Abbott Expands COVID Testing, 3M Innovates, GrayMatter TechStream

Abbott Laboratories Expands to Six COVID-19 Test Offerings

Abbott Laboratories, maker of the first fast, cheap and reliable COVID-19 test, is moving ahead with two major orders for the testing technology.

The United States has ordered 150 million tests and the World Health Organization has reserved an additional 60 million, according to Barron’s.

Illinois-based Abbott, a GrayMatter partner, has created a comprehensive overview of its incredible work to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. It includes everything from the speedy, 5-minute tests, to its new NAVICA smartphone app that links to your test data and can serve as a digital “badge” for workplaces that require regular, negative test results to gain entry.

In an interview published on MarketWatch, a company executive said Abbott has taken an iterative approach to developing its groundbreaking tests.

“These viruses all behave a little differently,” said John Hackett, divisional VP of applied research and technology for Abbott Laboratories’ diagnostics business. “As we learn more about them, we adapt. Right from the beginning, we looked at this as an iterative process, because we’re learning as we go along.”

Learn more about Abbott’s work here.

GrayMatter ProjectX TechStream

We’re less than a week away from GrayMatter’s first ProjectX TechStream — a free, weeklong training series Oct. 5-9 for professionals interested in motion control and motion safety.

If you haven’t signed up already, now is your chance!

Check out the agenda below, register in advance and get your questions ready for GrayMatter’s live experts.

As a reminder, since this is a multi-day event, you must register for each day you want to attend.

• Oct. 5 – Motion Control: Servo, Stepper, VFD, PLC Control & Single Axis and Multi-Axis Control
• Oct. 6 – Sizing a Servo Motor for Your Application
• Oct. 7 – Rotary Motion to Solve Linear Applications
• Oct. 8 – Tuning Servo Motors to Optimize Performance
• Oct. 9 – Motion Safety: SIL Ratings & Categories, Controllers, Interlocks and Sensors

Full agenda here.

3M Highlights ‘Retroreflectivity’ in the ‘Science of Being Seen’

Advanced material producer 3M, a GrayMatter partner, is providing an in-depth look at how its “retroreflectivity” technology works to make clothing for construction workers, kids, runners, cyclists and others as visible as possible in low-light situations.

Retroreflecitivty is 3M “technology that returns light rays to their origin with very little loss in brightness.”

The goal is to make the reflective material “appear brightest to an observer near the original light source” such as an approaching car or truck.

“Whether it’s a firefighter’s turnout gear or a running suit that you would buy at a store, the products that I work on help stay safe by making them easier to be seen, especially at night,” says Cordell Hardy, 3M Technical Director who led the team that refined 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material.

Check out 3M’s new blog about the Science of Being Seen.