Although current microscopic optical systems are highly sensitive, they are generally bulky and expensive, and most have a severely limited field of vision. One alternative is adaptive microlenses tha...
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Detecting chemical and biological agents at low levels is important in military applications, drug enforcement, airport security and environmental monitoring.  A variety of devices and methods curren...
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Maximizing how much sunlight strikes a solar panel is one tactic to boost efficiency. Some approaches have tried to imitate heliotropic plants by repositioning the panels to follow the sun. Unfortunat...
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‘Variable-focus’ lenses are lenses that have adjustable focal lengths. Liquid-based, miniaturized lenses of this type are useful in photonics, display systems and biomedical tools. However, they a...
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Responsive hydrogels can respond to external stimuli such as temperature, pH, photons and antigens, which makes them applicable as functional materials in drug/gene delivery devices, microlenses and s...
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Significant research is conducted to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of energy generated by renewable resources. Existing photovoltaic cells and conventional photoelectrochemical cells conv...
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A capacitive touch sensor is provided, The capacitive touch sensor includes a plate having an upper surface and lying in a plate plane. A generally planar, first electrode is spaced from the plate alo...
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A Fresnel lens or ‘zone plate’ is a type of compact lens made of concentric rings that alternate between opaque and transparent materials. The design is lighter and smaller than conventional lense...
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Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted tremendous attention because they are cheap and efficient. The DSSCs with the highest power conversion efficiency (greater than 12 percent) are based ...
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A device is provided for securing a plurality of infrared radiation detectors from unwanted infrared radiation. The device includes a structure supporting the plurality of infrared radiation detectors...
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A device is provided for camouflaging an object from an infrared detection apparatus. The device includes a cloak positionable between the object and the infrared detection apparatus. The cloak includ...
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Optical phase tuning is highly desired in many precision and imaging tools used by industry, in medicine and in biological research. Various optical phase shifters (OPS) and methods exist, each with c...
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UW-Madison researchers have developed a room-temperature infrared sensor with high detection efficiency over a wide IR spectral band. Room-temperature operation makes this technology easier to use tha...
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One component of lab-on-a-chip technology is on-chip microlenses for optical analysis. Prior investigators have demonstrated tiny optical lenses with variable focal lengths. These lenses use specializ...
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Silicon-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) work well for optical- and physical-sensing applications, and can be fabricated very precisely by using standard integrated circuit technology. Howe...
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Because potential biological attacks against civilian populations have become an important issue for homeland security, practical and efficient biosensors are needed. However, no currently available b...
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A hybrid electrostatic actuator for use in conjunction with microfluidic devices, microlenses, optical irises and flat panel displays is provided. The hybrid electrostatic actuator includes a substrat...
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A UW-Madison researcher previously developed an inexpensive, real-time wireless microsensor for detecting biological agents in water supply networks and other aqueous environments, such as the milk su...
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