"Also of Interest" for January 2, 2012

The "Also of Interest" listing is the embodiment of our belief that engineers are interested in exploring topics which are not directly related to their jobs, but which will broaden their knowledge and sometimes spur further innovative and creative approaches.

Among the publications we check are IEEE Spectrum, Machine Design, Design News, Laser Focus World, Photonics Spectra, NASA Tech Briefs (in its various manifestations), Microwave Journal, RF & Microwaves, and Physics Today—and there are others, as well.

Consider these items as online "extras", and worth a look and a few minutes of your time. (Please note: there are also links to the past weeks' editions of this feature, in the "Navigate" box to the right.)

Also of Interest:

• The new airships, called Zeppelins or dirigibles, will fly faster, carry more passengers, and be equipped with state-of-the-art avionics and flight controls:
  "Goodyear upgrades from blimps to Zeppelins,"
  Machine Design, September 22, 2011
• The electromagnet at the Pulsed Field Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory set a record when it generated a 97.4-tesla field without destroying itself in the process:
  "Magnet at national lab generates largest magnetic pulse,"
  Machine Design, October 6, 2011
• Economic and environmental conditions are also driving manufacturers to revalidate their packaging:
  "Medical Device Packaging Validation Testing 101,"
  Medical Tech Briefs, September 2011
• Choosing the perfect material to make lenses is often daunting, even for seasoned pros:
  "Property Management: A Review of Optical Materials,"
  Photonics Spectra, September 2011
• Infrared countermeasures (IRCM)—designed to prevent missiles from reaching their target—are standard equipment for military aircraft. Progress is also being made on deploying IRCM on commercial aircraft:
  "IR countermeasures aim for safer flights,"
  Laser Focus World, August 2011
• ATCA (Advanced Telecommunication Computing Architecture) is a prime example of long-standing commercial technology evolving to meet military needs:
  "Adapting ATCA Technology to Mil/Aero Applications,"
  Embedded Technology, August 2011
• A novel and eco-friendly approach towards preemptive testing of solar cells intended for space-borne and nuclear environments:
  "Eco-Friendly Testing of Solar-Cells Used in Ionizing Radiation Ambient,"
  Power Electronics Technology, September 2011

• December 21, 2011
• December 14, 2011
• December 7, 2011
• November 30, 2011