The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/mcgill University

Stathera IP Holdings Inc.

Other

My01 IP Holdings Inc.

Stathera IP Holding, Inc.

Vamsy Chodavarapu

George Xereas

Mark Trifiro

Miltiadis Paliouras

Andrew Kirk

Philip Roche

Lenore Beitel

Mohamed Najih

Joachim Thiemann

Charles Allan

Adel Merdassi

Edward J Harvey

Daisy Daivasagaya

Mohamad Hajj-Hassan

Sam Musallam

A MEMS device may include: (i) a lower cavity, including a first island, formed within a first layer of the MEMS device; (ii) an upper cavity, including a second island, formed within a second layer of the MEMS device; (iii) a MEMS resonating element arranged in a device layer of the MEMS device and anchored via the first and second islands; (iv) a first set of electrodes for electrostatic actuation and sensing of the MEMS resonating element in an in-plane mode that is arranged in the device layer of the MEMS device; and (v) a second set of electrodes for electrostatic actuation and sensing of the MEMS resonating element in an out-of-plane mode that is electrically isolated from the first set of electrodes and located in the first or second layer of the MEMS device, and wherein the out-of-plane mode is a torsional mode or a saddle mode.

Methods and devices for microelectromechanical resonators

MEMS based sensors, particularly capacitive sensors, potentially can address critical considerations for users including accuracy, repeatability, long-term stability, ease of calibration, resistance to chemical and physical contaminants, size, packaging, and cost effectiveness. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to exploit MEMS processes that allow for manufacturability and integration of resonator elements into cavities within the MEMS sensor that are at low pressure allowing high quality factor resonators and absolute pressure sensors to be implemented. Embodiments of the invention provide capacitive sensors and MEMS elements that can be implemented directly above silicon CMOS electronics.

A heating mechanism for use in DNA applications such as DNA amplification, extraction and sterilization is provided. Nanoparticles having photo-thermal properties are put in contact with a reaction mixture and irradiated with an activation light beam to activate these photo-thermal properties, thereby releasing heat. Nanoparticles of several types may be used. Use of the same nanoparticles or of different one to monitor the reaction using a different light beam is also presented.

Heating mechanism for DNA amplification, extraction or sterilization using photo-thermal nanoparticles

Methods and devices for microelectromechanical pressure sensors

Chemical sensors today are deployed in massive volumes across multiple industries and yet at the same time they are subject to substantial research and development effort to establish new, faster, lower cost, more accurate, more sensitive chemical sensors. Such sensors and sensor arrays are being exploited across chemistry, biology, clinical biology, environmental science in civilian and military markets. Amongst the many sensor methodologies are xerogel substrates with two moieties, a receptor for molecular recognition of the analyte and a luminophore for signaling the recognition event. In order to fulfill the requirements for low cost there is a requirement for electronic excitation/read circuits that can support architectures with optical source&#x2014;N sensors&#x2014;X filters&#x2014;M detectors, where M&#x2265;N and X=N|M. According to embodiments of the invention electronic excitation/read circuits for phase based luminophore sensors are presented that are compatible with single CMOS chip implementation and monolithic integration of the optical excitation/detection elements.

Methods and devices for xerogel based sensors

Small implantable silicon-based devices offer an ability to revolutionize the management of trauma victims. For example, implantable pressure sensors allow the devastating outcomes of compartment syndrome to be minimized through continuous or periodic monitoring whilst being compatible with the ongoing drives to increase out-patient care and reduced hospitalization time. Further, small implantable silicon-based sensor microsystems according to embodiments of the invention whilst being capable of measuring pressures under diverse conditions are easily used by nurses in hospital settings as well as also being easily deployed by paramedical personnel in cases of accidents, natural disasters, war, etc. Beneficially, the implantable sensor microsystem will not interfere with movement of the patient during stabilization, surgery, intensive care stay, outpatient management, etc.

Methods and systems relating to biological systems with embedded mems sensors

Advances in a variety of fields such as micromachined silicon in conjunction with MEMS and other devices and attaching biosensors to electrode structures have allowed discrete or continuous monitoring devices to be implemented for biological systems, chemical processes, environmental monitoring etc. However, such devices are typically analysed within controlled laboratory environments due to bulky and large electrochemical impedance measurement systems. In many situations deployment in field, clinic, point-of-care, or consumer scenarios would be beneficial. Accordingly it an intention of the invention to provide a measurement system which offers potential for low cost implementations via multiple technologies to address the different cost targets of these applications as well as number of measurement cells within each. Additionally embodiments of the invention are self-calibrating and self-referencing allowing their use in such scenarios absent highly trained technicians.

Self calibrating high throughput integrated impedance spectrometer for biological applications

Quantitative understanding of neural and biological activity at a sub-millimeter scale requires an integrated probe platform that combines biomarker sensors together with electrical stimulus/recording sites. Optically addressed biomarker sensors within such an integrated probe platform allows remote interrogation from the activity being measured. Monolithic or hybrid integrated silicon probe platforms would beneficially allow for accurate control of neural prosthetics, brain machine interfaces, etc as well as helping with complex brain diseases and disorders. According to the invention a silicon probe platform is provided employing ultra-thin silicon in conjunction with optical waveguides, optoelectronic interfaces, porous filter elements, and integrated CMOS circuitry. Such probes allowing simultaneously analysis of both neural electrical activities along with chemical activity derived from multiple biomolecular sensors with porous membrane filters. Such porous silicon and polymer filters providing biomolecular filtering and optical filtering being compatible with post-processing wafers with integrated CMOS electronics.

Growing community of inventors

Brossard, Canada

Vamsy Chodavarapu