Instrument design and development, as a research topic, encompasses the systematic conception, engineering, optimization, and validation of measurement tools and devices used to acquire quantitative or qualitative data in scientific studies. It includes defining measurement constructs or physical variables, selecting or creating appropriate sensing or response modalities, establishing performance specifications (e.g., sensitivity, specificity, resolution, reliability, validity), and iteratively refining prototypes based on empirical testing. The topic also involves calibration procedures, error and uncertainty analysis, standardization across measurement contexts, and documentation of psychometric or metrological properties to ensure reproducibility, comparability, and robust interpretation of data across experiments, populations, or environments.
A prototype four-wheel rover developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory with advanced mobility and robotic autonomy capabilities trundled across the Colorado Desert near Plaster City, California, during a field test in ...
Space Exploration
Jun 19, 2026
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28
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is developing electronics and flight software for the NASA/U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat 10 satellite, which is set to launch in 2031 to collect new and improved Earth observation ...
Planetary Sciences
Jun 17, 2026
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11
Some animals can move efficiently beneath granular surfaces. These include the sandfish (Scincus scincus), a lizard native to the Sahara. It can burrow into the sand and then literally "swim" through the desert sand to hunt ...
Space Exploration
May 19, 2026
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80
On Thursday, NASA issued a Request for Proposal (RFP), seeking industry collaboration for the Mars Telecommunications Network.
Space Exploration
May 15, 2026
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29
The Centre for Research in Robotics and Underwater Technologies (CIRTESU) at the Universitat Jaume I in Castelló has developed an experimental modular, bio-inspired robotic fish prototype (UJIFISH) for inspection, hybrid ...
Biotechnology
Apr 23, 2026
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11
Research and innovation in Texas A&M University's biomedical engineering department often centers around clinical impact on patients. Beyond the lab, however, some faculty are finding breakthroughs in the classroom.
Biotechnology
Apr 11, 2026
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33
With a simple motion, a jack-in-the-box-like spring designed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory showed the potential of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to cut costs and complexity for futuristic space ...
Space Exploration
Feb 27, 2026
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25
A new study co-authored by Virginia Tech and University of Vermont researchers offers one of the first, large-scale empirical looks at how Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) across North America evaluate the next generation of ...
Biotechnology
Feb 25, 2026
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20
As space agencies prepare for human missions to the moon and Mars, scientists need to understand how the absence of gravity affects living cells. Now, a team of researchers has built a rugged, affordable microscope that can ...
Space Exploration
Feb 21, 2026
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52
A new smart platform invented by Purdue University researchers to wirelessly monitor subsoil health could change the landscape of agricultural sensing systems. The invention addresses a critical need in agriculture nationwide: ...
Biotechnology
Feb 9, 2026
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28
