment or expertise.

With a random-looking spatter of paint specks, a pair of cameras, and a whole lot of computer processing, engineer Mark Iadicola of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been helping the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), to ensure the safety of hundreds of truss bridges across the United States.

One of the more fascinating applications for large-volume 3-D scanning is in preserving our past. Sure, for those of you who work in the manufacturing or building industry, 3-D scanning is all about the future, making sure your product is in spec and performs properly going forward. But for those who work in historical preservation, 3-D scanning has given architects and preservationists a mighty tool in their arsenal, one that allows them to preserve, reconstruct, or resurrect heritage sites.

An advance in sensor design by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Waterloo’s Institute of Quantum Computing (IQC) could unshackle a powerful, yet high-maintenance technique for exploring materials. The achievement could expand the technique—called neutron interferometry—from a test of quantum mechanics to a tool for industry as well.

A new research center designed to examine materials and structures across many length scales has been launched at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. The µ-VIS (micro-vis) X-ray Imaging Center examines the internal structure of objects in incredible detail. It produces high-resolution 3-D images that support research in fields ranging from biomedical science to engineering, and archaeology to modern environmental science.

(ASQ: Milwaukee, WI) -- The results of ASQ’s 25th annual Salary Survey show strong average salaries for quality professionals in 2011 and fewer lay-offs as companies continue to see the value of quality and its positive impact on an organization.

The survey results also show that experience and obtaining ASQ certifications can significantly boost earning power for both U.S. and Canadian respondents.

A national marketing services provider recently used NVision Inc.’s Engineering Service Division to reverse-engineer an essential part in a store display for one of the nation’s largest optical retailers. NVision was able to quickly scan the part and provide the CAD files necessary to mass-produce it for displays set up in the retailer’s stores nationwide, enabling possibly millions in annual sales.

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a prototype wireless sensor capable of detecting trace amounts of a key ingredient found in many explosives.

The device, which employs carbon nanotubes and is printed on paper or paper-like material using standard inkjet technology, could be deployed in large numbers to alert authorities to the presence of explosives, such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs).