Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Leland Stanford Junior University

Opencell Technologies, Inc.

National Institutes of Health, a Component of the US Dept. of Health & Human Services

Sensys Instruments Corporation

National Institutes of Health

Bogazici University

Fahrettin Levent Degertekin

Andrei G Fedorov

Neal Allen Hall

Butrus Thomas Khuri-Yakub

Ozgur Kocaturk

Thomas R Kurfess

Wook Lee

Byungki Kim

Hosein Ali Razavi

Robert J Lederman

Maysam Ghovanloo

John Mark Meacham

M Wasequr Rashid

Coskun Tekes

Fred E Stanke

Abdullah Atalar

Goksen G Yaralioglu

Arif Sanli Ergun

Hung Pham

B T Khuri-Yakub

Abidin Guclu Onaran

Costas Arvanitis

Mujdat Balantekin

Kiranmai Durvasula

Sarp Satir

Akash Mehta

Sushruta Surappa

Hamdi Torun

Ahmad Rezvanitabar

Ofer Finkler

Evren Fatih Arkan

Yusuf S Yaras

Robert Jay Lederman

Multifunctional ultrasound systems and methods for body section registration and mapping of microbubble dynamics. A system is provided that includes one or more micromachined ultrasonic transducer arrays (MUTAs) configured to capture a high-resolution image of at least a portion of a body section using ultrasound and monitor microbubble activity during ultrasound treatment. The system includes an image registration module configured to spatially register the high-resolution image with a reference image. The system includes electronics configured to control one or more of drive signal amplitude, frequency filtering, multiplexing, and DC bias voltage. The system can be configured to control ultrasound treatment based on the Monitoring Verification monitoring of the microbubble activity during treatment.

Multi-functional sparse phased arrays for guiding focused ultrasound therapies

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, methods for mitigating particle retention are provided including the use of frequency sweep excitation to eject particle in the sweep. In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the acoustically driven fluid ejector can be capable of being switched between multiple modes of operation. In other embodiments according to the present disclosure, the acoustically driven fluid ejector can be altered such that it includes the capability to be filled with a biocompatible material to aid in the mitigation of particle aggregation in the acoustically driven fluid ejector. In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the solid structure and number of nozzles of the acoustically driven fluid ejector can be adjusted such that the ejector of the acoustically driven fluid ejector can be self-pumping, i.e. no external pumping mechanism other than acoustics driven flow drag is used.

Systems and methods for mitigating particle aggregation caused by standing wave and transient acoustophoretic effects

Systems and methods are disclosed for improving broad bandwidth performance of CMUT elements and arrays using negative capacitance-based impedance matching. The disclosed systems and methods provide a controllable compromise balance between electrical power transfer, acoustic reflectivity, and signal-to-noise ratio. Certain implementations utilize active control of impedance network parameters based on a DC bias input to the CMUT. Instead of minimizing electrical reflection, acoustic reflectivity is controlled to provide improved SNR-bandwidth. Negative capacitance-based matching is tunable to accommodate collapsed mode CMUTs where capacitance and frequency response changes significantly with DC bias.

Systems and methods for adaptively reducing acoustic reflections in capacitive transducers

Certain implementations of the disclosed technology may include active marker devices, retrofits, systems, and methods for determining the position of interventional devices under MRI. A marker device is provided that utilizes an optical fiber, an acousto-optical sensor region that includes an electro-mechanical conversion assembly, and one or more antenna(e) The one or more antennae are configured to receive MRI radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic energy and produce a corresponding electrical signal corresponding to the position. The acousto-optical sensor region may include a resonator and may be modulated by acoustic waves generated responsive to the electrical signal received from the one or more antennae The acousto-optical sensor region may be interrogated by light via the optical fiber to determine the position of the device for providing an active marker in the MRI image.

Acousto-optical active markers for interventional MRI

A parametric resonator can be driven by varying a parameter of a modulated capacitor or other externally powered type device to achieve transduction. Conventionally, externally powered type devices generally require an external power source or a static charge to achieve transduction. By pumping the parameter of the device at a frequency that is about twice the resonance frequency, and an amplitude that is above a threshold, however parametric resonance can be generated and sustained without requiring an external power source or charge to be applied to the device.

Parametric resonator for electrical transduction

An intracardiac imaging system has an MRI compatible intracardiac echography catheter having transmitters, receivers, a multiplexer, and a beamformer. The catheter can include an atraumatic tip disposed on the distal end of the catheter, a pair of inductively coupled coils proximal the atraumatic tip, at least one CMUT-on-CMOS volumetric imaging chip disposed between the pair of coils, and a cable lumen disposed within the volume sized to house a small number of electrical connections due to significant multiplexing in the CMUT-on-CMOS chip. The catheter can be made of MRI compatible materials and can include active cooling channels.

MRI compatible 3-D intracardiac echography catheter and system

An intracardiac imaging system has an intracardiac echography catheter with an internal volume, a proximal end and a distal end. The catheter includes an atraumatic tip disposed on the distal end of the catheter, a pair of inductively coupled coils proximal the atraumatic tip, at least one CMUT on CMOS volumetric imaging chip disposed between the pair of coils, and a cable lumen disposed within the volume and configured to small number of electrical connections due to significant multiplexing in the CMUT on CMOS chip. The catheter can be made of MRI compatible materials and can include active cooling channels. The CMUT on CMOS chip has a plurality of Tx elements transmitting imaging pulses, a plurality of Rx elements, disposed on the chip to have a large aperture and a plurality of electronics interfacing with the Tx elements for beamforming and the Rx elements to produce radio frequency output signals.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multistage procedure for treatment of biological samples (e.g., living cells with membranes, and the like) with a substance (e.g., a drug, DNA, RNA, plasmids, and other biomolecules or materials) to achieve more efficacious intracellular delivery and transfection.

Intracellular delivery and transfection methods and devices

In method of injecting a substance into a living cell having a cell membrane, the substance, the cell and a liquid are placed into a tapering passage. Energy is applied to the cell, thereby inducing poration. To sort cells, a cellular suspension is placed in a tapering passage, including a narrow end that defines an opening that has a dimension corresponding to a cell size. An acoustic wave is applied, thereby forcing cells having a cell size smaller than the selected cell size through the opening, with a portion of the cells having a cell size not smaller than the selected cell size not forced through the opening. To extract material from a cell, an electric field and an acoustic wave are applied, thereby causing the cell membrane to allow the material to pass out of the cell.

Electrosonic cell manipulation device

An atomic force microscopy sensor includes a substrate, a cantilever beam and an electrostatic actuator. The cantilever beam has a proximal end and an opposite distal end. The proximal end is in a fixed relationship with the substrate and the cantilever beam is configured so that the distal end is in a moveable relationship with respect to the substrate. The electrostatic actuator includes a first electrode that is coupled to the cantilever beam adjacent to the proximal end and a spaced apart second electrode that is in a fixed relationship with the substrate. When an electrical potential is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode is drawn to the second electrode, thereby causing the distal end of the cantilever beam to move.

Cantilevers with integrated piezoelectric actuators for probe microscopy

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is a force sensor for a probe based instrument. The force sensor can comprise a detection surface and a flexible mechanical structure disposed a first distance above the detection surface so as to form a gap between the flexible mechanical structure and the detection surface, wherein the flexible mechanical structure is configured to deflect upon exposure to an external force, thereby changing the first distance over a selected portion of the gap, the change in distance at the selected portion orienting a probe tip of the force sensor for multi-directional measurement.

Three-dimensional nanoscale metrology using FIRAT probe

An atomic force microscopy system includes an imaging probe having a first thermal displacement constant and a sample placement surface. At least a portion of the sample placement surface has a second thermal displacement constant. The sample placement surface is spaced apart from the imaging probe at a predetermined displacement. The sample placement surface is configured so that the second thermal displacement constant matches the first thermal displacement constant so that when the imaging probe and the sample placement surface are subject to a predetermined temperature, both the portion of the sample placement surface and the imaging prove are displaced by a same distance.

Athermal atomic force microscope probes

A system for measuring a property of a sample includes an actuation device disposed on a substrate and includes a flexible surface spaced apart from the substrate and configured so as to allow placement of the sample thereupon. The actuation device also includes a vertical actuator that is configured to cause the flexible surface to achieve a predetermined displacement from the substrate when a corresponding potential is applied thereto. A sensing probe is disposed so as to be configured to interact with the sample thereby sensing the property of the sample.

Fast microscale actuators for probe microscopy

Cantilevers with integrated actuators for probe microscopy

An atomic force microscope sensing structure includes a substrate, a flexible membrane and an actuating element. The flexible membrane has a first end that is clamped to the substrate and an opposite second end that is clamped to the substrate. A central portion of the membrane and the substrate define a first gap width therebetween. A peripheral portion of the membrane and the substrate define a second gap width therebetween. The first gap width is different from the second gap width. The actuating element is disposed at least adjacent to the first end and the second end and is configured to displace the membrane relative to the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Decatur, GA, United States of America

Fahrettin Levent Degertekin