University Inventions #1
Sensors to eliminate back pain, Simple Programming for Kids and Hands Free Electronics
Welcome to University Inventions! Each week, we will send you 3 new inventions or technologies that have been created by universities that are available for licensing and partnerships. We hope you find these both informative and encouraging. Whether you’re a tech guru, business mogul, or a VC we’re positive you’ll find each of our discoveries entertaining and fascinating!
1) Lifting Coach
Lifting Coach is a sensor system designed to mitigate the risk of on-the-job back injury. This system includes insole sensor hardware and accelerometers that integrate with a mobile application for real-time feedback. The app audibly warns users when they use a high-risk posture or operate beyond their load capacity. It also advises users to take breaks or make postural changes. Lifting Coach helps employers manage operations and adjust work practices by recording workers’ risk estimation results for each shift and generating daily reports that indicate worker fatigue and exertion.
Integrates easily into worker outfit.
Provides real-time mobile app feedback.
Reduces long-term impacts of acute lower back injury.
Records and analyzes long-term lifting exposure data.
Enables worker scheduling motivated by individual safety metrics.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, injuries to the back resulted in 19.6 percent of work nonattendance cases related to injury in 2012. Many workers, even after recuperation, encounter risk of further injury by repeating poor lifting practices.
Our Thoughts: Possible Game changer for high risk posture jobs, especially when it comes to workers comp claims and work related injuries
University: University of Utah
2) StoryMakAr: Augmented Reality that Brings Stories to Life
Researchers have integrated a new toolkit to teach augmented reality (AR) and computer programming to k-12 students while encouraging skills in technology, communication, collaboration, and creativity through storytelling. Current toolkits involve high fidelity prototyping which is often expensive and creates a steep learning curve for students. This approach combines block programming, plug-and-play controls, low fidelity prototyping materials. This setup is compatible with a smart phone application, which allows students to have easier accessibility to software programs. There are two main aspects to StoryMakAR, which are Design MakAR Event MakAR, working together to transform virtual ideas into physical reality. This innovative setup includes off-the-shelf head mounted displays, sensors, custom printed circuit boards, and a variety of 3D printed objects. In testing with fifty-two high schoolers in one-hour sessions, positive feedback was given by teachers and students regarding the overall learning experience with specific regard to creative components.
Low-cost
Educational
Accessible
Our Thoughts: Innovative way to teach kids programming skills. Cost and application will be the true test.
University: Purdue University
3) Touch-Free Control of Devices
A team of researchers from the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have developed a portfolio of patented innovations that harness depth sensing technology to analyze human motion for touch-free control of devices and motion capture. This “Touch-Free Control of Devices” invention includes a new sensor modality and algorithms that facilitate a human-machine interaction using 3D visual cues from a camera, without additional devices or touch screens.
Human-machine interface for touch free interactions with devices such as:
computers - web-browsing, data entry
television - gesture-based remote controls
smart phones
gaming consoles
Motion capture for:
animation
task demonstration and teaching for industrial and robotic applications
rehabilitation and athletics
Surveillance and security
Touch-free - no surface has to be touched and no additional input device (such as a mouse, touchpad, or trackball is required)
Our thoughts: This seems to be the future of technology. Apple has already developed similar software for their products.
University: Standford University
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