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Innovation Showcase Projects 2004 Sessions co-hosted by MIT VCPE and MIT TechLink Biotech and Medical Devices MODERATOR: Tom Montminy - PricewaterhouseCoopers Entrepreneurial
Svcs Center
TinyTech and Emerging Technologies
IT/Communications
BABYBOOST Baby Boost, Inc. develops technologies and products to help reduce the incidence of asthma, the most prevalent lung disease in America. The problem with asthma is that there are only therapies to suppress its symptoms but no way to prevent it from developing in the first place. Baby Boost capitalizes on new but widely-accepted immunology research that shows that children who grow up in certain rural environments develop stronger immune systems. In fact, these children are up to 75% less likely to ever develop asthma. Baby Boost has developed a patent-pending method for reducing the risk of asthma in children by 1) isolating antigens from these environments that confer protection against asthma and 2) making them available in household products. Baby Boost currently markets a slow-release version of this technology called NatureWeave. NatureWeave is an embeddable technology designed to be licensed by manufacturers of consumer products for children. NatureWeave is suited for children under the age of 3 because their immune systems are not fully developed and are still amenable to being trained. Baby Boost, Inc. is comprised of a team of doctors and scientists from Harvard Medical School, MIT, and the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children.
HEALTHCARE OF THE FUTURE: A PERVASIVE COMPUTING MODEL FOR REDUCING
MEDICAL ERRORS IN HOSPITALS, CLINICS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS Between 45,000 to 98,000 people die every year in the US from medical errors. Medical errors are the fourth largest killer of people in the US - behind heart disease, cancer, and stroke! And the leading cause of death due to medical errors is patient misidentification, specimen and/or medication misidentification, all of which results in untold costs every year, not to mention high insurance premiums and expensive litigation. The objective of this project is to ensure the "Five Rights of Medication Safety" are achieved: Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Route, and Right Time - and minimize the human error factor. Many attempts to deploy sophisticated IT systems have failed primarily because the users – doctors, nurses, and other staff were simply turned-off by the system - it was just one more headache for them in an already hyper-stressed workplace. So our approach relies on taking the work-load off of the medical personnel, and guess-work from medicine. Our concept employs a combination of:
I-SHIELD TECHNOLOGIES I-Shield Technologies develops nanoscale-coating solutions for important biomedical problems using patent-pending technologies developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Medical School. Our products focus on enhancing the longevity of orthopedic artificial joints and improving the performance of breast implants. I-Shield's coatings for hip and knee replacements drastically reduce the formation of wear particles, the primary cause for revision surgeries. The technology will enhance the lifetime for the 600,000 hip and knee implant recipients annually in the U.S., an estimated annual market of $3.5B. Competing technologies to reduce the wear rate also decrease the mechanical stability of the implant, a problem not faced by our product. Our coatings for breast augmentations and reconstructions eliminate non-specific tissue interaction and infection, the leading causes of failure for 20% of the 270,000 surgeries. Currently there are no differentiated products in this $250MM annual market that address this problem. Through licensing the technology to a hip and knee implant manufacturer and entering a technology-sharing co-branding partnership with a breast implant manufacturer, we believe our company can become cash-flow positive in its second year and create over $84MM of cumulative cash-flow in the first 6 years.
CONTACT PRINTING: BRIDGING NANO-LITHOGRAPHY WITH INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION Nano-devices are the wave of the future, but creating them remains an extremely slow process. This project seeks to develop a new method called nano-contact printing, or NCP. If successful, it will enable the quick reproduction of a large number of nano-patterns and nano-devices. The advantages are impressive. NCP would enable the inexpensive production of a large number of nano-devices in a short amount of time. Examples of such devices include DNA sensors, protein analyzers, micro- and nano-fluidics channels, single electron transistors, optical biosensors, and metallic wires. With the prior support of an Ignition Grant, this project showed that the printing method works and that all of the predicted advantages are in place. The new phase will continue perfecting NCP and exploring its versatility, and at the same time target a specific application and try to develop a marketable product.
MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORM FOR HIGH-DENSITY MULTIPLEXED
BIOLOGICAL ASSAYS Advances in genomic and proteomic research have generated a strong need to reduce the costs and increase the capabilities of hybridization assays that identify and quantify genetic or protein targets in biological systems. Current miniaturized assay systems on the market include microarrays and high-density multiplexed assays. Limitations of the former include poor accuracy, high cost, and single-sample use. The latter can only test for between 10 and 100 targets in a sample. The platform proposed here uses microfluidic channel networks to carry out thousands of biological assays in parallel on a glass slide, This would solve the major problems faced by competitors and capture a share of their $1.5 billion market, which is projected to grow 50% over the next five years.
A NEW CLASS OF EXCIPIENTS FOR THE STABILIZATION OF THERAPEUTIC PROTEINS
AND THE PROMOTION OF PROTEIN REFOLDING Before a drug can enter clinical trails or the marketplace, a stable formulation of the active ingredient must be developed. Presently, this is accomplished by heuristic screening of the stability and bioavailability of active ingredients in various well-known delivery vehicles. Because this is a limited and relatively unguided screening, some therapeutics fail to be stabilized, and consequently can never can be commercialized. Recent research in our laboratory has uncovered the mechanism by which some prevalent formulation additives confer stability onto protein therapeutics. This understanding has led to the design of an entirely new class of additives which exemplify the beneficial traits of the best additives currently on the market to a much greater extent. These new additives have the potential to revolutionize pharmaceutical protein formulation by making formulations easier to develop and by stabilizing notoriously difficult molecules. Further, because the mechanisms of function of these additives are well-understood, there is the potential for stronger and broader patent protection of pharmaceutical formulations.
ULTRA FAST-SLOW ACTUATION VOLTAGE RF MEMS SWITCH Manufacturers in industries from cell phones to satellites are looking for ways to create next-generation radio frequency products, even as current solid-state components reach their physical limitations for improvement. Radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) may provide a solution, particularly in the replacement of solid-state switches that have mediocre RF on/off performance. RF MEMS switches have not yet made it to market, however, largely because of technical obstacles – high actuation voltages, integration difficulties, slow actuation speeds, reliability issues, high packaging costs – that result from fundamental limitations in current actuation techniques. This project will create an RF MEMS switch that utilizes a completely new MEMS actuation method. This switch would provide increased reliability, lower actuation voltages, and faster switching speeds. The new design could lead to the first successfully commercialized RF MEMS switch, with application in a wide range of markets, including military radar, satellites, semiconductor test equipment, and consumer wireless.
IONIC COLLOIDAL CRYSTALS Ionic colloidal crystals (ICC) are an exciting family of materials that have fascinating properties. Cousins of naturally occurring opal gemstones, these materials promise a broad range of novel and tunable properties that could enable new functionalities in applications such as ultrafiltration, microfluidics, catalysis, drug delivery, photonics, and ferroic devices. This project uses theory and experiment to identify colloid-chemical conditions under which ICCs are most easily formed. It seeks to determine practical fabrication conditions as the first step towards assessment of manufacturability and demonstration of prototype materials and devices. If these experiments are successful, they could open up a whole new field of study.
INTEGRATED, INTELLIGENT CHEMISTRY SYSTEMS: REVOLUTIONIZING THE CHEMICAL
LAB The potential for greatly improving the sophistication and productivity of present-day chemistry laboratories represents a ripe market opportunity. This project aims to seize that opportunity by developing a personal chemistry system. The idea is to transform the classical chemical lab, with its batch wise synthesis and analysis, into a compact personal chemistry system capable of rapid, continuous discovery and development of new products in pharmaceutical, fragrance, advanced materials, and specialty chemicals industries with less use of resources and generation of waste. The system employs integrated microchemical systems that require less space, are easier to vent, use fewer utilities, produce less waste, and are in some ways safer than synthesis setups in chemical fume hoods. They also allow high throughput experimentation. The project's prototype would have the potential to revolutionize chemical research and development.
AN ALL-SOLID, COMPACT, FAST, LARGE-STROKE ACTUATOR The innovative idea is a type of actuator, i.e. a device that converts an input electric current (drive) into an output strain (actuation). The present device is based on ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy (i.e. FSMA) Ni2MnGa single crystals, and is able to produce 5-10% strain at blocking stresses of 3 MPa without movable parts. Vis-à-vis actuator materials of comparable strain, Ni2MnGa-based actuators are orders of magnitude faster. Compared with actuator materials capable of actuation at frequencies around and above 1kHz, this technology means a 10 to 100-fold increase in strain at about 1 kHz (but lower stress levels; the energy density of Ni2MnGa however is the largest among active materials). Weight and volume considerations preclude the compensation of the latter limitation by clustering of actuators in current state-of-the-art FSMA-actuators. The novelty of the proposed device is its drive technology, which enables compact, and small FSMA-actuator designs. It provides way to overcome the stress-output limitations, and makes possible air-borne applications and miniaturization.
FAST, INEXPENSIVE NANOLITHOGRAPHY: THE KEY ENABLING TECHNOLOGY OF
THE NANO ERA We aim to build and sell the key enabling technology for the burgeoning field of nanotechnology, i.e. nanolithography. Our unique technology is capable of providing nanoscale resolution and fast writing speeds at a cost that is significantly lower than conventional lithography tools. By leveraging our technology as the enabler for nanotechnology, we believe that our tools will become pervasive in this field. Six patents cover all aspects of the technology from the system-level to the component-level.
3D CIRCUIT BOARDS ENHANCE ELECTRONICS AT LOW COST Printed circuit boards (PCBs) form the backbone of many kinds of electronic systems and represent a market topping $30 billion annually. Traditionally, they have provided mechanical support for and electrical interconnections among electrical components. As component and power densities have increased, however, PCBs have taken on additional functions, such as conducting heat away from electronic components (heat sinking). Conventional circuit-board technology is not well suited for this additional functionality and is increasingly limiting the size and performance of electronic equipment. This project aims to develop an enhanced circuit board with three-dimensional patterning of one or both of the board's outside layers. Three-dimensional circuit-board (3DCB) technology has the potential to overcome the limitations of existing PCB technology at low cost, while preserving much of the conventional manufacturing framework. This would benefit a wide range of applications in which size and power density are important, including power supplies, radio-frequency and microwave circuits, and portable electronics.
PHOTONIC CRYSTAL RIBBON-BEAM POWER AMPLIFIER FOR THIRD GENERATION
AND FUTURE WIRELESS BASE STATIONS Wireless companies are investing big in third-generation (3G) networks, hoping to create a market for a whole new breed of wireless applications. A critical component of 3G and future wireless base stations is the radio-frequency power amplifier. But the high cost and limited bandwidth of existing, solid-state amplifiers may make building a full-scale 3G wireless network unviable. Moreover, the drawbacks of solid-state amplifiers intensify with an increasing data rate. To address these problems, this project explores a novel photonic crystal ribbon-beam traveling-wave amplifier (PCRB TWA) based on the general principles of recently invented photonic crystal electron devices. The research could be used to design a new generation of vacuum electronic devices with improved performance. A 3G wireless network built with this amplifier technology could generate $100 billion annually.
TONAL MANAGEMENT FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO As resolution, or number of megapixels, in digital cameras reaches a plateau that matches most casual needs, better tonal and color processing are becoming crucial. Computational tools developed in this research perform tonal managements to prevent under- and over-exposure, improve tonal modeling, and enhance the overall tonal balance in photographs. They would be a crucial step in the imaging pipeline, either on board the camera or in software as a post-process. This technique springs from a previous project, supported by an Ignition Grant that demonstrated a new approach to reducing extreme contrast in digital photography. It could enhance photography in low-light conditions, as well as capture style from master photographers (e.g. Ansel Adams). The technology could have a major impact on digital photography - a $3 billion-per-year market with 25% annual growth - and video, as well as medical imaging and video surveillance, where it is crucial to ensure the visibility of all parts of an image.
CAPRI: A PARAMETRIC GEOMETRY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CAD-BASED ENGINEERING
DESIGN AND ANALYSIS CAPRI is a CAD-vendor neutral geometry management software that can enable a seamless integration of CAD and CAE tools across an engineering enterprise. Engineering companies spend enormous resources in transferring a product design (CAD model) from the design environment in CAD systems to the analysis environment where structural, fluid, and other analyses can be performed. The underlying geometry of the product in the CAD system requires time-consuming repair of the surfaces and features to ensure that the analysis software can accurately mesh (discrete representation) and produce a meaningful result. This process can be very costly for complicated geometry features in products and especially if the design and analysis teams are not collocated. CAPRI can take a CAD model and turn it into a representation, that is not only guaranteed to be true to the CAD model, but also packages it in a "watertight" form for analysis in a seamless, hands-off fully automated manner. In addition, CAPRI also allows the analysis team to perform critical redesign tasks as parametric changes and feature suppression, as well as other geometry processing functions efficiently from the analysis environment without the need to go backwards to the design environment, i.e. the CAD system. The engineer/analyst can therefore deliver a final finished product back to the product design, eliminating the need to transfer the geometry in and out of the CAD system during the design process. In addition, the CAD-neutral functionality means that CAPRI can be seamlessly used with major CAD vendors without any change to the engineering software in the analysis environment (structural, fluid analysis, etc. codes). We believe the total capability offered by CAPRI is unique among current geometry management software and has the potential of significantly reducing design cycle time and development costs in an engineering enterprise.
DETECTING VIRUS ATTACKS WITH NEW COMPILERS Security flaws are a substantial problem for firms operating in today's networked computing environment. Attackers can exploit security holes to damage or steal important data, interrupt the operation of the business, or inject fabricated information. The prospect of a successful attack is troubling enough to cause firms to spend large sums on system administration; the potential recovery costs from a successful attack are quite large. Some of the most important security vulnerabilities are caused by buffer-overrun vulnerabilities that enable an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary code. Examples of attacks that exploit these kinds of vulnerabilities include the Code Red and Slammer viruses. With newly available compiler technology, it is possible to automatically generate code that detects all such attacks and halts the program before the attack can take effect. While this approach prevents the execution of the injected code, it can leave the system vulnerable to denial of service attacks. We have improved this technology to generate code that enables the program to continue to execute through the attack while preventing the memory corruption and resulting injected code execution that is the source of the vulnerability. The expected end result is a more robust and secure system.
ADDING VIRTUAL COLLISION HAZARDS TO ACTUAL DRIVING FOR TRAINING
AND RESEARCH The idea is to create the experience of highway driving hazards (unexpected vehicles or other objects on collision course) by adding computer-generated images to the driver's direct or video view of the actual road ahead using an instrumented head-mounted display. The driver drives an actual automobile on a road or test track with no other actual vehicles. Thus the driver experiences what is unsafe to provide in on-the-road driver training or research, yet with perfect motion sensation, which is a critical ingredient. Accurate motion cues can only be approximated in driving simulators (e.g., the just completed 80 million dollar National Advanced Driving Simulator on which the writer consulted). Preliminary tests have demonstrated the feasibility of the idea. Both professional and student driver training offers a huge market, since the experience we are creating (and testing/training in proper anticipation/steering/braking to such unexpected events) is essentially lacking in existing training, even though experiencing and knowing how to respond to such moving hazards is critical to safety. We also see this technique being used for research on the effects of distractions caused by cell phone use and other in-vehicle information systems, as well as effects of aging, alcohol and drugs.
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MIT School of Engineering
© Copyright 2002-2005
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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