Vanderbilt inventors have developed and tested a device (C-in) and method that would shift the current invasive, risky surgical procedure of cochlear implantation to a less invasive outpatient procedure.
TagDock is an efficient rigid body molecular docking algorithm that generates three-dimensional models of oligomeric biomolecular complexes in instances where there is limited experimental restraint data to guide the docking calculations. Through "distance difference analysis" TagDock additionally recommends followup experiments to further discriminate divergent (score-degenerate) clusters of TagDock's initial solution models
Vanderbilt researchers have developed a novel method for contactless simulation of the central nervous system. This technique involves the use of infrared neural stimulation (INS) to evoke the observable action potentials from neurons of the central nervous system. While infrared neural stimulation of the peripheral nervous system was accomplished almost a decade ago, this is the first technique for infrared stimulation of the central nervous system.
An assistive device for individuals with upper extremity neuromuscular deficit has been developed by researchers at Vanderbilt. This device is specifically designed for patients having hemiplegia following stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and other disabilities and conditions, who may have severe muscle weakness or inability to fully control an upper limb. In order to facilitate use of the upper limb, the patient can wear the device as a substitute for or a supplement to the patient's volitional movement.
Vanderbilt researchers have designed a laser speckle imaging device to detect parathyroid gland viability during endocrine surgery, during which otherwise healthy parathyroid glands are prone to devascularization leading to long-term hypocalcemia. Currently, the surgeon must use his or her best judgement regarding the health of the parathyroid gland. This technology removes the guess work from the decision and provides a real-time assessment of the parathyroid viability.
Vanderbilt researchers have created a new multi-organs-on-chip platform that comprises Perfusion Control systems, MicroFormulators, and MicroClinical Analyzers connected via fluidic networks. The real-time combination of multiple different solutions to create customized perfusion media and the analysis of the effluents from each well are both controlled by the intelligent use of a computer-operated system of pumps and valves. This permits, for the first time, a compact, low-cost system for creating a time-dependent drug dosage profile in a tissue system inside each well.
Vanderbilt University researchers have developed a novel approach for creating dynamic, tunable reflective color displays using an electrochemical modulator. The technology can be implemented into devices requiring low power reflective color displays, such as smart watches and e-readers, and is adaptable for spectral control across a broad spectrum of frequencies from the visible to the far infrared. This technology provides a low power, tunable approach for modulating the optical properties of a material.
Vanderbilt researchers have developed a novel MRI-based method for fast, robust, and accurate imaging of biological tissue by selecting a specific cell size range (such as tumors) without the need for a contrast agent. One exciting application of this method is imaging brain metastases (BM) that are difficult to differentiate from other brain abnormalities such as radionecrosis when using existing approaches.
Vanderbilt researchers have synthesized porous adsorbent materials for the capture of toxic industrial chemicals. These adsorbent materials have finely dispersed reactive sites that allow for higher adsorption capacities than existing materials. They can be used in filters for the military, homeland security, first responders, and for a wide range of industrial and commercial catalysts to capture toxic gases such as ammonia and sulfur dioxide.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have developed a new method of producing microscale and nanoscale ferroelectric fluids. These particles are useful in a variety of piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and electrooptic devices such as thin-film capacitors, electronic transducers, actuators, high-k dielectrics, pyroelectric sensors, and optical memories.
