And the Award Goes To ...

Probably not, but you’ll never look at your wet car the same way again. On a dirty car, water droplets spread quickly, appearing flat. But polish that baby with Turtle Wax and the water beads up, making the contact angle larger — that’s what the MCAMD measures. With this data, scientists analyze how those liquid droplets interact with different surfaces.

Name: Simultaneous non-contact precision imaging of microstructural and thickness variation in dielectric materials (aka “terahertz density thickness imager”)

Companies: NASA Glenn Research Center; NASA Langley Research Center; Lockheed Martin Space Systems

Translation: This imaging method uses a safe, invisible ray of energy to map thickness and density variation in insulating material such as foam.

Will you ever need it/use it?

If you’re an astronaut, this technology may save your life. In space travel, foams play a major role as a thermal protection system in the space shuttle. For now, the technology is just used by NASA, but it may be used to inspect plastics, wood, paper, ceramics and pharmaceutical materials in the future.

Name: 4X4 MIMO RF test system

Company: Keithley Instruments Inc.

Translation: The 4X4 MIMO (multiple input-multiple output) RF test system makes high-performance measurements for wireless technologies — from cell phones to WiFi.

Will you ever need it/use it?

Put it this way: You won’t have to worry about dropped cell phone signals once this goes to market. No more slow-poke single input/single output systems that send signals from your phone to one antenna. With 4X4 MIMO, your cell phone can communicate with four different stations.

Name: Swagelok SAT12SM service hardening process

Company: Swagelok Co.

Translation: This patented hardening process enables ordinary stainless steel to adopt certain performance characteristics of expensive alloys such as titanium. It can increase surface hardness, improve corrosion resistance and doesn’t change shape.

Will you ever need it/use it?

Possibly, depending on your industry. The SAT12 process can be used for pulp and paper mills’ wear plates; select medical devices, especially those with repetitive use and sterilization; automation equipment and other uses. This process allows stainless steel to be used in place of other materials. Stainless steel parts are placed in a conventional furnace and are thermally processed. Parts come out about two times harder, without any external changes or dimension and with no reduction in the corrosion resistance.