UAF Invents Tech to Fight COVID-19

An ongoing COVID-19 response effort, funded by the Office of Naval Research, has seen new technology invented by UAF researchers.

In partnership with the UAF Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization, ACEP has assisted with first responder and medical community personal protective equipment and sanitation needs. OIPC received around 30 proposals to meet the COVID-19 response needs expressed by the community.

Four of those proposals have been funded, including a system to filter the exhaled air from patients on nebulizer treatments, the design and fabrication of disinfection devices for N-95 filtered facial respirators, the fabrication of 3D-printed medical equipment, and the development of a model to better identify and communicate Alaska community risk factors for COVID-19.

Additionally, the Tech Bridges program of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division in Keyport, Washington, has an agreement to take the UAF innovations through their rigorous research and development program to help the products become commercially ready to be used in medical and front-line facilities around the country.

At least one of the innovations, the nebulizer filter, has broad-reaching potential that could change the application of nebulizer treatment around the country and around the world.
This response is ongoing. For more information on the innovations, contact OIPC’s Mark Billingsley or ACEP’s Dayne Broderson.

 

3D-printed hood connections for positive air pressure respirators. Photo by Dayne Broderson.