Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/297333
"There is nothing out there like this technology," said Tim Toppen, TruVitals chairman of the board. "The work that we are doing in partnership with Dr. Lin and UF is truly disruptive as it has the potential to change the medical industry, security, military, geriatric care and other markets." The device is similar to a radar gun used by police offi- cers to measure the speed of a vehicle. A signal is sent from the device and bounced off the chest wall (human or animal) to return coded algorithms for vital signs from three to 15 feet away. A computer then tracks the informa- tion and can alert a caregiver to any changes or problems. Funding from FHTCC will assist TruVitals in developing beta units from two prototypes. The research will lead to improved accuracy, making it more robust for different size animals and body types as muscle or fatty tissue can dull vibrations off of the chest wall. Three graduate students assist Lin in the lab creating circuit boards, antennas and software to analyze the data. "Without the FHTCC grant, we could not move for- ward with the project," said Lin. "The most important part is having students that can do the research beside me and the tools necessary for the work. We need man- power to advance the technology as I would not be able to do it alone." TruVitals seeks to introduce its first veterinary monitor- ing product in 2014. Possible uses for the product in the field range from monitoring companion and research ani- mals to equestrian activities and nocturnal studies. As a basic monitoring platform, the technology is lim- itless in its use, including the human health care market. The practice of monitoring animals or humans may never be the same. LIGHTING THE WAY TO SAVINGS Much of today's technology relies on the transfer of informa- tion through light. And fiber optics, sometimes proverbially called "light pipes," are responsible for sending light signals that deliver everything from cable to Internet to phone con- nections. At sizes 10 times smaller than the width of a human hair, optical fibers must be made with precision, and doing so incurs a substantial cost. One Gainesville-based company is attempting to revolutionize the process thanks to funding florida.HIGH.TECH 2014 35