Browse Technologies

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One of the leading causes of deaths in developed countries is related to thromboembolism. PAR-4 (protease activated receptor-4) is one of two receptors on the human platelet that respond to thrombin, the central enzyme of coagulation.  Researchers here at Vanderbilt University have developed novel antagonists of PAR-4 that could be beneficial for patients allowing for normal hemostasis during treatment for thrombotic events.

Vanderbilt engineers have developed a robotic system for performing sinus and neurosurgery through the nose. This provides a less invasive way to access surgical sites in the sinuses and near the middle of the patient's head, leading to faster recovery times. The robot is modular and sterilizable with detachable cartridge-based instruments. Each instrument is a concentric tube robot, which is a needle-sized tool that can bend and elongate. The system delivers four of these instruments through a single nostril.

In this technology diffraction-based sensors made from porous materials are used for the detection of small molecules. The porous nature of the diffraction gratings that gives rise to an extremely large active sensing area enables a very high level of sensitivity. Specificity is achieved by functionalizing the porous gratings with selective binding species.

This device is designed to assist physical therapists in collection of objective data during gait analysis, to facilitate appropriate assistive gait device prescription, to provide patients and therapists feedback during gait training, and to reduce wrist and shoulder injuries with cane usage.Currently gait characteristics are "measured" in a clinic-based atmosphere. This has two limitations: (i) subjective allocation of "measures" of gait characteristics and (ii) limited data based on trials in the clinic ONLY. What this technology is designed to do is achieve freedom from both of these limitations. The measurements are objective and numerical values (force etc.) and the clinic could provide the cane to the user for obtaining a much more extensive data set including use during normal life activities at home etc.