Stage 1 E-Teams ($5,000)
Aeronics // University of Pittsburgh
Aeronics is developing the mediPOD (medical Portable Oxygen Device), which uses microporous materials to store an hour’s supply of oxygen at low pressure in a 12 oz. aluminum soda can.
Assistive Surgical Arm for Interventional Oncology // University of Georgia
This team has developed a compliant surgical arm with a surgeon-friendly design that transitions from flexible to stiff with the press of button.
Cellsius // University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez
Cellsius is developing a new solar module that can significantly reduce electricity costs through the use of plastics and a simple mechanism that allows two axes movement, generating more energy per day using the same quantity of cells.
Crystics // Case Western Reserve University
Crystics is developing a portable, fast and inexpensive device to diagnose gout.
Phoenix-Aid // University of Virginia
Phoenix-Aid is a safe, cost-effective and comprehensive wound-care dressing designed to prevent infections and accelerate the healing of chronic wounds.
Revere Biosciences // Rice University
Revere Biosciences has developed an innovative tissue engineering solution to rapidly, non-invasively and with high sensitivity monitor which genes are being expressed within an animal.
Smart Stroke Rehab // New York University
Smart Stroke Rehab is developing modular, portable, mechatronic stroke rehabilitation solutions in the form of a jacket, a glove, and a hand-held device to rehabilitate the arm, fingers, and hand.
SpotDrop // California Polytechnic State University
SpotDrop is developing the SpotDrop Emitter, a precisely adjustable emitter for drip irrigation systems that allows growers to custom set the flow rate at each plant.
Viastem // University of Alabama
Viastem is developing a mechanical cell-dissociator for bioreactors, an accessory to large-scale stem cell bioprocessing.
Wavergy // City College of New York
Wavergy has developed an ocean wave energy-capturing device that efficiently utilizes waves’ full motion.
Stage 2 E-Teams ($20,000)
Accuo // Johns Hopkins University
Lumbar punctures to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are performed over 400,000 times a year by neurologists and emergency medicine physicians, but there are frequent complications, procedure failures and diagnostic delays from hitting peripheral structures or missing the intended target. EchoSpine is a novel smart-sensing tool that will aid physicians in collecting CSF on the first attempt, without hitting peripheral structures.
AgroSpheres LLC // University of Virginia
Residual pesticides on the surface of fruit cause great aggravation to farmers, especially vineyards: they can kill the yeast during fermentation, and the workers (and consumers) who are exposed to the pesticides can face dire health repercussions. AgroSpheres’ bioparticles solves the problem by degrading the pesticide on the surface of the produce, making it safe to handle and consume.
palmm// Stanford University
Palmar hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating of the hands and affects 4.3 million Americans both professionally and socially. Current methods of treatment are inefficient, inconvenient or invasive. The palmm team has come up with a small wearable device, either a bracelet or flexible patch, that delivers therapy overnight.
Sensen // Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Innovations in almost every field of development engineering, including clean water, improved cook stoves, and solar lanterns suffer from inadequate methods of data collection and user feedback. Response bias, lack of data granularity, and prohibitive expenses make life harder than it needs to be. Today’s sensor and mobile phone technology can significantly reduce both the time and money required to gain the critical field data necessary for both monitoring and evaluation of new technologies. Sensen is a platform technology that can be used in emerging markets to allow organizations to seamlessly gather sensor-based data on the use and impact of their interventions.
SubQ Assist// University of Michigan
Long-term forms of contraception are generally preferred by both governments and women around the world, but they require more advanced training to administer, making it a challenge to provide access to them in low-resource settings. SubQ Assist is developing an assistive medical device that dramatically reduces the training required to administer subcutaneous contraceptive implants. The device ensures accurate insertion of the contraceptive implant and minimizes the risk of incorrect placement.
TacWorks // Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Students with blindness cannot easily measure and draw straight lines with high precision and accuracy. Tactile Caliper is a geometric instrument for students with blindness that will measure and draw straight lines with precision. It is a step toward increasing accessibility of STEM in K-1, allow for an inclusive education setup that lets students be on par with their sighted peers.