Proof of Concept Awards

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.

Andrew Dunn New Method for Quantitative Blood Flow Imaging During Surgery

Synopsis:

Continuous and quantitative blood flow visualization during surgery could reduce complications and shorten time of surgery, but is not currently available to surgeons. The Dunn laboratory is developing laser imaging technology that could enable surgeons to visualize and measure real-time blood flow within the surgical field.

Alan Groves Trinity Tube Feeding Tube

Synopsis:

Premature birth affects around 10% of infants and is the most significant cause of newborn death in the USA. Premature infants need to have their vital signs (heart rate, breathing rate, temperature) monitored continuously. At present this monitoring is carried out by skin mounted sensors which can damage the delicate skin. Realizing that all premature infants need a tube placed through their nose/mouth into the stomach to deliver milk feeds, UT physicians and engineers are developing an ‘intelligent’ feeding tube which can continuously and wirelessly monitor an infant’s vital signs while avoiding damage to the skin. Placement of sensors inside the chest will also allow the team to develop novel markers of airway pressure and work of breathing to guide clinical care for these vulnerable infants.

Alex Huang Medium Voltage Solid State Transformer

Synopsis:

Utility companies are facing many issues with current transformer technology and availability, resulting in delays and higher costs when adopting renewable energy options. UT engineers have invented a technology that can replace bulky 100-year-old transformers in a single, compact, efficient, and cost-effective solution to enable a renewable energy-powered world.

Huiliang (Evan) Wang Wearable Brain Computer Interface System for In-home Stroke Rehab

Synopsis:

With stroke being the leading cause of severe disability in the United States, there is a huge economic burden and challenge for patients regarding rehabilitation strategies, including the need to physically visit a rehab center. To help solve these challenges, UT engineers and scientists are developing an electroencephalogram (EEG)-based wearable brain-machine interface system for in-home continuous stroke recovery.

Debadyuti (Rana) Ghosh Pulmonary Delivery of Gene Editing to Cure Cystic Fibrosis

Synopsis:

There are over 100 thousand people with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease with no cure, where the median age of death is 37. UT scientists are developing safer and local delivery of gene therapy using non-virus-based technology to effectively and functionally treat the genetic disease of cystic fibrosis.

Mitchell Pryor Inspection Robot for Floating Roof Storage Tanks

Synopsis:

In the oil and gas industry, manual inspection of seals in floating roof storage tanks is inaccurate, costly, and dangerous. Inspections are increasingly necessary given our aging infrastructure and desire to minimize the release of fugitive emissions harmful to inspectors and the environment. UT innovators have developed an autonomous robotic solution that performs tank inspections safer, cheaper, faster, and more accurately than traditional, manual methods.

Farshid Alambeigi 4D Imaging System for Early Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

Synopsis:

Colon cancer polyps have a high degree of variation in stiffness, morphology, and sizes across patients, making early polyp detection and classification a imperfect when performing a standard colonoscopy. UT engineers and physicians are developing a new four-dimensional AI-enabled imaging system for the early diagnosis of colon cancer using a novel inflatable tactile sensor and complementary artificial intelligence algorithms.

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.

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.

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.