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32899 – UCF researchers have developed a photodetector able to operate at room temperature and measure spectral ranges including microwave, THz, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR while maintaining image detail. Current commercial photodetectors are limited by the sensor’s spectral responsivity, requiring multiple sensors or unique configurations to image and sense a wide spectral range. A new nanostructured... Read More
33098 – Graphene phototransistor provides up to 40 percent change in channel conductance for spectral sensing and situational awareness applications Currently, there are no fast, highly sensitive graphene-based photo detectors with a narrow but broadly tunable bandwidth for spectral sensing and situational awareness applications. Extensive effort has been made in this direction through the... Read More
31603 – This invention provides means and methods for the creation of an optical distance sensor comprised of a laser, hybrid (digital and analog) lens for ideal distance range and resolution, and an optical imager to measure target path length. The invention also makes use of a beam splitter to allow for remote sensing of object distance, motion displacement, 3D structure and spatial profile. ... Read More
30305 – A micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device that incorporates its own UV radiation source and thin film technology to detect hydrogen at low concentrations and at room temperature Hydrogen gas is currently used for a variety of industrial, commercial and scientific purposes. While extremely useful, it is also highly combustible, even at concentrations as low as 4% by volume. The... Read More
31879 – Sensitive, real-time monitoring at high temperatures Turbine engines play a prominent role in power generation and aircraft propulsion. The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that by 2020, gas turbines will account for 40% of the U.S. power generation industry. Current turbine designs have been limited by the lack of sensors capable of providing reliable, detailed physical and chemical... Read More
30559 – The design of a differential Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor made of a twice split input wavefront, into the x-, y- and z-axis, that are each sampled by a lenslet array and compared to determine the wavefront’s local curvature In any optical system, aberrations are present in the light’s wavefront. These aberrations are deviations from a perfect spherical wavefront. These errors come... Read More
30733 – Integrated sensor characterizes optically dense materials by distinguishing the scattering and absorption coefficients of the materials from the incident light. Non-invasive monitoring of various patients’ parameters, such as glucose concentrations, offers many advantages over invasive measurements. Patients could monitor themselves intermittently or continuously, without the need to... Read More
33425 – Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) are highly important for ion detection. Paper-based ISEs are a simple, low cost, and disposable alternative to conventional solid-contact ISEs. However, widespread use of paper-based ISEs has been limited due to poor detection limits (in the micromolar range), reliability, and selectivity. UCF researchers have developed novel ultra-sensitive paper-based ISEs... Read More
32399 – Induction heating occurs when eddy currents heat conductive material due to the inherent electrical resistance. The traditional use of a highly conductive metallic material slightly reduces induction heating by reducing the amount of energy introduced into the material via the skin effect, but the resulting induction heating may still be too high for certain applications. For example,... Read More
33162 – UCF researchers have invented a passive wireless sensor system that includes a piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator that can be configured to sense one or more physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, viscosity, and mass. This system is complementary metal oxide semiconductor based, which utilizes silicon substrates and fab line processing techniques, and is... Read More
30949 – A nanoceria based regenerative radical sensor for plasma testing, food quality control, or drug development UCF researchers have developed an electrochemical sensor for the measurement of free radicals, or materials that generate free radicals, in solution. Ideal for biomedical, pharmaceutical, or sensor companies, this sensor has a long lifetime with the option of multiple uses. With an... Read More
30939 – Methods and apparatus for efficiently generating the reagents (quantum dots with a partial and/or fully semi-conducting outer shell for the selective detection of several substances) and the optical system for detecting said substances. The rise of industry has provided humanity with numerous benefits. Unfortunately, harmful byproducts often result from these advancements. For example,... Read More
31571 – The invention provides the means, materials and methods for creating an in-line passive micro-mixer to be combined with a micro-fluidic sensor. This device makes use of variations in side-wall shapes to alter the flow rates of miscible liquids. These side-wall shapes are comprised of polymer resins cast from a silicon wafer mold. The field of micro-fluidics is growing rapidly, with... Read More
32433 – UCF researchers have developed a way to detect small pattern changes in sensed data, particularly in field monitoring applications, using auto-modulating pattern (AMP) detection. Small pattern changes are difficult to identify in the presence of substantial environmental effects that act as noise and conceal them. In some situations, such as monitoring the tilt of a retaining wall over time... Read More
33957 – New detection system can scan gas mixtures from a distance and provide quantifiable data about specific chemicals in the mixture. Researchers from UCF and the United States Navy have invented an optical detection system designed to identify and quantify the chemicals in a gas mixture from a distance and in real time. The new system can provide a 3D mapping/readout of the mixture’s... Read More
34078 – Innovative 4D biosensor technology with shape-memory recovery enables integration with implantable systems for electrical measurements. Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a novel 4D biosensor for lab-on-a-chip and wearable sensor applications that is more cost-effective and easier to manufacture than current technologies. Made of dynamic, stretchable, packaged... Read More
34204 – Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed an inexpensive, reliable sensor that can rapidly and simultaneously detect traces of multiple heavy metals in water. With its unique biopolymer-metal composite thin film, the device provides improved sensitivity for identifying toxins in situ, including mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, thallium, lead and zinc. ... Read More
31566 – The field of microfluidics is aimed at developing miniaturized devices that can robustly sense specific properties of a sample utilizing minimal sample volumes. Development of biological and chemical microfluidic sensors is challenging due to the lack of adequate packaging platforms and standardized tubing. Creating connections between various microfluidic devices is cumbersome due to fragile... Read More
33502 – According to the World Health Organization, vector-borne diseases account for more than 17 percent of all infectious diseases, causing more than 1 million deaths annually. Confirmed cases of Dengue fever (DENV), Zika (ZIKV) or chikungunya (CHIKV) in the Americas over the past few years now pose a heightened risk for epidemics in the U. S., as well as in the traditional endemic areas like... Read More
30257 – UCF researchers have designed a reliable, easy to manufacture, and inexpensive microfluidic portable water sensor with disposable cartridges—capable of determining microbe growth, chlorine content, purity, or temperature. Microfluidics, or “lab-on-a-chip” technology, is experiencing explosive growth in the fields of chemistry, biology, electronics, and computers. These small devices work... Read More
33871 – New MEA fabrication technology enables the development of rapid assays with 3D cell-based biosensors for toxicity testing, disease modeling and optical/electrical stimulation of cell types. Exploded view of the 3D MEA: 3D microtowers, metallization, laminate insulation and containment culture well with a close-up of 10 recording sites per patch. Fully functional for “disease in a... Read More
33693 – Invention Provides Communication Networks with a Low-Cost Optical Circulator on a Single Chip UCF researchers have developed an innovative optical circulator and methods for monolithically integrating the device onto a single semiconductor substrate. The device consists of an on-chip design that is broadband, color preserving, compact and integrable with physical processes that are... Read More
34429 – Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a simple, inexpensive solution for fabricating 3D metal microelectrode arrays (MEAs) and microneedle platforms. Compared to current technologies, the UCF makerspace technology overcomes issues such as brittleness, high expense, complexity, and unrepeatable processes. As a result, the invention offers cost-... Read More
34077 – New passive accelerometer design enables the development of wireless, lightweight movement sensors for industrial and consumer uses, including smart, Internet of Things products in healthcare, lifestyle and defense applications. Researchers at the University of Central Florida have designed a wireless sensor that can accurately detect and transmit an object’s acceleration or vibration... Read More
33898 – Innovation aids counselors in diagnosing and treating a child’s behavioral disorder using quantifiable evidence from play therapy sessions. UCF researchers have designed a system that mental health professionals can use to capture and track quantifiable data about a child’s development and behavior during therapy sessions. The Science of Play system works in real time, monitoring... Read More
33034 – A new method of signal amplification has been developed by a UCF researcher to offer improved signal amplification utilizing optical gain rather than traditional gain in the detector. The novel approach to optical signal amplification does not require active electronic elements, avoiding problems such as thermal run away that can cause a detector to become inoperative in harsh environments.... Read More
32827 – Rapid and accurate detection of trace gases and vapors at parts-per-billion mixing ratios is critical in applications from environmental monitoring to military objectives and homeland security. Conventional analytical instruments tend to be bulky, expensive, limited to the detection of a single analyte—or require advanced training to distinguish and identify the characteristic signals of... Read More
33396 – UCF researchers have developed an automated detection system aimed at helping to prevent and reduce the number of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) contracted during medical procedures. The new System for Detecting Sterile Field Events tracks activity during training or an actual medical procedure and identifies actions (such as contact-related events) that violate the sterile field and... Read More
33687 – New device enables telecommunications networks and high-performance computers to transfer data through tight twists and turns at light speed and without energy loss Researchers at UCF and the University of Texas at El Paso have designed and developed a device that can bend and steer data-carrying light beams through tighter turns and with higher efficiency than current technologies. The... Read More
33853 – New system can generate detailed images of internal body structures and identify defects embedded in electronic circuits UCF researchers have designed a new imaging system that captures detailed, 3D views of an object’s internal structures and is more affordable, compact and transportable than other systems. The invention is safe to use for both medical and scientific applications, since... Read More
33010 – Most commercially available quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are edge-emitting, yet this invention from University of Central Florida involves ring-cavity surface-emitting QCLs (RCSE-QCLs) that are concentrically nested to combine power, coupled to insure coherent emission, and phase controlled with integrated optical delays to engineer the beam profile. This novel method obtains high-power... Read More
31191 – This invention embodies a thermal conduction switch based on shape memory alloy material to provide on-demand heat transfer between reservoirs kept at different temperatures Thermal conduction switches play an important role in heat management for numerous systems. They are used in spacecraft and satellites for applications such as cooling of reservoirs and equipment, and long-term... Read More
34143 – New amplification scheme enables manufacturers to build low-power, low-loss devices for communications, wireless sensors. Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a novel, low-cost acoustoelectric (AE) amplification scheme that resolves the issues found in transistor-based amplifiers and existing AE amplification systems. All transistor-based amplifiers suffer from a... Read More
32122 – Compressed sensing, which is often based on random measurement bases, is a useful technique that samples and significantly compresses a signal at a much faster rate. However, currently available methods have two key challenges; when used in practical systems, such as computed tomography, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), random measurement is incompatible... Read More
31028 – Methods and apparatus for creating a portable non-invasive glucose monitoring system, which includes a sensing solution containing specially-designed nanoparticles sensitive to very minute changes in glucose level. Diabetes mellitus is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is a medical disorder characterized by persistent variable hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels),... Read More
33601 – Fabrication technology creates stretchable circuits for advanced imaging and wearable electronic devices UCF researchers have developed a new fabrication process for making stretchable electronic and optoelectronic devices, circuits or systems that can conform or deform to specific shapes. The new process enables manufacturers to make circuits for advanced imaging systems, wearable... Read More
33246 – Among the various types of two dimensional (2D) materials, graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS) have received the most attention. Researchers have noted that although graphene has a very high carrier mobility, the lack of a band gap limits its application in nanoelectronic and optical devices. Known for their extraordinary electrical, mechanical, and optical properties, single-layer and... Read More
32918 – The Capillary Ionic Transistor (CIT) nanodevice provides control of ionic transport through the nanochannel by gate voltage for use by pharmaceutical companies, medical instruments companies, hospitals, research organizations, microelectromechanical systems companies, and the chemical industry. Nanofluidic devices such as ionic diodes and ionic transistors form key elements in ionic... Read More
33441 – New systems leverage vehicle and roadside technologies to thwart head-on collisions caused by wrong-way drivers Researchers at UCF and the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) have patented methods for systems that help prevent head-on collisions when drivers wrongfully enter roadways. The technologies (UCF IDs: 33441, 33714 and 33716) can be used to alert and stop wrong-way drivers... Read More
33827 – Multi-Sensory, Interactive Training Unit Lets Combat Medics See, Feel and Treat Lifelike, 3D Wounds UCF researchers have invented an innovative, multi-sensory, interactive training system that realistically mimics wounds and provides constant, dynamic feedback to medical trainees as they treat the wounds. Almost like a video game in real-life, the Tactile-Visual Wound (TVW) Simulation Unit... Read More
33758 – New low-cost graphene-based, light absorber increases the efficiency and performance of mid-IR photodetectors, photovoltaic devices and modulators UCF researchers have invented a graphene-based optical detector device with an unprecedented light absorption value of 60 percent in the mid infrared spectral domain. Historically, graphene’s low optical absorbance (less than 2.5 percent) has... Read More
34131 – Key points: Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a robust and cost-effective solution for line-of-site control (LOS)—also known as beam steering—in emerging free-space optical communications (FOC) systems. Instead of using conventional radio frequencies, FOC systems employ optical domain carrier frequencies to establish direct LOS data links between... Read More
34507 – Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a method of using dynamic, realistic simulations to facilitate real human awareness and trust in an autonomous control system like a self-driving vehicle. The method employs online virtual humans that dynamically perform behaviors, such as gestures, poses, and verbal interactions based on the real-time input and... Read More
32121 – In the manufacturing and processing of metals, especially steel, tandem metal strip rolling is a critical process. Almost half of all finished steel products worldwide start in sheet or strip form produced using hot strip rolling processing—very often in a tandem hot strip finishing mill. Challenged by a hostile high-temperature environment and no space for sensors, the strip rolling process... Read More
32221 – To capture the most energy possible every day, a photovoltaic (PV) panel must follow the sun through the sky. This movement is complicated by atmospheric scattering from cloud cover, altering the maximum point of power production, and must also account for the sun’s gradually shifting position through seasons. Conventional automation requires sensors to determine the location of the sun, or a... Read More
30025 – The invention is the first method which utilizes sol-gel processing techniques and a hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) polymer to generate nano and submicron sized zirconia powders which contain 100% tetragonal phase zirconium at room temperature. Zirconium is a well-known structural ceramic, which exhibits a resistance to wear, abrasion, impact fracturing, corrosion, an ability to withstand... Read More
31080 – The invention represents a method for the detection of airborne contaminants by means of optical correlation between a known target response and the sample of question. By spectrally shaping a broadband probe source, this technology may selectively test for specific agents over a broadband range of wavelengths. In today’s world, airborne chemicals and biological agents, both innocent and... Read More
30222 – A one-step arc-discharge in solution method for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes containing metals, such as palladium Hydrogen gas is currently utilized for a variety of industrial, commercial and scientific purposes. In the future the world looks to utilizing this gas as a sustainable energy alternative to fossil fuels, but many challenges must be overcome in order to bring hydrogen... Read More
33647 – Invention can dramatically improve the efficiency and reliability of analog integrated photonic systems for high-speed telecommunications in the 1.55 μm wavelength regime UCF researchers have invented a novel way to produce heterogeneous photonic integrated circuits using fabrication methods that are compatible with photonics foundry production. The new process enables manufacturers to... Read More
31902 – This invention provides methods and apparatus’ for the synthesis and coating of size-selected thermally stable nanoparticles. Catalysts are compounds which speed up chemical syntheses and other types of reactions. Nanoparticles are especially good catalysts due to their small size and the concomitant increased surface area. Furthermore, size-dependent changes in the electronic properties... Read More