Programs help spot hot spots: Computerized thermal analysis enhances the reliability of electronic products by identifying potential thermal problems at a point where designers can easily fix them

One hot, overcast summer night a few years ago, a military helicopter with an infrared night-vision system was flying low over the Mojave Desert in southern California. Suddenly, the infrared screen went blank. The pilot was left flying blind at close to 200 miles per hour (320 kilometers per hour) in almost total darkness.