Browse Technologies

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Dexterous Robotic Wrist and Gripper for Extreme Precision Micro-surgical Maneuvers in Confined Spaces

This invention presents a robotic wrist and gripper that operate with three independent degrees of freedom (yaw, pitch and roll) for increased dexterity in minimally invasive surgical procedures. This is the smallest robotic wrist of its kind, and due to its size and unparalleled dexterity, this wrist enables complex surgical maneuvers for minimally invasive procedures in highly confined spaces. Examples of surgical areas benefiting from use of this wrist include natural orifice surgery, single port access surgery, and minimally invasive surgery. In particular, the proposed wrist allows for very high precision roll about the longitudinal axis of the gripper while overcoming problems of run-out motion typically encountered in existing wrists. Thus this wrist is particularly suitable for extreme precision maneuvers for micro-surgery in confined spaces.


Licensing Contact

Masood Machingal

615.343.3548
Medical Devices

Continuum Robots with Equilibrium Modulation (CREM)

The A.R.M.A. Laboratory of Vanderbilt University has developed a novel continuum robot design enabling multi-scale motion at the macro and micro scale. The unique design allows miniaturization with minimal added cost thereby potentially giving rise to a new generation of surgical robots capable of both macro-motion for surgical intervention and micro-scale motion for cellular-level imaging or intervention. Micro-motion is achieved through a unique method for altering the equilibrium pose of the robot via material re-distribution throughout the length of the robot. This process ushers in a new class of surgical robotics termed continuum robots with equilibrium modulation (CREM).


Licensing Contact

Masood Machingal

615.343.3548
Medical Devices

Point of Care Rheological Assay for Sickle Cell Disease

Vanderbilt researchers have created a novel technology for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease states using the rheological properties of a blood sample with a lateral flow membrane.


Licensing Contact

Ashok Choudhury

615.322.2503

Organ-on-a-Chip System

Vanderbilt researchers have developed a group of microfluidic organ-on-chip devices that include perfusion controllers, microclinical analyzers, microformulators, and integrated microfluidic measurement chips. Together, these devices can measure and control multiple organ-on-chip systems in order to model the multi-organ physiology of humans.


Licensing Contact

Ashok Choudhury

615.322.2503
Microfluidics

Higher Accuracy Image-Guidance in Surgery

Vanderbilt engineers have designed and built a device that improves the accuracy of image-guidance systems (IGS) during surgery. The device creates a custom,  non-slip fit over the head and provides a rigid platform for attaching optical tracking markers to the patient, which is a critical component of image-guided neurosurgical procedures. The device can be used to improve the accuracy of IGS in other areas of the anatomy as well.


Licensing Contact

Ashok Choudhury

615.322.2503
Medical Devices

Trackerless Image-Guidance Using a Surgical Microscope

Researchers at Vanderbilt have developed a new image-guided, trackerless surgical microscope system to be used in soft tissue surgeries. The current method is to use a surgical microscope along with an image-guided system. This new design eliminates the need for a separate image-guidance system; the entire guidance environment can be realized within the microscope environment.


Licensing Contact

Philip Swaney

615.322.1067

Inventors

Michael Miga

I-Wire: A Biotension Measurement Device for Tissue Engineering and Pharmacology

Vanderbilt researchers have developed an integrated system ("I-Wire") for the growth of miniature, engineered 3D cardiac or other muscle or connective tissues and their active and passive mechanical characterization. The system utilizes an inverted microscope to measure the strain when the tissue constructs are laterally displaced using a calibrated flexible cantilevered probe.


Licensing Contact

Ashok Choudhury

615.322.2503

PosiSeat(TM): Assured Seating of Threaded Surgical Components

Vanderbilt presents an intraoperative device for taking the guesswork out of whether or not a threaded component is securely affixed to bone. This device is an anchor driver that automatically releases upon proper seating of the anchor on the bone of interest.


Licensing Contact

Taylor Jordan

615.936.7505

Image Guidance System for Breast Cancer Surgery

Vanderbilt researchers have developed an image guidance system that aims to reduce the revision rate for breast conserving surgeries through the use of intraoperative tumor location. The platform integrates MRI imaging, optical tracking, tracked ultrasound, and patient specific biomechanical models to provide a superior tumor localization end result.


Licensing Contact

Philip Swaney

615.322.1067

A Simple and Highly Portable Flow Phantom for Doppler Ultrasound Quality Measurements

A new phantom has been designed in which Doppler ultrasound measurements can be conducted for quality assurance purposes. The phantom is highly portable, does not require power to operate, and allows for simple and reproducible measurements of Doppler ultrasound function. This combination of advantages allows for realistic monthly, weekly, even daily Doppler QA measurements.


Licensing Contact

Chris Harris

615.343.4433
Medical Imaging