Here is an amazing story about how a technology initially developed by NASA for the shuttle program is now being used for something radically different. Back in 2001, NASA needed a tool to conduct quality control for critical aluminum alloy parts. And it worked with KeyMaster Technologies to develop a portable device, the TRACeR, using X-Ray fluorescent technology, or XRF. The TRACeR is approximately the size of a portable drill, and it weighs only 4 pounds. But now, according to "Carpet Cleaning or Rocket Science?," published by ICS Cleaning Specialist, it's also being used to quantify carpet cleanliness by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) to give its Seal of Approval (SOA) to vacuum cleaners. Read more...
Here are the first paragraphs of the article.
I just returned from the Carpet and Rug Institute's annual membership meeting in Dalton, Ga., where the latest news is that cleaning and maintenance is the No.1 consumer concern affecting carpet selection.
The buzz words that have everyone talking are X-Ray fluorescent technology, or XRF.
Professional Testing Laboratories of Dalton has partnered with KeyMaster Technologies of Kennewick, Wash., and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on an entirely new technology for evaluating cleaning equipment and methods. And the CRI intends to use this technology in building a body of science about cleaning and maintenance of carpet though their Carpet Cleaning Equipment Seal of Approval Program.
Now, let's go back to the story as told by NASA about the development of the technology, described in one of its spinoff projects on August 31, 2004.
KeyMaster Technologies, Inc., develops and markets specialized, hand-held X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instruments and unique tagging technology used to identify and authenticate materials or processes. NASA first met with this Kennewick, Washington-based company as the Agency began seeking companies to develop a hand-held instrument that would detect data matrix symbols on parts covered by paint and other coatings.
In January 2002, KeyMaster representatives visited NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Technology Transfer department to demonstrate their standard XRF instrument. The NASA participants, including technical personnel from the Engineering Directorate and the Science Directorate, were particularly interested in the instrument’s portability and capability to quickly analyze the composition of most materials in the environment.
So NASA and KeyMaster Technologies decided to merge their technologies, deposit some patents, and finally sign an agreement giving Keymaster exclusive rights to produce and sell the resulting portable tool worldwide.
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As you can see, the TRACeR is approximately the size of a portable drill, and it weighs only 4 pounds. (Credit: NASA) |
And on November 5, 2004, NASA announced its partnership with Keymaster and gave more details about the technology.
The newly developed vacuum X-ray fluorescent analyzer can identify and characterize a wide range of elements, and is capable of detecting chemical elements with low atomic numbers — such as sodium, aluminum and silicon. It is the only hand-held product on the market with that capability. Aluminum alloy verification is of particular interest to NASA because vast amounts of high-strength aluminum alloys are used in the Space Shuttle propulsion system -- the External Tank, Main Engine and Solid Rocket Boosters.
"Being able to bring a full analytical chemical laboratory to something as large as a Solid Rocket Booster and determine alloy constituents to an accuracy of four decimal places is a major breakthrough," said Fred Schramm, technology utilization manager in Marshall 's Technology Transfer Department. Schramm worked closely with Keymaster to develop the hand-held scanner.
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Here is how works the TRACeR. "In fundamental terms, the XRF instrument has a gamma source, which emits a known energy and excites the atoms of a target element. The resulting energy is called X-ray fluorescence, which can be detected or "read" by the detector in the XRF instrument." (Credit: KeyMaster Technologies, Lab page) |
Now, let's come back to 2005 and see how this XRF scanner is used to determine if a carpet has been correctly cleaned.
[Gary Asbury, president of Professional Testing Laboratories] and PTL already had the carpet-soiling process perfected, but they needed a "soil" mixture that was quantifiable. Working with KeyMaster scientists Lloyd Starks and Dr. Robert Shannon, the PTL staff created a "designer soil," which mimics actual soil found in carpet.
And here is a last quote about how this XRF technology used to check carpets.
According to Dr. Michael Berry, former deputy director of the National Center of Environmental Assessment of the U.S. EPA, and a leading authority on indoor environmental quality issues, "In my 30 years' experience, the XRF technology is the first scientific approach to quantifying carpet cleanliness that I will stand behind 100 percent," he said.
So, what do you think about this arrival of such a high-tech device into a 'down-to-earth' domain? Post your comments below.
Sources: Jeff Bishop, for ICS Cleaning Specialist, March 8, 2005; and various websites
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