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Two new measuring technologies have been introduced in the last two weeks. One is from Noliac and the other comes from HBM, Inc. The technology launched from Noliac is a strain gauge for piezoelectric actuators. Strain gauge technology, which is used in most load cells, has been around for 40 years and is well established and proven. Noliac's technology is actually an add-on which will help linearization of displacement response and compensate for creep and hysteresis. The add-on can fit to plate and ring actuators, with a bender version to follow soon. The technology will help to keep things level and accurate, which will be essential to nano and micropositioning. It can be used in several different applications to ensure accuracy. Add-ons are fit to each individual plate. Cedri...

The U.S. might be the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, but not in cyberspace. America's Internet freedom is in a terrifying decline, according to research from Freedom House. The advocacy group's annual study tracks international digital rights, and scores countries' digital rights on a scale of zero to 100, with zero being the most free and 100 being the least. Between 2011 and 2015, the U.S. fell from a score of 13 to a score of 19. In 2011 and 2012, the U.S. ranked second out of 65 countries assessed, but slipped to fourth in 2013. Last year, it fell to sixth, where it stayed this year. U.S. News and World Report writes that such controversies as the United States' broad government surveillance calls by law enforcement to limit consumer data encryption have displaced ...

The argument over electromagnetic sensitivity is continuing with more statements speaking against the condition. Now a new claim states that Wi-Fi isn't the thing that is making people sick, but rather, a "nocebo effect." Starting with one claim, it begins with a misconception. Wi-Fi isn't actually new technology; it's just a reinterpretation of old technology. We have had radio frequency for more than a century, in fact. There is a ton of literature in the world claiming that electromagnetic sensitivity isn't real, citing the idea that we have been exposed to different concentrations of radiation during all times of human history. This latest study explores the "nocebo effect," which essentially states that the sicknesses may be real, but it's due to a psychological thing rather tha...

According to TripAdvisor's 2013 Air Travel Survey, 25% of respondents would choose one airline over another if it offered wifi. Though you might not associate fire-sale prices with private aircrafts, new research from Gama Aviation shows that one in eight of Great Britain's nearly 600 private jets are for sale, and for good prices, too. The average asking price of the some 78 jets, which range between "entry-level" planes that seat just four passengers to small airliners, is £3.2 million (about $4.94 million USD). That may not sound like a "bargain," but according to Gama Aviation's chief marketing officer, it becomes a buyer's market when one in 10 private planes are up for sale. So with one in eight up for grabs, savvy negotiators should be able to snap up a bargain price for an aircr...

A new study from a research team at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and Duke University has made a breakthrough discovery about how the brain detects and prevents dehydration. The study was published on Oct. 6 in the academic journal Cell Reports, and the major finding focused on the structure of a specific protein in the human brain that regulates hydration and temperature for the entire body. According to Tech Times and the Dispatch Tribunal, scientists previously had no clue how the brain managed to measure and control temperature throughout the body, thereby causing certain responses (like sweating or thirst) to regulate hydration and warmth. The research team stated that the discovery could yield important developments and treatments fo...

A China-based company, Forsentek Co., had introduced new load cell technology that will give the industry even more applications. Most load cells use strain gauge technology, which is well established and has been for 40 years, but this latest technology involves micro load cells. Forsentek designed and developed the compact load cells, which have numerous applications in weighing systems used across many industries. These micro load cells will be able to be used within limited spaces, giving precise compression force and weight measurements. The Forsentek spokesperson says that the cells will be able to be used within most industrial facilities. They are made from stainless steel that has been heat-treated, which helps them to ensure accuracy and stability. The cells are also sea...

While bacteria and germs have the ability to cause illness and disease, one of their most terrifying and dangerous qualities is their invisibility to the naked human eye. We often correlate certain areas or rooms that might collect more bacteria than others and put extra effort into cleanliness. However, this may not be as helpful as many people assume. According to Medical Daily, a recent study was conducted inside a public restroom in an attempt to find out just how dirty these rooms are. It was found that regardless of the regular use of toilet seat covers and a focus on rigorous hand washing, bacteria still persevered. The most common germs found on toilet bowls were gut bacteria. Unfortunately, our microbes can survive for hours after being expelled from the body. Some germs can...

Just when the world thought Anheuser-Busch InBev couldn’t gain any more control of the global beer market, it happened: AB InBev reached a deal with SABMiller, thereby uniting two of the biggest competing beer manufacturers under one beer behemoth of a corporation. Collectively, the two companies brought in about $70 billion in revenue during 2014, and together (though technically still separate), they held one-third of the entire international beer market, according to U.S. News and World Report. The deal was struck to the sweet, golden, bubbly tune of $105 billion paid to SABMiller after the company rejected four other proposals from AB Inbev, stated Bloomberg Business. But one question remains for American craft beer lovers: what’s going to happen to the substantial industry of...

Drug-related deaths now outpace fatalities stemming from car accidents in the state of Virginia for the first time ever, newly released data has shown. Following a nationwide increase in drug addiction and death, particularly related to heroin, 728 Virginians lost their lives to drugs in 2014, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on Oct. 11 -- an increase from 661 in 2013. During the same time period, only 700 highway deaths were recorded, a decrease from 741 in 2013. Because determining whether an individual died of a drug-related cause can be a lengthy, elusive process, it's difficult to find recent drug death figures for 2015 so far. Highway deaths for the year so far are trending slightly upward from last year's data. Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring called these new ...

A fireplace can be an essential part of anyone's dream home, but making sure that it is regularly maintained is much more important than some people may realize. According to NJ.com, a family from Teaneck, New Jersey, recently had an unnerving issue with their fireplace that cemented the importance of servicing a fireplace. After realizing something was wrong, the family reported that smoke was spilling into their home from the lit fireplace at 3:19 p.m. Fortunately, local fire officials were able to control the fire within just 15 minutes of them reaching the home. Not only were they quick enough to prevent any serious damage to the structure, but the family came out unharmed. After some inspection, fire officials determined the problem stemmed from a blockage in the chimney, ...