http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/archive.htm A biweekly tip sheet for journalists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. en-us Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:49:11 -0400 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:49:11 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss michael.baum@nist.gov gail.porter@nist.gov http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/rss/techbeatlogo_rss144px.gif http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/archive.htm 144 34 NIST TechBeat logo http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#volt Extending its 26-year tradition of innovative quantum voltage standards, NIST researchers have begun shipping a new, quantum-based, 10-volt standard to users around the world.

]]> Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:49:11 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#volt http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#microbot NIST, in collaboration with IEEE, is inviting teams currently engaged in microrobotic, microelectronic or microelectromechanical systems research to participate in the NIST Mobile Microrobotics Challenge 2011. The competition will be held as part of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May 9-13, 2011, in Shanghai, China. Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:49:11 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#microbot http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#SI Taking the first steps of what would be a major historical advance in the science of measurement, NIST is participating in a worldwide effort to recommend major revisions to the International System of Units (SI), the modern metric system that is the basis of global measurements in commerce, science and other aspects of everyday life.

]]> Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:49:11 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#SI http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#lezec NIST physical scientist Henri Lezec and Federico Capasso of Harvard have received the Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics 2010.

]]> Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:49:11 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101026.cfm#lezec http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#breath Scientists at JILA have demonstrated an improved laser-based "molecular fingerprinting" technique that picks out traces of key molecules from a billion other particles in a gas in just 30 seconds or less.

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#breath http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#hiv New insights into the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection process may now be possible through a research method recently developed in part at NIST,

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#hiv http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#cars A paper by NIST researchers may breathe new life into the use of a powerful--but tricky--diagnostic technique for cell biology.

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#cars http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#magnetic Researchers from NIST and the German national metrology institute have used NIST's miniature atom-based magnetic sensor to successfully track a human heartbeat, confirming the device's potential for biomedical applications.

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#magnetic http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#photons Researchers at NIST have demonstrated for the first time the conversion of single photons produced by a true quantum source to a near-visible wavelength. The ability to change the color of single photons may aid in the development of hybrid quantum systems for applications in quantum communication, computation and metrology.

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#photons http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#baldrige After 23 years as the 'Baldrige National Quality Program,' the nation's public-private partnership dedicated to performance excellence has decided to highlight that mission with a new name, the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#baldrige http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#network NIST and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration are seeking partners in the telecommunications industry to help create a demonstration broadband communications network for the nation's emergency services agencies. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#network http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#cloud On November 4 and 5, NIST will host the Cloud Computing Forum and Workshop II to give government and industry stakeholders opportunity to comment on the next steps in developing cloud computing standards. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#cloud http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#mep The NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership has awarded $9.1 million in cooperative agreements for 22 projects designed to enhance the productivity, technological performance and global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#mep http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#transfer NIST has released the 2009 technology transfer report, an annual report summarizing the technology transfer activities and achievements of the U.S. Department of Commerce's scientific research agencies. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#transfer http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#grid NIST has advised the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that it has identified five 'foundational' sets of standards for Smart Grid interoperability and cyber security that are ready for consideration by federal and state energy regulators. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#grid http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#cgp NIST has awarded a total of $50 million in grants to five institutions to support the construction of new scientific research facilities that will explore topics ranging from nanometer-scale electronics and green buildings to microbe ecosystems in the oceans. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#cgp http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#spielman NIST's Ian Spielman is highlighted in the November issue of Popular Science, where the magazine's editors have named him to their annual 'Brilliant Ten' list. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#spielman http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#lippiatt Barbara Lippiatt, a NIST researcher, is one of eight winners of the 2010 GreenGov Presidential Awards given to workers or teams across the federal government.

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#lippiatt http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#arnold George Arnold of NIST has been honored with a 2010 GridWeek Award for his work in advancing international Smart Grid cooperation and standards. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:07:05 -0400 http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/tech-beat/tb20101013.cfm#arnold