Spring 2012 TECHNOLOGY® today Southwest Research Institute® San Antonio, Texas Spring 2012 • Volume 33, No. 1 TECHNOLOGY today COVER Director of Communications Craig Witherow Editor Joe Fohn TECHNOLOGY Assistant Editor today Deborah Deffenbaugh D018005-5651 Contributing Editors Tracey Whelan Editorial Assistant Kasey Chenault Design Scott Funk Photography Larry Walther Illustrations Andrew Blanchard, Frank Tapia Circulation Southwest Research Institute San Antonio, Texas Gina Monreal About the cover Full-scale fire tests were performed on upholstered furniture Technology Today (ISSN 1528-431X) is published three times as part of a project to reduce uncertainty in determining the each year and distributed free of charge. The publication cause of fires. discusses some of the more than 1,000 research and develop- ment projects under way at Southwest Research Institute. The materials in Technology Today may be used for educational and informational purposes by the public and the media. Credit to Southwest Research Institute should be given. This authorization does not extend to property rights such as patents. Commercial and promotional use of the contents in Technology Today without the express written consent of Southwest Research Institute is prohibited. The information published in Technology Today does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of Southwest Research Institute or its clients, and no endorsements should be made or inferred. Address correspondence to the editor, Department of Communications, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510, or e-mail
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