When COVID-19 appeared earlier this year, the first wide-spread testing to detect if a person had the disease involved temperature. In contrast to other invasive approaches, the need for improved temperature testing prompted a few companies to investigate and then develop their own approach. Dermal Photonics Corp. solution was a wearable smart thermometer called NIRA […]
Covid-19
Hey, engineers: be grateful you are not epidemiologists! (Part 1: Medical research)
Be honest: The uncertainties of leading-edge engineering R&D are quite modest compared to what medical research faces, especially in areas such as epidemiology. Like many of you, I have been trying to follow many of the numbers related to the Covid-19 virus as well as ongoing vaccine efforts – and I have given up. The […]
Hey, engineers: be grateful you are not epidemiologists! (Part 2: Engineering R&D)
Part 1 of this article looked at the challenges and unavoidable uncertainties facing so much of medical research, and why all-important replication of experiments is so difficult to accomplish. This part looks at the corresponding situation for engineering research and product assessment. After thinking about the medical-research situation, I compared the issues to those related […]
Second generation 2.5GbE chip provides advanced Ethernet for enterprise connectivity
As people around the world make the shift to a longer-term remote work environment caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the demand for more Ethernet bandwidth to meet the needs of companies and their employees is rising. To help accelerate the upgrade of network environments and improve performance for the enterprise and gaming communities, Realtek Semiconductor has launched […]
Study shows slightly safer UV-C wavelength kills Covid-19 bug
Hiroshima University researchers say Ultraviolet-C light with a wavelength of 222 nm effectively kills SARS-CoV-2. Other studies involving 222-nm UV-C have so far only examined how well it kills seasonal coronaviruses structurally similar to the SARS-CoV-2 but not on the COVID-19-causing virus itself. Operation at 222 nm is said to be safer than emitting light […]
Ultrasonic ToF sensor platform handles range-sensing tags to enable social distancing
MEMS Sensors TDK announces worldwide availability of Chirp CH101 ultrasonic ToF sensor platform • CH101 Time-of-Flight (ToF) range sensor is a system-in-package that integrates a PMUT (Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer) with an ultra-low-power SoC (system on chip) in a miniature 3.5 x 3.5 mm reflowable package. • Provides accurate range measurements at distances up to […]
UV-C LED modules designed for sterilization
Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc. (SETi) and Seoul Viosys have started mass production of a UV LED module designed to sterilize 99.9% of the coronavirus in three seconds using “Violeds,” a UV LED technology developed by Seoul. Seoul Viosys is also developing a “Photon Shower” device that applies the UV LED technology to contribute to the […]
Shedding light on how much UV-C you need for disinfection
The idea of using UV-C light to kill the COVID-19 virus by disrupting its RNA has captured the imagination of many in the technical community. Unfortunately, important application details about factors such as necessary exposure time and intensity levels may be hard to discern, particularly for those who are new to the technology. A complicating […]
What can sensor companies do to cope with the new normal of COVID-19?
With the ongoing impact of Covid-19, its re-emergence in many regions and travel significantly affecting many companies, changes in some normal activities must be considered. According to Roger Grace, President of Roger Grace Associates, a MEMS and sensors industry marketing consultancy, marketers need to consider “pivoting” their marketing strategies and need to objectively assess what […]
How can printed sensors help prevent the spread of COVID-19?
In addition to wearing a mask and frequently washing your hands, social distancing provides the third leg of the COVID-19 prevention stool. Unlike in public settings, private companies have their own interest to ensure their employees and other customers are safe and social distancing is an undisputed deterrent for the virus. In fact, recent research […]
