Chemical Detective Hot on the Vapor Trail NIST scientist Tara Lovestead on explosives, breathalyzers, and unlimited funding fantasies
Tue, 05/10/2016 - 14:12
Recently on the Taking Measure blog, we asked Tara Lovestead, a recipient of the 2016 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), a few questions about her life and work. She was recognized for her extensive application… Precision Testing for MEMS Accelerometers Standardized protocols for life’s ubiquitous sensors
Wed, 04/20/2016 - 17:07
They activate airbags. Keep aircraft correctly positioned in flight. Detect earthquakes or sudden vibrations in failing machinery. Guide military hardware. Monitor falls in elderly individuals and initiate calls for help. They rotate the display on… Researchers Develop First Widely Useful Standard for Breast MRI NIST ‘phantom,’ mimics human breast tissue response to test MRI systems
Wed, 04/13/2016 - 16:55
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed the first widely useful standard for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast, a method used to identify and monitor breast cancer.
The NIST instrument—a… Amping Antimicrobial Discovery With Automation Robots lighten the laboratory load
Tue, 04/05/2016 - 16:44
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n the age-old struggle between humans and microbes, bacteria seem to be regaining the offensive. Only about a dozen classes of chemicals protect us from the myriad pathogens that populate our environment. Numerous agencies have warned that… NIST Method May Find Elusive Flaws in Medical Implants and Spacecraft A nondestructive approach for detecting cracks in ceramic capacitors
Tue, 03/22/2016 - 22:20
Medical implants and spacecraft can suddenly go dead, often for the same reason: cracks in ceramic capacitors, which are devices that store electric charge in electronic circuits. These cracks, at first harmless and often hidden, can start… Better Accuracy Out of Thin (or Thick) Air Prototype instrument substantially increases length-measurement accuracy
Mon, 03/14/2016 - 14:50
NIST scientists have devised and improved a prototype instrument the size of a loaf of bread that can substantially increase the accuracy of length measurements in commerce. Perhaps surprisingly, it does so by achieving the most accurate measure of… Now Posted: State-by-State Baldrige Impact Data for 2016 Perseverance furthers, as new data on the Baldrige website attests
Tue, 03/08/2016 - 12:57
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) --The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) at NIST released data this week that document the scope of services provided to U.S. organizations in every sector and nearly every state through the national network of… NCCoE Seeks Vendors to Help Secure Wireless Medical Devices Develop a standards-based example using available products and services
Tue, 02/23/2016 - 15:22
(NIST: Gaitherburg, MD) -- Medical devices such as the infusion pumps that deliver medication intravenously were once standalone instruments that interacted only with the patient. Today, they have operating systems and communications hardware that… Thinking Outside the Cuvette To measure the dimensions of the skinny glass container, NIST’s PML scientists get creative
Tue, 02/16/2016 - 11:26
Let’s say you’re a biotechnologist working to develop new medicines or a better test for forensic analysis. You might find yourself frequently using absorbance spectroscopy, a technique that allows researchers to identify even small amounts of a… Cold Hard Facts of Metrology Temperature control vital to vaccine viability
Mon, 02/01/2016 - 16:37
Flu season typically peaks between December and February, but by the time the winter holidays roll around, many of us will have already waited in line at area clinics, grocery stores, and pharmacies to get our annual flu shot. The Centers for…