Technologies Available for Licensing

Thin-Film Diffusion Barrier Using Chemical Vapor Deposition from Tungsten Nitride Precursor Molecules

14130 — These tungsten nitrido precursor molecules are starting materials for low-temperature deposition of tungsten carbonitride (WNCx) thin films that serve as diffusion barriers, which prevent electrical shorts in integrated circuits. A common example is prevention of Cu diffusion into other areas within an integrated circuit that uses Cu in its metallization scheme. Virtually all modern consumer electronics, including mobile phones, personal music players, computers and televisions, contain...

Tunable Silicon Nanowire Device for Inexpensive LED Screens, TVs and Solar Panels

13277 — This tunable, light-emitting optoelectronic device employs thin silicon nanowires as a high- efficiency, low-cost semiconductor for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits. Silicon, the second-most-common element in the earth’s crust, has great potential as a readily available and inexpensive material for manufacturing optoelectronic devices such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), and solar cells. However, because silicon is an indirect band gap material, it doe...

Stem Cell Therapy for Bone Marrow Transplants, Cancers and Infections

13501 — This therapeutic tool uses stem cells for bone marrow transplants; treating certain cancers, such as leukemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma; and infections. More than 23.5 million Americans suffer from autoimmune diseases and as many as 9 million are affected by cancer. Patients with cancer or chronic infections often have compromised immune systems with increased immune suppressor cells and dysfunctional dendritic cells. Stem cells have the potential to be useful in bone marrow transplants and i...

Diagnostic for Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease that Tests for Loss of Smell in One Nostril

14254 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a smell (olfactory) test for diagnosing early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Approximately one in eight Americans over the age of 65 has Alzheimer's disease, a number that could grow to an estimated 34 million worldwide by 2025. While there is no cure for this debilitating form of dementia, many experimental trials are examining ways to prevent its progression. Early detection will allow doctors, patients and caregive...

Organic Solar Cells with Improved Solar Energy Conversion Efficiency: Molecular Approach to Organic Photovoltaic Devices Enables Low-Cost Production of Highly Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells and Panels

13955 — These stable, efficient, high-performing organic solar cells are fabricated using a unique “supramolecular assembly” approach. First-generation solar panels, composed of rigid silicon crystal cells, are efficient, but expensive to produce. Thin, flexible second-generation solar panels, made from a wider range of materials, are usually inexpensive, but not very efficient. Using a “supramolecular assembly” approach University of Florida researchers can fabricate organic-based solar cells to ...

Algorithm and Software That Predict Drug Potency and Interactions

14015 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing an improved software program package that definitively predicts how drugs will function before they are manufactured. Computer-based molecular modeling for drug design is frequently used to assess the binding affinity of proteins and ligands, and the features molecules must have in order to bind to receptors. Compounds created using this modeling result in billions of dollars for the biological and pharmaceutical ...

Magnetic Nanoparticles and Microneedle Tip That Collect Biomarkers for Safe, Early-Stage Arthritis Diagnosis and Monitoring

14237 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing magnetic nanoparticles and specialized magnetic microneedle tips that safely collect biomarkers that indicate early-stage osteoarthritis in knees, hips and other joints. Osteoarthritis affects 12.1 percent of American adults - nearly 27 million people, costing the nation an estimated $200 billion annually. Also known as “degenerative joint disease,” osteoarthritis causes painful inflammation and deterioration of t...

Engineered Dendritic Cells for Improved Method of Treating Cancer

12105 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a groundbreaking, highly efficient method of treating cancer. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than half of a million deaths annually, according to the American Cancer Society. Research to develop this new method was based on multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable form of cancer. myeloma is the second most common form of cancer that affects the blood, known a...

Urinal Filter that Prevents Mineral Deposits In Pipes and Prepares Wastewater for Treatment

14179 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a cartridge filter for urinals, especially waterless urinals, and urine-separating toilets that counteracts the formation of pipe-clogging calcium and magnesium mineral deposits. In addition to protecting pipes from clogs, the filter's adsorbent reactor reduces the burden on wastewater treatment plants by removing excreted pharmaceuticals from urine. When left untreated in urinals, undiluted urine spontaneously pr...

Smart TV-Band White-Space Identifier To Avoid Channel Interference

13057 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in licensing a breakthrough electronic device capable of identifying television-band white space. As of June 13, 2009, all full-power TV stations have been broadcasting over-the-air signals in digital only. Among the many advantages of this analog-to-digital transition, the most important is the availability of bandwidth occupancy for new generations of wireless devices. Following the digital transition, many channels in the ultrahi...

Gauges and Algorithm to Measure Deep Foundation Construction Conditions in Real-Time

13653 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing gauges and an algorithm that measure important deep-foundation construction variables in real time. Larger structures, such as bridges or tall buildings, often require foundations that stretch deep into the ground. To create one common kind of deep foundation, builders drive pile (almost like a long pole) into the ground to provide structural support, and to compact and strengthen the soil. They use various monitori...

Theranostic for Lymphoma, Lung and Pancreatic Cancers

13496 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing an antibody that functions as both a targeted cancer therapy and more accurate diagnostic tool. The unique antibody easily identifies the presence of a tumor-promoting gene linked to the development of lymphoma, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and other malignancies. Because it binds to a specific cancer-causing protein within cells, the antibody also functions as an effective therapy. In 2010, more than 300,000 new ...

Novel Approach to Generate T-cells from Blood Stem Cells

12952 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a breakthrough method of generating T-cells from blood stem cells. Before the development of this new method, researchers could only obtain T-cells from a patient or donors. This unique approach is the first to generate increased number of functional mature T-cells from blood stem cells in vitro. Previous attempts at producing T-cells in vitro were ineffective and could not produce reliable results. T-cells have...

Potent and Specific Jak2 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Blood Cancers

12435 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing potent and specific inhibitors for the study and treatment of leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers, as well as, cardiovascular and ophthalmic diseases. Scientists often rely on the use of an inhibitor to study the interrelation between the enzyme Jak2 and a variety of diseases including cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. Jak2 plays an important role in cell development and growth by activating and deactiv...

Lentiviral siRNA Vector Enables Stable, Targeted Gene Silencing

11035 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in a novel technology that decreases gene expression in mammalian cells using a lentiviral vector encoding small interfering RNA (siRNA). Target gene expression is disrupted when siRNA binds to and ultimately degrades homologous target RNA in the host cell. The implications of this technology are vast, since it can be used to silence cancer-related genes, autoimmunity-related genes, and viral genes. Reduction of expression ...

Development of novel silica coated nanoparticles

10229 — : The University of Florida is actively seeking companies to aid in the development and commercialization of a novel methodology for the production of silica-coated nanoparticles. The proposed methodology will allow the synthesis of nanoparticles, of varying core composition and function, with a narrow particle size distribution. In addition to core versatility, a silica shell may be modified with various functional groups, endowing the potential for application in biosensor development, dr...

Direct Methanol Fuel Cells for Increased Energy Capacity in Laptops and Other Mobile Electronics

14185 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing direct methanol fuel cells for greater energy storage capacity in portable electronics, including laptops. The direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are two to three times smaller than available rechargeable batteries for 24-hour operation. Methanol is an inexpensive, widely available fuel that can be extracted from both natural gas and renewable plant materials, such as wood. Though long-lasting, existing DMFCs ar...

Software and Hardware for High-Precision Indoor Localization and Navigation of Mobile Devices

14439 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing hardware and software that can track the location of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets indoors. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, used for military, civilian, and commercial purposes including reconnaissance and navigation, does not function well inside buildings. Dense overhead objects act as impenetrable barriers, wreaking havoc on satellite signals. Researchers at the University of Florida ...

Interactive Artificial Patient for Medical Instruction

13392 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a lifelike artificial patient. An invaluable teaching tool that will vastly improve patient safety, the mannequin has integrated physical and virtual systems that mimic how human bodies react to stimuli. The Institute of Medicine has estimated that medical errors kill between 44,000 and 98,000 people annually in the United States. This exceeds deaths from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer and AIDS combined....

Nanoparticle-Coupled Regulatory T-Cells for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes

13837 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a drug-delivery system, including nanoparrticle-coupled regulatory T-cells, for prevention and treatment of Type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis. The system also has potential to deliver treatments for graft- versus-host disease and transplant rejection. Typically resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, autoimmune disease...

Drug-Delivery System for Prevention and Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases Including Type 1 Diabetes

13603 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a drug-delivery system for the prevention and treatment of Type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis. Autoimmune diseases cause the body to attack its own cells, tissues and organs. In the United States 15 million to 24 million people, about 8 percent of the population, have autoimmune diseases. These diseases typically result from a combination of gene...

Innovative Apparatus for the Implantation of Gastrointestinal Stents

13078 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in licensing a breakthrough surgical method and apparatus for implanting gastrointestinal stents using a natural orifice as an entry point. Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is an emerging experimental surgical technique that utilizes the body’s natural openings to gain access to the abdominal cavity rather than making incisions outside of the body. The primary goal of NOTES is to eliminate large incisions an...

Chemical Reactions for Producing Polyesters and Polyamides from Recycled and Naturally Occurring Starting Materials

14227 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing chemical reactions that convert naturally occurring oligomers and polymers into functionalized materials for commercial use. This technology recycles the polymer components of chemicals such as polybutadiene, polyisoprene and naturally occurring oils, and converts them into other useful synthetic polymers, including polyamides and polyesters. Because the starting materials are recycled and readily available, the...

Portable Device that Helps Stroke, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Patients Swallow and Cough Safely

14242 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a noninvasive, portable electronic device for the treatment of swallowing and coughing difficulties in patients with impaired airway protection. Impaired airway protection is a common symptom of neurologic and neurodegenerative conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The inability to coordinate muscles needed to safely swallow and...

Emergency Brake that Prevents Runaway Semi-Trucks from Jackknifing

14103 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a ground-engaging braking mechanism that quickly reduces speed without causing a semi truck to jackknife. Semi-trucks, also called “18-wheelers” and “big rigs,” typically measure 53 feet long and can carry up to 80,000 lbs of cargo – the weight of 20 standard cars – at highway speeds. Such weight puts a significant burden on these trucks’ braking systems. Over time, friction and heat wear down brake shoes, rendering...

Powerful Plasma Actuator for Reduced Drag in Propulsion Systems

13344 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a plasma actuator that reduces drag, helping make aircraft, spacecraft and other vehicles more fuel efficient. The overall speed and efficiency of planes, automobiles and other motorized vehicles is highly dependent on unpredictable circumstances such as fluid eddies, fluctuating temperatures, changes in atmospheric pressure and poor weather conditions. Plasma actuators - engines that use ionized air (plasma) and el...

Antifungal Coating for Mold-Prone Surfaces Such As Bathroom Walls, Shingles and Pavers

13117 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing an antifungal solution made from chemically altered hollow carbon molecules called “functionalized fullerenes.” The solution, when applied as a coating, prevents fungal growth on bathroom walls, shower enclosures, roof shingles, gutters, paver stones and other materials. Fungi, including molds and mildews, can damage the surfaces of indoor and outdoor structures. Many fungi also produce allergens or toxins that harm...

Fluorescence-based Device for Fast, Painless Cancer Diagnosis

12846 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a fluorescence-based device that uses a laser to selectively interact with potentially malignant tissue for faster and easier point-of-care cancer diagnosis. Because cancerous cells and healthy cells respond differently to excitation by lasers, healthcare providers can observe these divergent reactions with fluorescence imaging to instantly identify malignancy. This device will potentially reduce or even elimina...

High-Speed, High-Capacity Memory Cell for Servers and Electronic Devices

12529 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a two-transistor floating-body dynamic memory cell that offers significant performance advantages for computers and other electronic devices. With the rapid advancement of technology, the demand for high-speed, high-capacity memory with low power consumption has steadily increased. To address this continuous need for scalable memory, researchers at the University of Florida have developed a two-transistor floati...

Cost-Effective Sensors for Improved Target Characterization and Energy-Efficient Radar Systems

12144 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing cost-effective sensors that will greatly improve the utility of new and existing military radar systems, using signal-processing techniques that can classify certain targets and potentially reduce radar power consumption. Radar systems emit electromagnetic waves, and receive and process reflected waves to evaluate target characteristics in an area of interest. These reflected waves, when processed, can provide o...

User-Friendly Software that More Accurately Predicts Corrosive Wear on Pipes

10252 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a computer program that precisely calculates how much protection is needed to prevent extensive corrosion in metal pipes. Around the world, buried pipelines transport natural gas and liquid petroleum products at low cost. Monitoring and maintaining the 2.4 million miles of natural gas pipes in the U.S. alone costs about $7 billion a year. A pipeline accident occurs about every other day in this country, and an e...

Stronger Nylon Made From Integrated Carbon Nanotubes

13625 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing high tensile-strength nylon that draws its toughness from integrated carbon (graphite) nanotubes. Nylon is a versatile synthetic polymer, a plastic that can be formed into ropes, parachute cords, fishing nets, textiles, machine components and many other products. With a diameter measuring 10,000 times smaller than a strand of human hair, carbon nanotubes are composed of graphite molecules that form extremely small s...

Biocatalyst Modifications that Improve Biomass Conversion Efficiency

13663 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in implementing and commercializing a series of bacterial modifications that permit more efficient utilization of sugars derived from biomass. Biomass is plant material that can function as a source of sugars for fermentation into products such as ethanol or organic acids (e.g. succinic acid) that are used as building blocks for many organic chemicals. The first step needed to convert biomass with a large percentage of complex car...

Hardware-Software Platform for Easily Managing Devices in "Smart" Homes

11997 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in the commercializing an integrated hardware-software platform that will allow people residing in “smart” homes to easily adjust automated components in their living spaces, such as sprinklers, lights, security systems and air conditioning. A smart home, also called an automated home, contains one or more computers that regulate these devices and many others. Owners can turn these appliances on or off, or adjust settings using a comp...

Device for Easier, More Accurate Testing of High-Frequency Integrated Circuits

11763 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing an embedded device that tests the performance of high-frequency integrated circuits (IC). Virtually all modern consumer electronics produced by the multi-trillion-dollar wireless-communications industry, including mobile phones, personal music players, computers and televisions, contain at least one integrated circuit. ICs regulate the flow of electricity and must be tested to ensure proper functioning. Available te...

Versatile, Low-Cost, Carbon-Based Material for Water Treatment and Purification

13926 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a new type of biochar that can be used for a number of applications including removal of harmful substances from wastewater and recapture of plant nutrients such as phosphate and nitrate. When high levels of phosphate and nitrate found in wastewater and agricultural run-off enters lakes, rivers and other bodies of water it stimulates excessive algae growth leading to oxygen depletion, often killing fish and othe...

Antibacterial Compounds For Treatment of Bacterial Citrus Diseases

13894 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in further developing and commercializing new antimicrobial compounds that are effective against organisms that cause citrus greening and canker, two common diseases with significant impact on the citrus industry. Huanlongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease, is the most destructive citrus disease in the world. Florida growers alone spend approximately $250 million a year defending their crops against HLB. Spread by t...

Natural Compounds that Enhance the Perception of Sweetness

14111 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a series of naturally occurring compounds that enhance people's perception of sweetness. These flavor volatiles augment the sensation of sweet taste produced by sugars. New products incorporating these sweetness enhancers could have reduced sugar levels while maintaining the same perceived level of sweetness and thus capture a greater portion of the reduced-calorie market. Consumers continue to demand foods and ...

Versatile Chemicals for Synthesizing New Pesticides and Herbicides

13873 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing unique chemical compounds and complexes that could spawn the development of new agricultural products, including pesticides and herbicides. Advances in biochemistry have made it possible for researchers developing new products to rely less on trial and error, instead systematically using either a direct, structure-based strategy or an indirect, ligand-based approach. Chemists working in this industry have experi...

Multifunctional Smart Denture that Remotely Monitors Health

13812 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a multifunctional smart denture that monitors health. Twenty-five percent of adults age 60 and older in the U.S. have lost all their natural teeth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and approximately 20 million Americans wear full or partial dentures. Because dentures are only supported by tissues in the oral cavity, not anchored into the jaw bone, keeping them in place can pose a ch...

Equipment to Reduce the Spread of Disease Between Citrus Orchards

13867 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing mechanized sorting equipment that efficiently separate plant debris from citrus fruit before leaving the orchard. The equipment not only prepares oranges and grapefruit for processing, but also reduces the spread of diseases that threatens to decimate US citrus production. The United States is now the third-largest citrus producer in the world, with Florida's citrus industry alone valued at around $9 billion a y...

Device that Manufactures Graphene-Based Protective Barriers for More Reliable LEDs

13919 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a device for easily and inexpensively fabricating better-performing graphene-based metal diffusion barriers commonly used in electronics, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The new technology could overcome reliability issues that affect the market for LEDs, expected to reach $18 billion by 2015. A diffusion barrier is a thin layer of material, usually micrometers thick, placed between two metals to protect the...

Versatile Chemicals for Synthesizing New Drugs

13545 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing unique chemical compounds and complexes that could spawn the development of many new pharmaceuticals. Major advances in the field of medicinal chemistry have made it possible for scientists to rely less on trial and error when creating original drugs. Most useful compositions are now designed systematically using either a structure-based strategy (direct drug design) or a ligand-based approach (indirect drug des...

A Structure That Boosts Battery Efficiency With Improved Electrodes

13336 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a structure that can extend the operational life of battery-powered items ranging from cellphones to vehicles. This structure, created by applying an ion beam to the interface of a thin-film anode composed of silicon, germanium or silicon and germanium, improves electrode function and battery efficiency by increasing adhesion to the collector. Thin-film semiconductors are known to dramatically increase the capacity ...

Versatile Chemical Compounds for Developing New, Effective Herbicides, Pesticides and Plant Growth Regulators

13175 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing two new chemical compounds that contain fluorinated substituents with myriad uses in agricultural products. These compounds could stimulate original research pursuits and lead to the development of more effective pesticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators. These compounds are unique because they are the first pyrrole and thiophene derivatives to contain a pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5) group. One of the only...

Conductive Ink for Marking Pills to Electronically Track Patient Adherence

13134 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a biocompatible, conductive ink that, when printed on the outside of pills, facilitates improved patient monitoring and promotes increased medication compliance. The degradable nanosilver ink can also deliver slow-release nanoparticles of silver to minimize infections of devices, form an antenna on drug-delivery or monitoring devices that will degrade after use, and can be used in other medical applications. Medicat...

Safe Methods for Controlling Insect Pests

10567 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in licensing newly developed biorational methods for controlling pest insects. This safe and highly effective pesticide technology is based on amino acid ligands and analogues that provide an attractive, competitive alternative or supplement to conventional organic pesticides or Bt. This technology exploits the use of certain amino acids or their analogues to kill crop pests and pests of humans and animals. The ...

Inclinometer for More Accurate Measurement of Dynamic Inclination and Motion of Objects

13968 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing an inclinometer that accurately measures, rather than estimates, inclination parameters: inclination angle, angular velocity, and angular acceleration of an object. The device is independent of drift errors due to integration errors and is valid for large angle measurements without requirement of any mathematical approximation. Many industries use different types of inclinometers to dynamically measure inclination t...

Nanoparticle-Tinted Contact Lenses for Blocking UV Light

13972 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing inexpensive UV-blocking contact lenses that are easier to make than existing lenses and a device for manufacturing them. Long known to induce premature aging and promote skin cancer, sun exposure also damages delicate structures of the eye. For example, it can cause photokeratitis or “snowblindness” - a temporary (but painful) “sunburn” to the cornea. Because damage is cumulative, even low-level exposure can lea...

User-Friendly, Interactive 3-D Software for Cardiovascular Medical Training

13997 — The University of Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing interactive 3-D cardiovascular training software that is user-friendly and cost-effective. Preventable medical errors rank among the top eight leading causes of death in the United States. These mistakes contribute to 98,000 patient deaths annually at a total national cost of up to $50 billion a year. Simulation and virtual training can dramatically reduce the frequency of healthcare errors by providing medical ...