Wireless sensing and monitoring systems are touted, but actual large scale implementations are few. So Southern California Edison's installation of a wireless vibration monitoring system at its Mountainview Generating Station in Redlands, CA is significant. Power Engineering says the system was installed on all 4.16 kV critical pumps, compressors, and motor drives.

Solar power cells made from polymers hold great promise because they can be cheaply produced. InTech says the key will be increasing polymer cell conversion efficiency. High-resolution 3D images of the inside of polymer solar cells give insights into the nanoscale structure of polymer solar cells and its effect on the performance.

Connectors are a key component in every industry segment; knowing which connector markets are growing gives insights into industrial growth. ConnectorSupplier.com says the industrial equipment sector has held up well. It accounted for 12% of total worldwide connector sales in 2008, and grew 9.1% from 2007 to 2008.

Conventional relays aren't suited to operate in hazardous areas because they can produce sparking at load break. This solid-state relay overcomes limitations and features a Class 1, Division 2 rating from UL for use in Groups A/B/C/D hazardous locations. The relay has current switching capabilities up to 15 A DC and 10 A AC.

The only thing cooler than an underwater robot is a swarm of them; especially a smart swarm operating autonomously via acoustic-links. Sensors says the robots navigate by compass/inertial means, and partly using sonic signals (see video) emitted both from each other and from a surface reference unit using GPS satellite navigation.

Near field communication (NFC) is a short-range high frequency wireless communication technology that enables the exchange of data between devices over about a 10 cm (4 in.) distance. Research suggests that NFC use as a mobile retail marketing tool via coupons and smart posters will reach $30 billion within three years.

Ethernet rules communications, but InfiniBand provides higher performance. Connector Specifier says both can run on copper-based and optical media. InfiniBand advantages include higher bandwidth and lower latency. The InfiniBand Trade Association projects increased market demand with speeds reaching 1,000 Gbits/sec in the next three years.

A research breakthrough uses MEMS technology to create a super-dense form of memory that can store a terabyte of memory per square inch. PopSci.com says it stores data using a needle to carve microscopic grooves into a material. Research allows this to occur at room temperature instead of at extremely high temperatures.

Conducted by Control Design, this comprehensive survey reveals that salaries for machine automation professionals rose by about 1% in 2008 despite the economic downturn. Control Design says the only area showing a salary downturn was engineering management. In addition to a wealth of statistics, the article includes interviews with engineers who voice their opinions on the state of the job market. No surprise here, but the survey also found that nearly two-thirds of the respondents were concerned about job security.

Few things are more soothing than watching fish meander about in a tank or pond, but maintaining livable environments for these aquatic creatures is something of a pain. Enter the fish robot, capable of swimming around in an amazingly lifelike manner. As this video shows, the robot looks like a fish at first glance, a carp to be specific. Closer inspection reveals the truth, but future advances promise to blur the distinction between live and robot, a la Blade Runner.

Is Business Back?

Recent articles and surveys show signs of economic growth in 2009 and optimism for 2010 in manufacturing. Is business turning up in your neck of the woods, or are things still stagnant?