Award Data

This project will develop a Socially-Assistive Robot (SAR) to provide cognitive training, in the form of learning to play the piano, to improve cognitive functioning and reduce feelings of loneliness in socially-isolated older adults. The SAR will administer cognitive training via guided practice on a set of standard piano lesson tasks designed to reflect particular cognitive functions: memory, at ...

Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence is estimated to 1% of the general population in the United States. A shocking 30% to 60% (according to studies) of patients with AF are unaware of their diagnosis (silent AF). Most AF patients will suffer from congestive heart failure or/and develop thromboembolic events leading to a dramatic reduction of patients’ quality of life, and a significant c ...

ABSTRACT SUMMARY In previous studies we identified novel non hematopoietic umbilical cord blood stem cellsnhUCBSCsthat could be expanded to high passages and exhibit restorative properties following ischemic brain injury repairWe found that the high passaged cells were equivalentif not even betterthan the low passaged nh UCBSCsThis finding suggests that these cells can serve as a source of highly ...

The Bumps: A Device for Rapid, Non-Invasive Quantification of Touch Sensation Abstract !Our proposal describes an elegant device called the Bumps that quantifies finger pad touch sensation at low micron levels. The objectives are to diagnose peripheral neuropathy near its onset, when the possibility for reversal is highest, and to monitor either progression or reversal of neuropathy during treatme ...

Project Summary Abstract The advent of the Zika virusZIKVepidemic around the world has and will cause problems for the correct diagnosis of flavivirus infectionsFor many yearsDENV serological diagnosis was relatively straightforwardHoweverafter the recent ZIKV epidemiccross reactive antibodiesAbsgenerated after ZIKV infection will bind to DENV even if the patient has never had DENVThe only FDA app ...

Opportunity: Guayule, a US native plant, is the only alternate rubber crop with an established, mechanized, agronomic system. Problem: Low rubber yields and lack of effective resin and bagasse coproduct valorization, have prevented widespread adoption by American farmers and processors. Rubber is only made when the cytoplasmic monomer pool (isopentenyl-pyrophosphate; IPP) is larger than that requi ...

In this program, Morton Photonics (MP) and its STTR partner Professor John Bowers and his research group at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) will develop two truly disruptive integrated laser devices: (1) A broadly tunable integrated laser with ultra-low linewidth, ultra-low relative intensity noise (RIN), and high output power; the Integrated Coherent Tunable Laser (ICTL), whi ...

Nanoscale, material sensitive, imaging techniques are critical for progress in many disciplines as we learn to master science and technology at the smallest dimensions — on the nanometer to atomic-scale. However, progress in both science and technology is becoming increasingly limited by the constraints of current imaging techniques and metrologies. Fortunately, by combining coherent extreme UV ...

Most standard-of-care tools and techniques for evaluating neck disorders are subjective, unreliable, and do not provide actionable information for providers, payers, and organizations to deliver efficient and effective care. This lack of objective neck he

This Phase II project aims to assemble the key set of sensor modalities that are needed to reliably view the key process anomalies and properties of laser powder bed fusion. The research team will down-select from the Phase I sensors investigated and integrate the sensors into a sensor fusion software package that facilitates data collection and synchronization, and eventually feedback control of ...