Greetings!
Welcome to this quarterly issue of New Scale News,
your update on miniature motion technology and applications.
This month we are proud to announce TRACKER™, the world's smallest linear encoder. This tiny new position sensor offers significant advantages over miniature optical encoders. Use it on its own or paired with SQUIGGLE micro motors.
We've also included links to new articles and technical papers, including one describing a "creepy" medical device being developed by our friends at Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute. As always, we welcome your feedback - email us with your comments.
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~ TRACKER™ position sensor bests mini optical encoders
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 New Scale's new TRACKER™ position sensor is a magnetic sensor array with integrated on-chip digital encoding. With 2 µm resolution and low sensitivity to external magnetic fields, it is a robust and cost-effective alternative to miniature optical encoders.
On-chip encoding provides direct digital output using standard I2C protocol, eliminating the need for external pulse counters. A microprocessor can query multiple TRACKER position sensors and read position information directly.
The TRACKER position sensor is insensitive to light, shock, vibration, and high-particulate environments. It can be used as a linear encoder or off-axis rotary encoder. Use it in optical and imaging systems, consumer electronics, precision biomedical devices, instrumentation, automation and automotive applications.
To read more visit the New Scale website.
Or download the data sheets directly:
> Download the TRACKER overview sheet (300 Kb PDF)
> Download the TRACKER data sheet with drawings and I2C interface details (448 Kb PDF)
Engineering samples are available for purchase, with general availability from stock in January 2009. For samples and OEM pricing please email Fred Haas.
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~ Tech paper: Mobile robot to crawl on heart
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The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University is using New Scale's SQL-Series SQUIGGLE motors in the latest version of their HeartLander mobile robot for minimally invasive cardiac therapy.
The miniature tandem-bodied mobile robot is intended to travel on a heart's surface by alternating suction and the extension length between two bodies. Because the robot adheres to the beating heart, it is located in the same moving reference frame and may eliminate the need for cardiopulmonary bypass or tissue stabilizers. After reaching a target, a surgeon would use an on-board tool for intervention.
The system was developed to demonstrate mobility on the cardiac surface. Download the technical paper (74 Kb PDF) describing the design of the robotic platform and preliminary testing results in vitro (presented at the Northeast Bioengineering Conference).
(Photo and technical paper are courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University and used with permission.)
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| ~ Power Packed | piezo motors: big power, small package
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 Bill Kennedy presents an excellent introduction to piezoelectric motors in the Winter 2008 issue of MICROmanufacturing magazine. He offers a background explanation of the piezoelectric effect and its use in several different motor designs, including New Scale's direct linear drive SQUIGGLE motor as well as other manufacturers' designs.
Download the article (978 Kb PDF)
or visit MICROmanufacturing.com to download the entire Winter 2008 issue.
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~ Why phone cameras need optical zoom
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 In his Dec. 3 "personal tech" article, the New York Times' David Pogue critiqued one of the newer phone cameras designed to compete with digital still cameras on picture quality. As he demonstrates, we are making great strides but there remains room for improvement.
The article and slide show highlight a couple of issues: first, the need to bring the costs down, and second, the need to incorporate optical zoom with moving lenses vs. digital zoom. Best not to even use the digital zoom, Pogue says: "Essentially, all it does it blow up a photo, degrading it in the process."
Pogue also explains why you need autofocus and zoom optics to take advantage of the high resolution sensors: having more megapixels "doesn't mean you get better pictures - just bigger versions of the same terrible ones."
Watch for phone cameras in 2009 that incorporate New Scale's motors and position sensors to deliver autofocus and optical zoom in tiny phone cameras.
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~ We'll meet you in California
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Photonics West
San Jose, California USA | January 27-29 | more about Photonics West
See our demo Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 1:30 in Opto Town Square, Hall 1, Demo Area 1
Or stop by Booth #341
Electronics West and MD&M West
Anaheim, California USA| February 10-12 | more about this event
Register online and save $55 on exp hall admission - click on the coupon below
Visit us at Booth #543
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