3D image correlation is a general-purpose strain measurement tool that allows us to measure 3D displacement and the true surface strains of any material without contact and without many of the difficulties associated with these measurements.

Southwest Research Institute engineers have developed multilayer thin films and combined them with magnetostrictive sensors to nondestructively detect and monitor defects in aircraft components.

The Land Forces Group, Acquisition Div., of MTC Technologies has won task orders to help U.S. Marine Corps engineers and managers integrate sensors on light armored vehicles to collect real-time data that will streamline maintenance. (http://tinyurl.com/qbqgn) Another contract aims to improve the capabilities of vehicle drivers: The U.S. Army has contracted DRS Technologies to produce Driver Vision Enhancers (DVEs) for a wide range of frontline combat and tactical wheeled vehicles. The DVEs use DRS's low-power uncooled infrared (LPUIR) detector, thermally compensated optics, and an 800 3 600 pixel active matrix LCD panel to let drivers see clearly at increased distances—regardless of light level, adverse weather conditions, and obscurants such as smoke and dust. (http://tinyurl.com/legg3)

Rising fuel prices, coupled with tightening regulations on vehicle efficiency and emissions, are creating a global demand for higher levels of precision in torque measurement on test stands for engines and transmissions. On one hand, torque values must be certifiable to meet regulations and manufacturers' specs. On the other, they must be precise enough to pick up efficiency differences of 0.1% or less in the test object. Such tight system accuracy requirements mean that the torque flanges themselves must be accurate to within 0.05%.

At any given time, 20 volcanoes are erupting somewhere on the planet. Volcanic ash and jet engines do not mix well. This wouldn't normally be a problem, but on Unimak Island in Alaska there are six volcanoes, one of which, Shishaldin, has erupted at least 29 times since 1755.

A load cell is just a strain gauge applied to a metal bar with known characteristics inside a pre-engineered package to measure a specific range of applied force.

UPEK and Cogent Systems cooperate to provide solutions for government and commercial access control and portable identity management applications.

Oxford University zoologists Graham Taylor and Adrian Thomas have outfitted an eagle with four miniature high-speed spy cameras and other instruments in a 15 g pack to learn more about its aviational secrets. An inertial measurement unit recorded details of the bird's aerobatics and transmitted the data to a receiver on the ground.

According to Forecast International analyst Larry Dickerson, the market for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) reconnaissance systems, including air vehicles and payloads, is expected to be worth $13.6 billion through 2014. "Thanks to their battlefield successes in Iraq and Afghanistan, money is being lavished on UAV programs as never before," said Dickerson.

PNNL researchers are putting carbon nanotubes to work as biosensors and improving the way they can be chemically customized to form the basis for a wide variety of devices, including atmospheric and blood sensors.