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Spinoff story

Loose Particle Detection

A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.

About this technology

Overview

PIND, developed by Dunegan/Endevco is an acronym for Particle Impact Noise Detection, a means of finding tiny, loose conductive particles introduced during fabrication of integrated circuits, which sometimes cause system failures. One type of automated system used for PIND testing has undergone a study by Goddard Space Flight Center to determine its effectiveness. Analysis of the test data indicated that an average PIND detection capability of about 45 percent can be expected.