Proof of Concept Awards

Salvatore Salamone Rail Defect Detection by Noncontact Vibration Measurements

Synopsis:

Nonvisible transverse defects in railways are one of the main causes of railway track-related incidents, costing hundreds of millions of dollars in the past two decades. Current rail inspection technologies cannot be mounted on operating train cars and are only reliable at slow speeds, costing railway operators time and money. UT engineers have developed a laser doppler system that can be used on operating trains and at much higher speeds.

Aaron Baker Stem Cell Conditioning for Enhanced Vascular Regeneration

Synopsis:

Currently, there is no treatment available that addresses the lack of microvasculature caused by long-term peripheral arterial disease, a chronic, progressive disease that affects 20% of the US population over 65 years old. UT engineers and physicians have invented a device that can enhance stem cell therapies for treating peripheral arterial disease in a brand new way. Using novel technology, we have found ways to increased stem cell expansion and efficacy in treating peripheral arterial disease and ischemia.

Aaron Baker Drug Eluting Chest Tube for Pain Reduction Following Surgery

Synopsis:

Traditional chest tubes are simple medical devices that are essential for draining the area around the lungs following surgery or injury. While these devices provide an important, lifesaving function they also cause constant, intense pain that requires treatment with opioid pain medication. UT innovators have developed a new chest tube that elutes local non-opioid anesthetic agents for pain reduction following cardiothoracic surgeries and trauma.

Jessica Ciarla Sustainable Trimmings for the Fashion Industry

Synopsis:

Roughly 20% of the nearly 400 million tons of plastic produced globally using fossil fuels is for textile fibers and only about 15% of it is recycled. UT inventors are developing non-plastic sustainable trimmings and embellishments, such as sequins, for the fashion industry using compostable polylactic acid.

Emily Porter High-resolution Microwave Stroke Detection and Imaging

Synopsis:

The current standard for assessment of nearly one million strokes in the United States per year occurs when the patient gets to the hospital, using expensive and time-consuming CT and MRI technologies. UT engineers have developed a low-cost, three-dimensional microwave imaging technology that is supported by machine learning for mobile, rapid, stoke triage and assessment. This can save critical time and lives.

Alex Demkov Manufacturing Electro-optic Wafers for Silicon Photonics

Synopsis:

The rapid growth of global internet traffic is driving rapid growth in demand for computing power and data transmission but current silicon photonic technology cannot fully meet the demand. UT physicists have invented a new process that can easily integrate electro-optic material on silicon which can potentially provide a universal platform for next-generation silicon photonics with a 100X increase in modulation efficiency.

Daniel Stromberg Endotracheal Tube Securement/Adjustment Device

Synopsis:

Pediatric intensive care patients require ventilation via endotracheal tubes that are secured to the baby’s face with tape, making adjustment difficult, risky, and often ineffective. UT physicians and scientists are developing a novel device for endotracheal tube securement and precise adjustment, resulting in better tube positioning and more effective treatment.

Zhengrong (Rong) Cui Novel Red Blood Cell Dry Powders and Method of Preparation

Synopsis:

Blood transfusions are the single most used lifesaving procedure in hospitals worldwide but packed blood cells used for transfusion can only be stored in refrigeration for 42 days before needing to be discarded. College of Pharmacy researchers have invented a technology that can successfully preserve human cells as a powder that can then be reconstituted. The inventors are seeking to prove out this technology for red blood cells to provide a better solution for life-saving blood transfusions in the hospital and battlefield.