NASA partners show off tech at open house

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--NASA research partners showed off their technologies and collaborative work Tuesday at an open house here at the Ames Research Center, one of the space administration's 10 facilities nationwide. The free event attracted a crowd of both NASA staff members and outsiders. (Click here for related video.)

Various research projects, companies and universities are based at the NASA campus. Among the academic partners is Carnegie Mellon University West, which offers software degree programs on the campus.

Changene, an industrial partner, is exploring the scientific value of pearls. Company head Frank Chang realized that pearl formation is a process quite like the formation of bones. According to Chang, this could help NASA solve the problem of astronauts getting weak bones after being exposed too long to microgravity. The technique could also help seniors suffering from osteoporosis.

Another company, Photozig has a software application that helps you manage your digital pictures online, put them in albums and post them on your Web site. It's also developing hardware such as LifeZig Video to be used in health care for people who suffer from memory loss or dementia. The machine is supposed to show images of things from your past in a more dynamic way than in a slideshow or a video.

NASA partner is selling license plate recognition software and object-tracking systems. The police department in Taipei, Taiwan is now in the process of installing it in its 8,000 surveillance cameras all over the city.