University of Utah Research Foundation

Brian Baker

Ian Robert Harvey

Ronald Wayne Boutte

Iain E Harvey

Abhijit Mondal

Gary S Goldberg

Charles Fisher

Alonso P Moreno

Taylor M Meacham

Electrophysiological recording systems for analysis of cultured cells include an recording device and a housing for supporting the electrophysiological recording device. The device has a porous membrane with top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of pores extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The porous membrane defines a first cell culture region disposed on the top surface and an opposed second cell culture region disposed on the bottom surface. The electrophysiological recording device has a plurality of electrodes positioned on the porous membrane in between a first insulation layer and a second insulation layer. The plurality of electrodes extend to the first cell culture region of the porous membrane. Recording ends of the electrodes measure electrical properties of cells cultured within the first and second cell culture regions, while the contact ends of the electrodes are positioned in electrical communication with data acquisition equipment.

Electrophysiological recording system and methods of using same

A flexible lens may be actuated to change its focal length by a deployable lens actuator. The lens actuator translates a rotational motion of an outer frame into a linear radial motion of a plurality of linear elements. The linear elements have fixed pins, which may be slidably coupled to cam pockets in the outer frame. The cam pockets have a gradually varying distance from the center of the outer frame. The rotation of the outer frame thus drives the cam pockets to slide about the pins, thereby causing radial motions of the linear elements. The linear elements stretch a flexible lens, thereby changing a curvature of the flexible lens.

Lens actuator

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an actuator having a plurality of charge collection elements. At least one of the charge collection elements is configured to build up electrical charges by directly interacting with an energy field thereby actuating the MEMS through Coulombic interactions. An actuator for a MEMS device is configured to actuate the MEMS device through Coulombic interactions by pumping charges to the actuator when subject to an energy field. A method of actuating a MEMS device includes irradiating an actuator of the MEMS device with an energy field thereby building up electrical charges on the actuator, and actuating the MEMS device with Coulomb forces from the built up electrical charges.

MEMS devices and systems actuated by an energy field

Growing community of inventors

Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Brian Baker