Engineering Students Get a Boost in Support of NASA HUNCH Experiment Series

Under normal conditions, determining the mass of an object is a simple affair; you place the object on a scale and it tells you the mass. But in a zero gravity environment like outer space, things get a little complicated. To make the process easier, engineering students at the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School (RVTHS) in Franklin, MA have been taking part in the High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program to find a solution. The program gets students involved in the creation of hardware designed to meet the unique needs of those working at the International Space Station.

To help the students meet their objective, Mark-10 Corporation donated two Series 7 digital force gauges for use in their innovative measurement system. The system involved the two force gauges being mounted to a spinning platform. An object of known mass was attached to one of the gauges, while an unknown mass was attached to the other. By calculating the ratio of the two centripetal force measurements, the students could determine the unknown mass. The system is aptly named the “Zero Gravity Scale.”

With their scale prototype complete, the students took it aboard the NASA Zero Gravity Plane in Houston, Texas for a realistic simulation. Now, they are looking into the next phases of research, creating a smaller design for use on the International Space Station.

To further support these NASA HUNCH student endeavors, Mark-10 donated two miniature Series R04 force sensors. These instruments offer tension and compression measurements in tight environments, which is important in this field of work. We take pride in being able to help budding engineers create devices that will advance aerospace exploration.

To see the research put to work, watch a video of the Tri-County RVTHS students testing their Zero Gravity Scale (in zero gravity!) on YouTube.

United States Healthcare Reform and What it Means for Medical Startups

Healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act have been major buzzwords in the media for some time now. People are getting more familiar with the new system as time passes, but one facet in particular hasn’t gotten as much attention – the impacts of the Affordable Care Act on health startups.

In addition to opportunities for new health insurance companies, medical technology startups are also benefitting in this new healthcare landscape. A recent article in MedCity News provided a run-down of benefits for medtech startups in the age of healthcare reform.

Because hospitals now have more incentive to keep patients healthier and decrease readmissions, the need for wearable and remote monitoring tools is expected to rise sharply. These advanced medical monitoring devices will allow doctors to read vitals and track metrics without patients needing to leave home.

New telemedicine innovations are also expected to see increasing demand, as doctors leverage technology to keep tabs on patients, rather than scheduling in-office visits for regular updates. As discussed in the article, this can be especially useful for those who live far away from their primary care physicians and aren’t in need of urgent care.

Mark-10 manufactures force and torque measuring gauges, test stands, grips, software, and accessories for a wide range of applications within the medical device, pharmaceutical, and other industries. Consider Mark-10 for syringe force testing, needle sharpness testing, wire terminal testing, cap torque testing, and much more. For more information about our products and their diverse uses, feel free to browse our product applications gallery.