Emerging Innovations

Beam Steering for Lidar Applications That Steers Beams Across Wider Angles Than Competing Technologies

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 21:07:28 +0000

Beam Steering for Lidar Applications That Steers Beams Across Wider Angles Than Competing Technologies Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 14:07

Background

Beam steering is an important factor in LIDAR, microscopy, telescopes, and optical wireless communications. In each of these areas, there is a need for a large sensing range using components with limited range. Additionally, There is a need in the sensor market for lower-power, smaller, and lighter high-performance technologies.

Technology

Researchers at the SM�� have developed a novel technique for one and two-dimensional beam steering with tunable liquid lenses. The researchers have demonstrated wide steering angles and an adjustable beam that shows distinct advantages over other non-mechanical techniques. This technique exhibits a fast response time, low power consumption, and the ability to be miniaturized, making it an attractive commercial opportunity. This technology will lead to improved scanning for LIDAR and other optics applications where a large steered beam is critical.

Advantages

Current alternative optical beam scanning solutions include mechanical solutions, which are often prone to mechanical failure, and non-mechanical solutions which are each subject to their own limitations. The proposed method is a nonmechanical solution that offers a large range of tunable focal lengths, fast response times, low power consumption, and durability.

Applications

LiDAR for Autonomous and Assisted Driving
Microscopy
Telescopes
Optical Communications

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

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Tuning the Molecular Interaction of Enzymes with Solvents via Polymer Modification

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 17:32:36 +0000

Tuning the Molecular Interaction of Enzymes with Solvents via Polymer Modification Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/07/2023 - 10:32

This method uses polymer modifications to tune enzyme activity for increased solubility in non-native solvents.

Background

Tuning the miscibility of enzymes in non-native solvent environments has important implications for the use of enzymes in industrial chemical transformations. Traditionally, because the preparation and purification of enzymes can be costly, enzymes are used as heterogeneous catalysts, which facilitates their separation and recycling but can severely impact their activity. One approach to leverage the benefits of heterogeneous and homogeneous biocatalysis entails using responsive materials that permit the miscibility of the enzyme to be altered adaptively. In this approach, the thermodynamic interactions between the enzyme and solvent may be varied via modification with materials that have switchable properties. By modifying an enzyme with such materials, the enzyme may be transferred between heterogeneous and homogeneous states in the reaction solvent. These methods have been demonstrated in aqueous solutions; this work extends these methodologies to non-aqueous (non-native) solvents.

Technology Overview

Researchers at the SM�� have demonstrated the use of polymer modification to specifically modulate the interactions of enzymes with non-native solvents. This approach allows one to rationally tune the interactions of the enzyme-polymer conjugate with the solvent in a thermoresponsive manner within a desired temperature range. By rationally altering the composition of the polymer, the solubility and temperature of the phase separation can be quantitatively controlled and tuned. This approach ultimately permits the advantages of homogeneous (high activity, low diffusional limitations) and heterogeneous (recyclability) biocatalysis in non-native solvents to be exploited.

Key Results

The activity of the enzyme can be tuned by increasing its solubility in a desired solvent. The enzyme can be readily recycled via sequential dissolution and precipitation, without loss of activity. The enzyme can also be reversibly shuttled between a non-aqueous solvent and buffer in response to changes in temperature.

Stage of Development

Proof of Concept.

Benefits

Dramatic enhancements in activity in non-aqueous media due to increase in solubility.
Ability to tune the critical phase transition temperature.
Liquid-liquid extraction.
Easy recovery of enzyme (e.g., through temperature depending precipitation of liquid-liquid extraction.

Applications

Biocatalysis
Bioseparations
Bionanotechnology
Drug delivery

Opportunity

Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing. SM��4825B

Patents

Provisional patent filed. Available upon request.

IP Status

Provisional patent

Seeking

Licensing

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

Professor Joel Kaar’s research group has modified enzymes with co-polymers. By tuning the composition of the co-polymer, one can tune the solubility of the enzyme polymer conjugate in non-aquaeous solution, while still retaining the activity of the enzyme.

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Immunization for Cocaine Addiction and Relapse

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:56:49 +0000

Immunization for Cocaine Addiction and Relapse Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/07/2023 - 09:56

A non-pathogenic environmental bacterium has potential to reduce relapse-like and addictive behavior associated with cocaine use.

Problem

Psychostimulant addiction is a major public health burden with no current FDA-approved treatment and a pressing need for new medications. Intensive efforts are being directed toward discovering therapeutic candidates for cocaine and amphetamine addictions.

Solution

Research teams led by Dr. Chris Lowry of SM�� Boulder and Dr. Thomas Keck of Rowan University are investigating the translational potential of a novel immunotherapy that entails immunization with mycobacterium M. vaccae, a nonpathogenic environmental bacterium for its potential to reduce relapse-like and addictive behavior assocaited with cocaine use. Preliminary in vivo data looks promising and given the excellent safety record of M. vaccae therapy in clinical trials, path to efficacy studies and clinical development seems viable.

Market Application

Applications for the technology include cocaine rehabilitation and relapse.

What's Next?

This team is seeking partners and funding to move closer to clinical use.

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

Research teams led by Dr. Chris Lowry of SM�� Boulder and Dr. Thomas Keck of Rowan University are investigating the translational potential of a novel immunotherapy for its potential to reduce relapse-like and addictive behavior associated with cocaine use.

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Carbon-Negative Hemp-Lime Composite

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 20:40:18 +0000

Carbon-Negative Hemp-Lime Composite Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 01/02/2023 - 13:40

This invention is a hemp-lime composite material that stores more carbon dioxide than is emitted during its manufacture.

Background

Hempcrete is a hemp-lime composite material used predominantly in building insulation applications. Hempcrete slowly carbonates over its lifetime. Accelerating the carbonation during manufacturing will lower the embodied carbon of the hempcrete. In addition to carbon reductions, actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing (for example, as a bound carbonate product in hempcrete) it is essential to meet the Paris Climate goals of not exceeding a 1.5C rise in average global temperature.

Technology

A combination of low-impact hempcrete formulations and accelerated carbonation during life cycle stages A1-A3 manufacturing guarantees hempcrete formulations with the absolute lowest embodied carbon.

When comparing to other hempcrete materials on the market, the EPDs (i.e., cradle-to-gate LCAs) of these protected formulations would report the lowest cradle-to-gate embodied carbon and prove to customers that the material is, in fact, net-carbon negative.

Further Details

Stage of Development

Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 4.

Benefits

Lowest embodied carbon
Increased efficiency of optimized material formulations
Customers eligible for maximum carbon offset and storage revenue through marketplaces (e.g., through Aureus Earth)
Increased early-age strength gain with carbonation

Applications

Wall, floor, and roof thermal insulation
Modular panel infill
Sound insulation
Premanufactured blocks
Geofoam substitute

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

This invention is a hemp-lime composite material that stores more carbon dioxide than is emitted during its manufacture.

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Method for Fabricating Corrugated Gate Dielectric-Semiconductor Interface Transistor

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 21:45:04 +0000

Method for Fabricating Corrugated Gate Dielectric-Semiconductor Interface Transistor Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/06/2022 - 14:45

Background

Today’s trend in semiconductor chip manufacturing involves the miniaturizationof transistors and increasing the density of transistors per integrated circuit. Researchers at SM�� Boulder have developed a corrugated gate dielectric-semiconductor interface that can be easily incorporated into the existing semiconductor manufacturing technology to improve the transistor device performance.

Fig. 1. a) Cross-section and b) three-dimensional view of the corrugated gate dielectric structure. c) A corrugated gate dielectric thin film field effect transistor with highly p-doped Si as the gate, SiO2 as the gate dielectric, Ph-BTBT-10 as the semiconductor, and Au source and drain electrodes.

Technology

The invention involves the introduction of micrometer-or nanometer-scale corrugations on the gate dielectric of transistors, particularly thin film field-effect transistors. We call this device a corrugated gate dielectric-semiconductor interface transistor. The corrugations can be patterned using semiconductor processing techniques, such as ultraviolet (UV) photolithography, electron beam lithography or nanoimprint lithography. The patterns are subsequently etched using reactive ion etching (RIE) and atomic layer etching (ALE) to produce the final corrugated gate dielectric layer. The presence of corrugations that run parallel to the length of the semiconductor channel from source to drain results in enhanced transistor device performance, specifically improvement in the “on” state drain current, higher on/off ratio and higher charge transport mobility compared to conventional planar gate dielectric transistors.

IP Status

Provisional Patent Filed

What's Next?

This technology is available for exclusive and non-exclusive licensing.

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

Today’s trend in semiconductor chip manufacturing involves the miniaturization of transistors and increasing the density of transistors per integrated circuit. Researchers at SM�� Boulder have developed a corrugated gate dielectric-semiconductor interface that can be easily incorporated into the existing semiconductor manufacturing technology to improve the transistor device performance.

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Sequestration of Macronutrients from Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment with Steel Processing Residuals

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 20:26:42 +0000

Sequestration of Macronutrients from Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment with Steel Processing Residuals Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/06/2022 - 13:26

Background

Anaerobic digestion is the most common process used to reduce sewage sludge volume in the world. Digestion is a low-tech treatment process which has two high-volume byproducts which are relevant to steel slag products: (1) stabilized biosolids, which are land applied as fertilizers and (2) natural gas which is burned for heat and electricity. Digesters are employed to create renewable energy at most large wastewater treatment plants. Despite these benefits, anaerobic digestion is a relatively fragile microbiological process, the efficiency of which is sensitive to a variety of factors. Alone, anaerobic digestions also transfer potentially valuable phosphorus and sulfur species into byproducts. Thus, there is a need in the art for an anaerobic digestion wastewater treatment process that is more robust than those currently available, and that sequesters phosphorus and sulfur directly in the digester.

Technology Overview

Researchers at SM�� Boulder have addressed these needs by the addition of residuals from iron- and steel-making processes, known as slag. Particularly, certain types of steel slag granules or fines. Specifically, the addition of basic steel slag particles to the anaerobic digestion process improves biogas production by enriching the methane content. This is due to the sequestration of hydrogen sulfide and phosphorus.

Benefits

Enriched methane content in biogas
Sequestration of macronutrients such as sulfur and phosphorus
Slag can be reused as fertilizer after sequestration

Applications

Commercial wastewater treatment

Patents

US11225427B2

IP Status

Patented

Seeking

Development partner
Commercial partner
Licensing

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

Improvements to anaerobic wastewater treatment by the addition of steel-making by-products.

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Acid-Resistant Inorganic Composite

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:35:10 +0000

Acid-Resistant Inorganic Composite Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/06/2022 - 12:35

Background

Unanticipated microbial-induced concrete corrosion (MICC) continues to challenge the underground conduit networks that make up an important part of urban infrastructure. One of the most aggressive and ubiquitous forms of MICC stems from the biologically mediated production of sulfuric acid in sewers. Population centers around the world share this serious and growing problem. In the United States, local governments spend approximately $50 billion in the construction, operation, and maintenance of over 800,000 miles of sewers annually. In order to rehabilitate and expand the wastewater infrastructure, the United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that $271 billion is needed over the next generation, a substantial fraction of which is dedicated to directly respond to widespread biogenic corrosion that is significantly reducing the service life of buried sewers. Sewer service life reductions result from the fact that conventional ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete is rapidly compromised by biogenic sulfuric acid attack, producing gypsum and amorphous silica from the cementitious binder. The non-load bearing quality of gypsum leads to severe structural deterioration and, ultimately, pipe failure. Mitigation strategies for microbial-induced concrete corrosion are often short-term, relatively expensive, and site-limited. In order to provide in-situ acid protection for OPC concrete sewers, operators have used surface coatings and linings, concrete binder additives, and, even, antimicrobial additives.

Technology

Researchers at the University of Colorado have developed a method to create an acid-resistant inorganic coating to be applied to concrete sewer pipe conduit. The inorganic cements are made from a low-calcium metakaolin-based alkali-activated cement (AAC). The cements are doped with inorganic polyvalent cations (e.g., magnesium, iron, copper, cobalt), resulting in even lower permeable porosities and smaller acid corrosion depths compared to OPC.

Advantages

This acid resistant additive has the potential to increase the lifespan of OPC used for sewage 3-5X, essentially avoiding as many lifecycle CO2 emissions related to OPC production. A popular mitigation practice includes the use of acid resistant, cured-in-place resins. While seemingly effective in resisting acid exposure, the associated cost of these materials is high ($390-900 per linear meter), they require special curing conditions, and may not prevent corrosive gas infiltration, seriously compromising the effectiveness of this mitigation practice. Further, with the exception of antimicrobial additives, these mitigation strategies do not address one of the underlying causes of MICC in these environments: acidophilic microbial growth. However, incorporation of biocidal metals that, in micromolar concentrations, can function as antimicrobial agents into an alkali-activated cement (AAC), an acid-resistant alternative to OPC.

What's Next?

This technology is available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing.

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

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Fast Turn-on and Fast Turn-off Techniques for Power Converters

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 19:50:42 +0000

Fast Turn-on and Fast Turn-off Techniques for Power Converters Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/01/2022 - 13:50

Background

Modern automotive LED drivers have two major control requirements in order to vary the LEDs’ light intensity without adverse effects such as flicker: (1) precise regulation of the LED current, and (2) high-resolution dimming. High-resolution dimming is typically implemented using pulse-width modulated (PWM) dimming. To achieve high-resolution PWM dimming, the converter must be able to quickly turn the output current on or off. To meet fast turn-on and turn-off times, it is advantageous to minimize the need for large output filter capacitors and internal energy storage. Conventional LED driver dc-dc converters, which typically operate at hundreds of kHz, raise issues with AM radio interference.

Technology Overview

Researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder have developed a new method of supplying power to LEDs that improve turn on/off time while avoiding flickering. The Integrated Magnetics Cuk Converter has all the magnetic components of the converter integrated onto one structure. This layout minimizes the input and output current and results in improved dynamic performance due to reduced capacitance requirements.

Stage of Development

Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 3.

Benefits

43% faster rise time
83% reduction in fall time
No radio frequency interference

Applications

Vehicle headlights
LED signage

Opportunity

Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing.

Patents

“DC-to-DC Drivers with High Resolution Dimming.” Alihossein Sepahvand, Dragan Maksimovic, Khurram Afridi. October 29, 2019. Patent #: US 10,461,633

IP Status

Patented

What's Next?

Looking for licensing opportunities.

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

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Self-Healable, Recyclable, and Reconfigurable Wearable Electronics Device

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 19:43:00 +0000

Self-Healable, Recyclable, and Reconfigurable Wearable Electronics Device Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/01/2022 - 13:43

Background

Stretchable, flexible electronics has attracted tremendous attention in the past 2-3 decades due to the combination of its superior mechanical attributes and electrical performance. This type of electronics can be applied in places that are not accessible by traditional rigid printed circuit boards. This is especially important for wearable electronics which can be applied onto the surface of the human body to provide many useful functions such as tracking and monitoring physical activity, health condition, delivering drugs, human computer interface and virtual/augmented reality. Unfortunately, mass production of applications like these generate large amounts of electronic waste. By 2021 electronic waste is estimated to reach 52.2 million tons, and the majority of this cannot be appropriately recycled. The consequence is large amounts of heavy metals and other hazardous substances entering the eco system, and the loss of precious metals.

Technology Overview

Researchers at the SM�� have invented a multifunctional wearable electronic system that combines advances in materials, chemistry and mechanics to enable superior stretchability, self-healability, recyclability and reconfigurability. This electronic system heterogeneously integrates rigid, soft and liquid materials through a low-cost fabrication method. Such multifunctional system can provide physical motion tracking, body temperature monitoring, and sensing of acoustic and electrocardiograph signals.

Further Details

Heterogeneous integration of rigid, soft, and liquid materials for self-healable, recyclable, and reconfigurable wearable electronics

Stage of Development

Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 6.

Benefits

Flexible, stretchable, wearable
Recyclable
Self-healable
Reduced cost
Reconfigurable

Applications

Robotics
Healthcare
Prosthetics
Virtual reality

What's Next?

Looking for licensing opportunities.

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

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Barcoded tracking combinatorial engineered libraries (bTRACE)

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 19:38:10 +0000

Barcoded tracking combinatorial engineered libraries (bTRACE) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/29/2022 - 13:38

Background

The advent of highly efficient genome engineering technologies that enable site-specific manipulation of chromosomes offers exciting opportunities for industrial strain engineering. However, the utility of rapidly constructed strain libraries is limited by the lack of downstream analysis tools that can effectively assess the combinatorial diversity and mapping of genotype-phenotype relationships at distal sites in the genome.

Technology

A SM�� research group has developed a method to track combinatorial mutants with single genotype resolution at the scale of up to several dozen sites. This approach, barcoded tracking combinatorial engineered libraries (bTRACE), works by assembling genome engineered sites with cell-specific barcodes into a format compatible with high-throughput sequencing technologies. This technology utilizes a systematic approach, an automated software based primer design tool, and an understanding of multiplexed linking PCR chemistry to rapidly and inexpensively genotype combination of mutations that occur in single genotypes or diverse populations.

Figure 1

Further Details:

Zeitoun RI, Pines G, Grau WC, Gill RT. Quantitative Tracking of Combinatorially Engineered Populations with Multiplexed Binary Assemblies. ACS Synth Biol. 2017 Apr 21;6(4):619-627. Epub 2017 Jan 24. PMID: 28103008.

Zeitoun RI, Garst AD, Degen GD, Pines G, Mansell TJ, Glebes TY, Boyle NR, Gill RT. Multiplexed tracking of combinatorial genomic mutations in engineered cell populations. Nat Biotechnol. 2015 Jun;33(6):631-7. Epub 2015 Mar 23. PMID: 25798935.

Benefits

Stitching of distal genomic sites
Automation of primer design
Screening genetic mutations in a heterogeneous population of cells such as bacteria
Genotyping mutations in single genotypes
Rapid and inexpensive

Patents

Issued US Patent 10,793,851
Issued US Patent 10,793,851

IP Status

Patented

What's Next?

Looking for licensing opportunities.

Contact

Nicole Forsberg: nicole.forsberg@colorado.edu

A SM�� Boulder research group has developed a method to track combinatorial mutants with single genotype resolution at the scale of up to several dozen sites. This approach works by assembling genome engineered sites with cell-specific barcodes into a format compatible with high-throughput sequencing technologies.

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