{"340821":{"#nid":"340821","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Medical Device Innovation: Georgia Tech Develops Technologies to Solve Health Care Problems","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWritten by\u0026nbsp;Abby Robinson\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter peeling off the protective film from one side, the patch \u2013 which is about the size of a postage stamp \u2013 is pressed onto the forearm of a young child. Hundreds of tiny microneedles located on the surface of the patch painlessly enter the upper layers of the child\u2019s skin, where they quickly dissolve. Made of a medical polymer, the needles carry vaccine particles directly to the specialized cells used by the skin to battle invading microbes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is one scenario that Georgia Tech researchers envision for using the microneedle-based vaccine patch they are developing with immunology experts at Emory University. The patch, which could be available within five years, might be administered by persons without medical training, providing a simple way to rapidly immunize large populations during pandemics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMicroneedles are just one example of the medical devices under development at Georgia Tech, often in collaboration with institutions such as Emory. By harnessing its engineering, scientific and computing capabilities and its entrepreneurial tradition, as well as the Atlanta medical community, Georgia Tech is advancing the field of medical device design and bringing new devices to market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of Georgia Tech\u2019s major research strengths is its ability to bring engineering together with the biosciences to create new solutions for health care problems,\u201d said Stephen E. Cross, executive vice president for research at Georgia Tech. \u201cGeorgia Tech has a history of bringing innovations from the laboratory through the functional prototype stage, while coordinating the other commercialization activities necessary to bring them to market.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the health benefits, these medical devices also have an economic development benefit. Displaying more robust vital signs than most business sectors, the global medical device market could top $300 billion this year, according to industry estimates. Research institutions like Georgia Tech have played a critical role in this growth by developing technologies that are ultimately licensed to medical device firms or that form the basis for startup companies that commercialize them for clinical use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe roster of Atlanta-based startup companies that have built new medical devices based on technology developed at Georgia Tech includes\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/medical-devices\/www.cardiomems.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECardioMEMS\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.medshapesolutions.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMedShape Solutions\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.zendatech.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EZenda Technologies\u003C\/a\u003E. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/devices.net\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGlobal Center for Medical Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GCMI), a new medical device development center under construction in midtown Atlanta, promises to expand this roster, while assisting both established and early-stage companies. And startup assistance is available from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/venturelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EVentureLab\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;unit in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gra.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s commercialization program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDepending on the type and complexity of the medical device, the process of moving technology innovations from the research laboratory to the bedside can take years. Prototypes must be designed and improved upon, preliminary laboratory and animal tests must be conducted, and the safety and efficacy of many new medical devices must be tested in clinical trials. Most devices also require federal regulatory approval before they can be introduced into the marketplace.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis article examines various health care technologies developed at Georgia Tech that are in different stages of research, development and commercialization. The article includes devices designed for condition detection and diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, surgery, drug delivery, and rehabilitation and mobility assistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevices Designed to Detect and Diagnose Clinical Conditions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvancing the Detection of Neurological Conditions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETests capable of detecting early Alzheimer\u2019s disease are typically taken with a pen and paper and last about an hour and a half. Because of their length and expense, the tests are not used as regular screening tools.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University have developed a portable screening device called DETECT that makes quick neuropsychological assessments to identify mild cognitive impairment, which could indicate the early stages of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u0026nbsp;The device runs patients through a 10-minute battery of visual stimuli that requires simple responses, assessing cognitive abilities such as reaction time and memory capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResults of a 400-person clinical study conducted at Emory\u2019s Wesley Woods Center demonstrated that the DETECT test had accuracy similar to that of the pen-and-paper test.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe envision the DETECT test could be part of normal preventative care an individual receives from a general practitioner, like a prostate-specific antigen test or mammogram, serving as a cognitive impairment vital sign of sorts that can be tracked from year to year,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=20\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMichelle LaPlaca\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaPlaca and device co-creator David Wright, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Emory, founded a startup company called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.zendatech.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EZenda Technologies\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to commercialize the technology, which is currently being used in doctors\u2019 offices in Georgia and Alabama. DETECT also has potential for use in assessing concussion and mild traumatic brain injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor another project, researchers are focusing on one of the pencil-and-paper tests neurologists administer to quickly screen for signs of cognitive dysfunction: the clock-drawing test. For example, an individual being assessed is asked to draw numbers on a circle so that it looks like a clock, with hands pointing to \u201c10 minutes after 11.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo automate and standardize the administration and evaluation of the clock-drawing task, Georgia Tech researchers have designed a software program called ClockReader that allows users to complete the test on a tablet computer with a stylus pen. The software provides spatial, temporal and geometric sketch information, along with behavior data, including time required to complete the task and pressure of the pen. Physicians can also watch a video of how an individual drew the clock.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur software program has the potential to reduce the amount of time required to analyze the results of the clock-drawing test, which would hopefully promote more frequent administration to measure variation over time,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/ellen-do\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEllen Yi-Luen Do\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor with a joint appointment in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.arch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Architecture\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ic.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Interactive Computing\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn collaboration with Allan Levey, director of the Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Research Center at Emory University, more than 30 individuals with an average age of 75 tested the usability of the software. While most of the participants reported limited or no computer experience, their drawings using a stylus were almost identical to their drawings with a pencil and paper. The researchers are currently testing the software\u2019s value to physicians.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis project is supported by the National Science Foundation, Korean Institute for the Advancement of Technology, Atlanta Clinical \u0026amp; Translational Science Institute, Health Systems Institute, and the Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Research Center at Emory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENeuropsychological exams are also sometimes given to individuals who have suffered a concussion. Because walking and thinking at the same time can be especially difficult for these individuals, scientists hope to use that multitasking challenge \u2013 measured by a simple radar system \u2013 to quickly screen individuals who may have suffered brain injuries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy asking an individual to walk a short distance while saying the months of the year in reverse order, researchers at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GTRI) are trying to determine if that person is impaired. This simple test, which could be performed on the sideline of a sporting event or on a battlefield, has the potential to help coaches and commanders decide whether athletes and soldiers are ready to engage in activity again.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cResearch performed at the University of Oregon found that when a person with a concussion performs cognitive and motor skill tasks simultaneously, they have a different gait pattern than a healthy individual, and we are working to identify those anomalies in a person\u2019s walk with a radar system similar to those used by police for measuring the speed of vehicles,\u201d said GTRI research engineer Jennifer Palmer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers have successfully used this method to distinguish the gait patterns of healthy individuals wearing calibrated vision-impairment goggles \u2013 which have been shown by research to potentially simulate the visual impairment one might experience with a concussion \u2013 from the patterns collected when the individuals did not wear the goggles. GTRI research engineers Kristin Bing and Amy Sharma, principal research scientist (ret.) Eugene Greneker and research scientist Teresa Selee are also working on this project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimplifying the Detection of Cancer and Pneumonia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother GTRI researcher, Charlene Bayer, is developing a portable breathalyzer to detect the presence of breast cancer. Bayer, a GTRI principal research scientist, designed and tested the device in collaboration with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/medical-devices\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=86\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBrani Vidakovic\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/medical-devices\/www.bme.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E; Sheryl G.A. Gabram, a professor of surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology at Emory University; and University of Ulm professor Boris Mizaikoff.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen an individual exhales into the device, compounds in the breath are trapped for further examination. The sensing methodology combines gas chromatography \u2013 a technique for separating complex compounds \u2013 with mass spectrometry, which identifies the chemical makeup of a substance. Specific patterns in the compounds are then found and used to confirm the presence or absence of the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team conducted a clinical study analyzing more than 300 volatile organic compounds in breath samples of 20 healthy women over the age of 40, and 20 women recently diagnosed with stage II-IV breast cancer who had not yet received treatment. The results showed that the breath analysis was able to determine whether the sample came from a cancer patient or healthy subject 78 percent of the time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBayer recently completed a pilot study on individuals diagnosed with lung cancer, in collaboration with Suresh Ramalingam, an associate professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlso utilizing the exhalation of breath, a device called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mdinnov8.com\/MD_Innovate,_Inc.\/PneumoniaCheck.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPneumoniaCheck\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;could help identify the pathogens responsible for an individual\u2019s pneumonia. After an individual coughs deeply into the device, the apparatus segregates contents from the upper and lower airways without complicated valves, buttons or active user control.\u0026nbsp;The aerosol specimens captured from the lower lung can then be analyzed using commercial genomic DNA methods to determine the pathogen that should be treated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIdentifying the pathogens that cause pneumonia can be challenging because a high-quality specimen from the lower lung is difficult to obtain. PneumoniaCheck contains a filter to collect the aerosolized pathogens and excludes oral contaminants from the sample to improve specimen quality,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/ku.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Ku\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/ku.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWoodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech. Ku is also the Lawrence P. Huang Chair Professor for Engineering Entrepreneurship in the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/mgt.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECollege of Management\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and professor of surgery at Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPneumoniaCheck has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The device was designed by Ku, Georgia Tech graduate students Tamera Scholz and Prem Midha, and Larry Anderson, who worked at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while this research was conducted. Results of verification testing of the device were published in the December 2010 issue of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EJournal of Medical Devices\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFacilitating Diagnoses of Heart Disease and Ear Infections\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/degertekin.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELevent Degertekin\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is designing tiny devices micromachined from silicon that may make diagnosing and treating coronary artery diseases easier.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDegertekin, the George W. Woodruff Chair in Mechanical Systems, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/about\/personnel\/bio.php?id=45\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPaul Hasler\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech, micromachined intravascular ultrasound imaging arrays with integrated electronics. The devices can be inserted into one-millimeter-diameter catheters to image the arteries of the heart in three dimensions at high resolution using high-frequency ultrasound waves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe ability to integrate electronics on the same silicon chip is key for successful implementation of cost-effective, flexible catheter-based imaging arrays to reduce the number of cables and electronic interference noise,\u201d said Degertekin. \u201cCurrent piezoelectric transducer materials cannot be manufactured with the precision to implement these arrays.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe system boasts a more compact design and three-dimensional imaging capability for guiding cardiologists during interventions, such as those for completely blocked arteries. The technology also offers higher resolution than current intravascular ultrasound systems, which help diagnose vulnerable plaque, a leading cause of heart attacks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunding for this research currently is provided by the National Institutes of Health. To commercialize the technology, the researchers have formed a startup company called SIBUS Medical, which is receiving assistance from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.venturelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EVentureLab\u003C\/a\u003E, a unit of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that nurtures faculty startup companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother device that may be commercialized in the future is the RemOtoscope \u2013 a smartphone attachment designed for at-home ear examinations. Ear infections result in more than 15 million doctor office visits each year in the United States because diagnosing them requires direct observation of the child\u2019s eardrum and ear canal with a device called an otoscope.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=152\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWilbur Lam\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University, envisions a physician remotely guiding placement of the device and diagnosing the condition via real-time video consultation with parents at home. Diagnosing ear infections at home could result in significant savings to the health care system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe RemOtoscope attachment includes an illumination system that uses the smartphone\u2019s flash as the light source, an optical system to provide magnification, and a software application to record data to the phone. With funding from the Atlanta Clinical \u0026amp; Translational Science Institute, Lam plans to solicit physician feedback, improve the device based on that feedback, and conduct a double-blind study assessing the diagnostic image quality of the device.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnce we collect clinical data and quantify the diagnostic efficacy of the RemOtoscope as it compares to a conventional otoscope, we may be able to begin changing how ear infections are diagnosed and treated,\u201d added Lam.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevices Designed to Treat and Monitor Clinical Conditions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesigning Systems to Treat Ovarian Cancer and Pediatric Kidney Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is no FDA-approved continuous bedside dialysis device for children. When critically ill children need kidney dialysis, doctors are forced to adapt adult-size dialysis equipment. These adapted adult devices can withdraw too much fluid from a pediatric patient, leading to dehydration, shock and loss of blood pressure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address this problem, which affects at least 4,000 children in the United States per year, doctors and engineers teamed up to develop a kidney replacement device designed especially for children.\u0026nbsp;The prototype device is much smaller than existing dialysis equipment and works in tandem with equipment that supplements the function of the heart and lungs for severely ill patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have built a robust device that achieves automated and accurate fluid management,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=5\u0022\u003EAjit Yoganathan\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech Regents professor and the Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith funding from the National Institutes of Health, Yoganathan and Arvind Santhanakrishnan, a postdoctoral fellow in the Coulter Department, worked with Matthew Paden, an assistant professor of pediatric critical care at Emory and a physician at Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta, to design the device. The team is currently testing the prototype\u2019s biological compatibility and hopes to be ready for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;studies later this year and clinical trials in five years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/john-mcdonald\/?id=john-mcdonald\u0022\u003EJohn McDonald\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and chief research scientist of Atlanta\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ovariancancerinstitute.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOvarian Cancer Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, and research scientist Ken Scarberry are designing a similar system that would treat ovarian cancer. Comparable in principle to kidney dialysis equipment, the system would circulate a buffer solution through the peritoneal cavity to pick up free-floating cancer cells that have broken off the primary tumor. The device is the basis for a startup company called Sub-Micro.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdded to fluids removed from the abdomen, magnetic nanoparticles engineered to capture cancer cells would latch onto the free-floating cancer cells, allowing both the nanoparticles and cancer cells to be removed by magnetic filters before the fluids are returned to the body. In mice injected with ovarian cancer cells, a single treatment with an early prototype of the system captured enough of the cancer cells that the treated mice lived nearly one-third longer than untreated ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research, which was published in the January 2011 issue of the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENanomedicine\u003C\/em\u003E, has been supported by the Georgia Research Alliance, the Ovarian Cancer Institute, the Robinson Family Foundation and the Deborah Nash Harris Endowment.\u0026nbsp;Sub-Micro also has raised private funding to support its prototype development and is receiving assistance from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.venturelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EVentureLab\u003C\/a\u003E, a unit of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that nurtures faculty startup companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUtilizing Smartphones to Monitor Cancer Treatment and Parkinson\u2019s Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor individuals receiving treatment for cancer, complete blood counts are vital for assessing the degree of toxicity from treatment with chemotherapy or radiation, which places patients at high risk for serious infections and requires that they remain at home to prevent acquiring infections from public places.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstead of making weekly visits to clinics or commercial laboratories to have blood drawn, patients may one day use a cell phone attachment and software being developed by biomedical engineers to measure platelet count, neutrophil count and hemoglobin levels in real time at home. The information can be obtained from a single drop of blood obtained via finger prick.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnalogous to at-home glucose monitors that diabetics use, the device \u2013 called the Quantum CBC \u2013 uses a cell phone-integrated microscope to analyze the blood, which is loaded into a disposable cartridge. The cartridge contains a channel with a fluorescent dye that binds to platelets and white blood cells, along with quantum dots targeted to neutrophils.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUsing this system, patients could test themselves whenever and wherever they desire to determine when they are at risk for infection, when they can leave their homes and when they require a transfusion,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=152\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWilbur Lam\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECoulter Department\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University. \u201cThis device will empower cancer patients, allowing them to take an active role in their treatment and enhance their quality of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELam is collaborating on this project with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=2\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGang Bao\u003C\/a\u003E, the Robert A. Milton Chair in Biomedical Engineering and College of Engineering Distinguished Professor at Georgia Tech. It is supported by the Coulter Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlso using smartphone technology, researchers at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GTRI) have developed a novel iPhone application that may enable persons with Parkinson\u2019s disease to use the ubiquitous devices to collect data on hand and arm tremors and relay the results to medical personnel. The researchers believe the application could replace subjective tests now used to assess the severity of tremors, while potentially allowing more frequent patient monitoring without costly visits to medical facilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program, known as iTrem, utilizes the iPhone\u2019s built-in accelerometer to collect data on a patient. The application directly tracks tremor information and in the future may use simple puzzle games to record tremor data, which will then be processed and transmitted.\u0026nbsp;The GTRI development team presented a paper on iTrem in January at the 2011 International Conference on Health Informatics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe expect iTrem to be a very useful tool for patients and their caregivers,\u201d said Brian Parise, a research scientist who is principal investigator for the project along with Robert Delano, another GTRI research scientist. \u201cAnd as a downloadable application, it also promises to be convenient and cost-effective.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EiTrem will undergo a clinical study led by Stewart Factor, a professor of neurology at Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving Drug Dosing Following a Heart Attack\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA research team led by Georgia Tech mechanical engineering assistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/forest.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECraig Forest\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is designing a device to quickly and accurately personalize a patient\u2019s drug dosage to prevent blood clots that can cause heart attacks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen someone experiencing heart attack symptoms arrives at an emergency room, he or she typically receives a standard dose of aspirin and\/or clopidogrel to prevent further blood clotting. But that standard dose may not be the best dose for a given individual.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Forest\u2019s device, a small blood sample is sent through a microchip containing a network of microfabricated capillaries that mimic the branching coronary arteries around the human heart. Because the branches contain flow restrictions of different sizes, the failure of blood to flow through the branches with smaller restrictions indicates that a higher drug dose may be required.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis bedside device should be a huge improvement compared to the way dosage is determined today, which is by observing if the standard dosage leads to gastrointestinal bleeding, which means the administered drug dose was too large, or the patient has another heart attack, which means the dose was too small,\u201d said Forest.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmory University Department of Emergency Medicine assistant professor Jeremy Ackerman and Georgia Tech Regents professor of mechanical engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/ku.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Ku\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;are working with Forest on this project, which is supported by the American Heart Association.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving Treatment of Chronic Wounds\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen patients spend time in the hospital recovering, they may develop chronic wounds, such as pressure ulcers, stasis ulcers and diabetic ulcers. Approximately 20 percent of the hospitalized population in the United States suffers from these chronic wounds. By gathering information about the wounds over time, clinicians can identify wounds that may require different treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent methods and devices for wound measurement range from low-tech to high-tech. Simple ruler and tracing-based methods are easy to use but lack accuracy and reliability, and require contact with the wound. Devices using structured light and stereophotogrammetry methods are accurate and repeatable, but very expensive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.catea.gatech.edu\/staff\/sprigle.php\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStephen Sprigle\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Georgia Tech College of Architecture\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.catea.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ic.gatech.edu\/people\/thad-starner\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThad Starner\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ic.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Interactive Computing\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech, developed a low-cost, high-precision wound measurement camera. They received funding from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gra.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance\u003C\/a\u003E, tested the device at Atlanta\u2019s Shepherd Center rehabilitation hospital and recently licensed it to a medical technology company.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe hand-held device, which could be used by hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies, quickly determines and captures information on wound boundaries and wound area. The device provides fast, accurate and repeatable digital documentation of wound progression, a necessary component to validate payment from insurance and government agencies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving Rehabilitation for Hand Injuries and Balance Disorders\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStarner also is involved in the development of Mobile Music Touch, a device originally designed to teach people to quickly learn to play a musical instrument \u2013 but which is currently being investigated for use in hand rehabilitation. The device consists of a leather athletic glove with a small plastic box on the back and vibration motors attached to each finger. Wireless impulses from a computer, MP3 player or cell phone transmit signals to the device, causing a specific finger to vibrate. The user then presses that finger onto a key on an electronic keyboard, the key lights up and the note sounds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMobile Music Touch was created by Georgia Tech graduate student Kevin Huang. Currently, Starner, graduate student Tanya Markow, and architecture and computing associate professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/ellen-do\u0022\u003EEllen Yi-Luen Do\u003C\/a\u003E, are working with Deborah Backus, the associate director of spinal cord injury research at Shepherd Center, to investigate the device\u2019s potential for hand rehabilitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen people are injured, they may go through intense depression,\u201d said Markow. \u201cMusic can bring them a level of pleasure and enjoyment, and that\u2019s important because folks are dealing with the psychological aspects of being injured. It\u2019s soothing and relaxing \u2013 a way to raise their spirits.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn initial study with Shepherd Center patients indicated significant improvement in both sensory response and motor skills. Researchers found it particularly surprising because people with spinal cord injuries do not typically experience further recovery more than a year after their injuries. The researchers also were surprised that patients said they were more conscious of their hands, suggesting a change in their nervous systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the area of rehabilitation from balance disorders, Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eelectrical and computer engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eassistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/personnel\/publications.php?id=150\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPamela Bhatti\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is working on a system that uses inexpensive gyroscopes embedded in a visor to monitor patients during in-home rehabilitation exercises. These vestibular rehabilitation exercises can improve balance, thus reducing dizziness, disorientation and blurred vision during head movement, and ultimately the number of falls.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETypically, a physical therapist guides a patient through vestibular rehabilitation exercises and verifies proper execution, but the patient is unsupervised for in-home exercises. Bhatti\u2019s head angular motion-monitoring system (HAMMS) uses microelectronics and motion sensors to instantaneously capture angular head rotations during exercises in a user-friendly and untethered fashion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith a grant from the Atlanta Clinical \u0026amp; Translational Science Institute, Bhatti will use HAMMS as a data-logging tool to study the execution of in-home gaze stabilization exercises by patients in the Emory University Dizziness and Balance Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis device provides a user-friendly technique for tracking and optimizing rehabilitation exercises with real-time performance feedback, which I believe will result in improved outcomes, improved monitoring and reduced cost,\u201d said Bhatti.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESurgical Devices\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the area of minimally invasive cardiac surgery, researchers have developed a technology that simplifies and standardizes the technique for opening and closing the beating heart during surgery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApica Cardiovascular, a Georgia Tech and Emory University medical device startup, licensed the technology from the institutions. The firm recently received a $5.5 million investment to further develop the system, which will make the transapical access and closure procedure required for delivering therapeutic devices to the heart more routine for cardiac surgeons. The goal is to expand the use of surgery techniques that are less invasive and do not require stopping the heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith research and development support from the Coulter Foundation Translational Research Program and the Georgia Research Alliance, the company has already completed a series of pre-clinical studies to test the functionality of the device and its biocompatibility. James Greene currently serves as the CEO of the company, which has offices in Galway, Ireland, and in Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technology was invented by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/medical-devices\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=5\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAjit Yoganathan\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech Regents professor and Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering; Vinod Thourani, an associate professor of surgery and associate director of the Structural Heart Center in Emory University\u2019s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery; Jorge H. Jimenez, chief technology officer of the company, who received his Ph.D. from the Coulter Department; and Thomas Vassiliades, formerly an associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough another Georgia Tech-Emory partnership, researchers have developed a hand-held device called SpectroPen to help surgeons see the edges of tumors in real time during surgery. Statistics indicate that complete removal, or resection, of most solid tumors is the single most important predictor of patient survival.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022wp-caption-text\u0022\u003EThis hand-held device called a SpectroPen could help surgeons see the edges of tumors in human patients in real time during surgery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith funding from the National Institutes of Health, SpectroPen was designed by Coulter Department professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=40\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EShuming Nie\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and associate professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=41\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMay Dongmei Wang\u003C\/a\u003E. The researchers recently launched a startup company called SpectroPath to further develop and commercialize this technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe device detects tiny nanoparticles coupled to an antibody that sticks to molecules on the outsides of tumor cells. Nie and his collaborators have shown that the SpectroPen can detect tumors smaller than one millimeter in rodents. The device was described in the October 2010 issue of the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAnalytical Chemistry\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmory University radiology professor James Provenzale and surgeons at the University of Georgia\u2019s College of Veterinary Medicine are currently using this device during operations to remove naturally occurring tumors in dogs. University of Pennsylvania assistant professor of surgery Sunil Singhal is applying for approval to conduct clinical trials involving patients with lung cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDrug and Vaccine Delivery Devices\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new vaccine-delivery patch based on hundreds of microscopic needles that dissolve into the skin could allow individuals without medical training to painlessly administer vaccines \u2013 while providing improved immunization against diseases such as influenza. These microneedle patches could simplify immunization programs by eliminating the use of hypodermic needles, and their \u201csharps\u201d disposal and re-use concerns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health recently awarded $10 million to Georgia Tech, Emory University and PATH, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization, to advance the technology. The five-year grant will be used to address key technical issues and advance the microneedle patch through a Phase I clinical trial. The grant will also be used to compare the effectiveness of traditional intramuscular injection of flu vaccine against administration of vaccine into the skin using microneedle patches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe believe this technology will increase the number of people being vaccinated, especially among the most susceptible populations,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/prausnitz.php\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMark Prausnitz\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents professor in the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIf we can make it easier for people to be vaccinated and improve the effectiveness of the vaccine, we could significantly reduce the number of deaths caused every year by influenza.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrausnitz is also working with Georgia Tech postdoctoral fellow Samirkumar Patel and Emory Eye Center professor Henry Edelhauser to develop a hollow microneedle that can effectively deliver drugs to the back of the eye. This device could benefit individuals with retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, which can require injections on a monthly basis. Development of the device is supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Georgia Research Alliance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur hollow microneedle technology is less invasive than direct injection into the eye because the microneedle apparatus is an order of magnitude smaller than currently used intravitreal needles and its length is less than one millimeter,\u201d said Patel.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe hollow microneedle, fabricated from stainless steel, penetrates the white of the eye \u2013 called the sclera \u2013 to reach a unique location underneath it called the suprachoroidal space. Results published in the January 2011 issue of the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPharmaceutical Research\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;showed for the first time that nanoparticles and microparticles can be delivered in this way to target drug delivery to the parts of the eye needing therapy in diseases like macular degeneration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore recently, the researchers demonstrated that microneedle injections into the suprachoroidal space resulted in sustained concentrations of drugs and particles for several months, which could enable less frequent visits to the doctor for injections.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause we can use the microneedle to target a drug to this specific space in the eye, we believe we can minimize side effects while maximizing exposure of the drug to the tissues where it would be most effective,\u201d added Patel.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are currently forming a startup company based on the technology, which they plan to test in clinical trials in a few years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssistive Devices\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnhancing Mobility, Access for Persons with Disabilities\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Tongue Drive System is a wireless and wearable device that enables people with high-level spinal cord injuries to operate a computer and maneuver an electrically-powered wheelchair simply by moving their tongues.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/personnel\/publications.php?id=147\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMaysam Ghovanloo\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and his team have been recruiting individuals with high-level spinal cord injuries to test the system at the Atlanta-based Shepherd Center and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrial participants receive a clinical tongue piercing and tongue stud that contains a tiny magnet embedded in the upper ball. Users wear a wireless headset outfitted with sensors that track the movement of the magnetic tracer in the mouth. Software running on an iPod interprets the tongue commands and translates the information into commands for the wheelchair or computer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the trial, participants repeat two test sessions during a six-week period that assess their ability to use the Tongue Drive System to operate a computer and navigate an electric wheelchair through an obstacle course.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBased on previous studies, we expect that as users learn to use the system, they will move the computer cursor quicker and with more accuracy, and maneuver through the obstacle course faster and with fewer collisions,\u201d said Ghovanloo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research is supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.catea.gatech.edu\/staff\/sprigle.php\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStephen Sprigle\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rearlab.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERehabilitation Engineering and Applied Research Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech, also are designing devices to improve wheelchair users\u2019 experiences. To help elderly users who propel their wheelchairs with their feet, the researchers have designed a wheelchair seat based on tension support that allows users to sit low enough in the chair for their feet to touch the ground. The seat, which was licensed by The Posture Works, offers buttock support while maintaining a wheelchair\u2019s folding capability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor individuals with weak hands or poor hand sensation, it can be difficult to slow down or stop a manual wheelchair using friction on the hand rims attached to the wheels of the wheelchair. While earning his master\u2019s degree in industrial design at Georgia Tech, Jonathan Jowers designed a hands-on brake to help these wheelchair users slow down more easily and quickly, while reducing burning and fatigue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIndividuals with quadriplegia, paraplegia and muscular dystrophy have used the device to perform a series of deceleration maneuvers on a sloped surface. During the tests, the users were able to quickly and easily maintain speed, slow down and stop using the braking system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/medical-devices\/www.bme.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECoulter Department\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/medical-devices\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=104\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECharlie Kemp\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is designing robots to help people with limited mobility perform everyday tasks. Kemp designed a robot named EL-E that can find and deliver items that are highlighted with a simple laser pointer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe robot autonomously moves to an item selected with a green laser pointer, picks up the item and then delivers it to a selected person or location. EL-E can grasp and deliver several types of household items, including towels, pill bottles and telephones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHumans naturally point at things, but we aren\u2019t very accurate, so we use the context of the situation or verbal cues to clarify which object is important,\u201d said Kemp, who is also an adjunct professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECollege of Computing\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cRobots have some ability to retrieve specific, predefined objects, but retrieving generic everyday objects has been a challenge.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore recently, Kemp designed a robot named Dusty to retrieve small objects dropped on the floor. Using a wheelchair joystick, users drive Dusty to a position in front of an object and press a button. Dusty autonomously moves forward and scoops the object into a tray for delivery. The user can navigate the robot back and press the lift button, which commands Dusty to lift the tray to a comfortable height for the user to grasp the object.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn collaboration with the Emory ALS Center, Kemp\u2019s laboratory conducted a 20-person user study with individuals who have motor impairments. Participants were highly satisfied with Dusty, and found it easy to use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen Alpharetta, Ga., company Access Product Marketing wanted to add a cane to its line of mobility devices, the company came to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GTRI) for help. GTRI senior research scientist Brad Fain and his team designed a sturdy folding cane for the company.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team designed the tip of the Hugo folding cane so that it could bear heavy loads and be highly resistive to slipping. The cane was successfully tested with 550 pounds of weight applied. The cane was also designed with an interchangeable handle that could be chosen by each user.\u0026nbsp;The personalized handle feature came to the attention of the producers of the Fox television show, \u201cHouse, M.D.\u201d The main character, Dr. Gregory House, used a Hugo folding cane with a customized handle in more than eight episodes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIncreasing Sense of Touch and Awareness\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile using a cane can improve balance, wearing a glove with a vibrating fingertip might improve sense of touch. Georgia Tech researchers designed such a device and attached it to 10 healthy adult volunteers who performed common sensory and motor skill tasks, including two-point discrimination, single-point touch, texture discrimination and grasp tests. The results showed that the volunteers performed statistically better on all of the tasks when mechanical vibration was applied.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe device uses an actuator made of a piezoelectric material to generate high-frequency vibration. The actuator is attached to the side of the fingertip so that the palm-side of the finger remains free and the individual wearing the glove can continue to manipulate objects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis device may one day be used to assist individuals whose jobs require high-precision manual dexterity or those with medical conditions that reduce their sense of touch,\u201d said Jun Ueda, an assistant professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMinoru Shinohara, an associate professor in the School of Applied Physiology at Georgia Tech, and visiting scholar Yuichi Kurita worked with Ueda to design the device. Details were presented in May at the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Shanghai.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn another project, researchers led by Bruce Walker, an associate professor of psychology and interactive computing at Georgia Tech, are helping to refine and improve an automated driving coach system designed at the Shepherd Center to aid drivers with brain injuries and other cognitive deficits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe prototype system plugs into the car\u2019s power outlet. The driver receives intermittent verbal reminders to check mirrors, speed, and distance from other vehicles and objects. When the driver completes a task, he or she presses a button positioned on the car\u2019s armrest and then gets a brief verbal message of encouragement.\u0026nbsp;If the system reminds a driver to complete a task and does not receive a response within three minutes, the system\u2019s prompts increase in frequency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWalker\u2019s team gathered feedback from Shepherd Center patients who have used the automated driving coach to determine what speech and non-speech sounds and cues would be least intrusive and most helpful to its users.\u0026nbsp;They are currently conducting evaluations of advanced versions of the system in the new driving simulator located in the Georgia Tech School of Psychology. They also consult with Centrafuse\u2122, an Atlanta-based startup company that designs automotive software, on how to give the automated driving coach more functionality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Anschutz, the director of Shepherd\u2019s Assistive Technology Center, led the initial development of the device, with the help of driver rehabilitation specialist Michele Luther-Krug, vice president of technology Mike Jones and director ofbrain injury research Ron Seel.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe development of medical devices is a logical outgrowth of many research activities at Georgia Tech. Moving these devices from the laboratory into the clinic is becoming an increasingly important part of Georgia Tech\u2019s mission \u2013 and its collaborations with other institutions. The development and commercialization of medical devices supports Georgia Tech economic development goals and its mission of improving the human condition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith design and prototyping support from the Global Center for Medical Innovation and commercialization support from the Georgia Research Alliance and Georgia Tech\u2019s VentureLab, Georgia Tech will continue to advance the medical device industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cem\u003ET.J. Becker, John Christensen, Quinn Eastman, Rick Robinson,\u0026nbsp;Jane Sanders, David Terraso and John Toon also contributed to\u0026nbsp;this article.\u003C\/em\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"By harnessing its engineering, scientific and computing capabilities and its entrepreneurial tradition, as well as the Atlanta medical community, Georgia Tech is advancing the field of medical device design and bringing new devices to market."}],"uid":"28152","created_gmt":"2014-11-04 16:32:53","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:23","author":"Claire Labanz","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-11-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-11-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"340661":{"id":"340661","type":"image","title":"Research Horizons - Med Device - prototype microneedle patch","body":null,"created":"1449245585","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:13:05","changed":"1475895057","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:57","alt":"Research Horizons - 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