{"46327":{"#nid":"46327","#data":{"type":"news","title":"McMurray Tapped to Lead GTRI?s Food Processing Technology Division","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGary McMurray, a long-time research engineer with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), has been appointed chief of GTRI\u0027s Food Processing Technology Division, succeeding Craig Wyvill, who retired in April.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMcMurray brings to his new position two decades of experience designing and building advanced robotic systems for the food, transportation and biomedical industries.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Gary has the vision to diversify our revenues and expand our critical Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP), which is one of the major activities within the Food Processing Technology Division,\u0022 said Rusty Roberts, director of the Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems (ATAS) Laboratory, which oversees the division.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERanked as one of the top programs of its kind in the country, ATRP works closely with Georgia agribusiness, especially the poultry industry, to develop new technologies and adapt existing ones for specialized industrial needs. Researchers focus efforts on both immediate and long-term industrial needs, ranging from advanced robotic systems to improved wastewater treatment technologies to machine-vision grading and rapid microbial detection. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMcMurray currently leads a project to develop a \u0022smart\u0022 deboning system. The system uses computer vision and other sensing technologies to recognize and react to size and shape differences of a carcass to perform precision cuts that optimize yield (the amount of meat removed from the bone) while reducing the risk of bone fragments in finished product.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Food Processing Technology Division also conducts significant industrial research under Georgia\u0027s Traditional Industries Program for Food Processing, which is managed through the Food Processing Advisory Council (FoodPAC). FoodPAC enhances the competitiveness of Georgia\u0027s food industry, and through the Traditional Industries Program, has helped GTRI to commercialize some of its developments while also adapting them to the needs of such industries as bakeries and fruit processors.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile food processing technologies remain the division\u0027s research priority, funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation has allowed researchers to develop technologies for the transportation industry. For one project, GTRI researchers developed a system capable of automatically placing reflective pavement markers along highway lane stripes from a moving truck.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESince division researchers have core expertise in automation, information technology, food safety, worker safety and environmental technology, McMurray plans to further expand the division\u0027s research focuses into areas including biomedical devices, unmanned and autonomous systems, and biofuels.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We are mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, software engineers, image processing experts and many of our core competencies transfer very nicely into areas outside of food processing,\u0022 said McMurray.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMcMurray has personally initiated collaborations with physicians at Emory University to develop new technology to support doctors performing minimally invasive procedures and add new functionality to these procedures. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHe is currently developing a new breed of endoscope -- the medical devices used to inspect spaces inside the body -- that will allow doctors to focus their attention on inspecting the space rather than manipulating the medical device. For colonoscopies, doctors must currently guide a specialized endoscope through the patient\u0027s colon by pushing the endoscope and controlling the orientation of the instrument\u0027s tip while simultaneously watching a video monitor that displays images captured by the endoscope\u0027s camera. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDivision researchers are also collaborating with other ATAS researchers to develop and test unmanned and autonomous systems. These systems are recognized as critical components to all aspects of modern warfare across the joint forces, and they are growing in mission effectiveness. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to leading the division\u0027s research efforts, McMurray will also lead a $3 million fundraising campaign to expand the 36,000-square-foot Food Processing Technology Building by an extra 10,000 square feet. Bettcher Industries, Inc., a world leader in designing and manufacturing food processing equipment and cutting tools, was the first company to support the construction with a donation of $125,000.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022While the building holds facilities to conduct research in automation technology, information technology and environmental systems, it\u0027s not large enough for our food safety, human factors and bioprocessing research,\u0022 explained McMurray.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMcMurray earned his bachelor\u0027s and master\u0027s degrees in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1985 and 1987, respectively. He lives in Smyrna with his wife Stephanie -- also a Georgia Tech graduate -- and sons Ben, 7, and Alex, 5.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMedia Relations Contacts: Abby Vogel (404-385-3364); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:avogel@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eavogel@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E); Kirk Englehardt (404-407-7280); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kirkeng@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ekirkeng@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E); or John Toon (404-894-6986); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"McMurray Spent Two Decades Designing and Building Advanced Robotic Systems for the Food, Transportation and Biomedical Industries"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"Gary McMurray, a long-time research engineer with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), has been appointed chief of GTRI\u0027s Food Processing Technology Division, succeeding Craig Wyvill, who retired in April.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"McMurray lead GTRI\u0027s Food Processing Technology Division"}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2009-05-12 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:03:14","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2009-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2009-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"46328":{"id":"46328","type":"image","title":"Gary McMurray","body":null,"created":"1449174401","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:26:41","changed":"1475894416","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:40:16","alt":"Gary McMurray","file":{"fid":"101100","name":"tbl35227.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbl35227_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbl35227_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":742051,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tbl35227_0.jpg?itok=a-f4w4bk"}},"46329":{"id":"46329","type":"image","title":"Gary McMurray","body":null,"created":"1449174401","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:26:41","changed":"1475894416","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:40:16","alt":"Gary McMurray","file":{"fid":"101101","name":"tuh36582.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tuh36582_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tuh36582_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1107291,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tuh36582_0.jpg?itok=aH5XKxe2"}},"46330":{"id":"46330","type":"image","title":"Gary McMurray endoscope","body":null,"created":"1449174401","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:26:41","changed":"1475894416","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:40:16","alt":"Gary McMurray endoscope","file":{"fid":"101102","name":"tza36670.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tza36670_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tza36670_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":40852,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tza36670_0.jpg?itok=GS2cDHxK"}}},"media_ids":["46328","46329","46330"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/foodtech.gatech.edu\/","title":"GTRI Food Processing Technology Division"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"669","name":"agriculture"},{"id":"670","name":"atrp"},{"id":"116","name":"food"},{"id":"671","name":"foodpac"},{"id":"665","name":"gary"},{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"666","name":"mcmurray"},{"id":"668","name":"poultry"},{"id":"195","name":"processing"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"168","name":"Transportation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Vogel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["avogel@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}