ECE Faculty Involved in 5 New MIPS Grants

The University of Maryland announced 17 new collaborative research projects between Maryland companies and university faculty to develop technology-based commercial products through the university's Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program (MIPS). ECE faculty were involved in 5 of the 17 MIPS research projects announced earlier today.

The projects, which span the State of Maryland, include sound-expanding technologies for electric guitars, sensors for detecting particular strains of bacteria, innovative speech recognition software, and thin-film, hybrid-power-source batteries.

Worth $4.8 million, the projects combine $3.4 million from participating companies and $1.4 million from MIPS. Funding supports research in the laboratories of participating University System of Maryland faculty, who work closely with partner companies to advance their products. All funding goes to the project faculty and often supports the work of graduate students.

ECE faculty are involved in the following MIPS projects:

• Coil, LLC, Laurel, Md. (www.coil-guitars.com) and Patrick O'Shea, professor and chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park ($135,000): The research project will involve the development of novel signal processing and programmable hardware technologies for electric guitars and other audio applications.

• Innovative Biosensors Inc., Rockville, Md. (www.innovativebiosensors.com) and Pamela Abshire, associate professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park ($235,596): The research project will involve the development of a hand-held diagnostic instrument for Group B Streptococcus, a type of bacteria that causes illness in newborn babies, pregnant women and the elderly, that will enable rapid, automated detection for clinicians at the point-of-care.

• Juxtopia LLC, Baltimore, Md. (www.juxtopia.com) and Carol Epsy-Wilson, professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park ($168,960): The research project will involve the development of advanced speech recognition software for an array of possible applications, including cochlear implants, mobile cell phones, speech recognition, and mobile voice communication, as well as Juxtopia’s augmented reality products.

• Lakenheath Electronic Design, Bethesda, Md. (www.lakenheathelectronics.com) and Ramani Duraiswami, Department of Computer Science, Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, associate professor, University of Maryland, College Park ($156,000): The research project will involve the development of a portable acoustic analyzer system for use in surveillance that can identify where a sound came from and its visual source while filtering out extraneous noise.

• Resensys LLC, Columbia, Md. (www.resensys.com) and Martin Peckerar, professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland College Park ($165,750): The research project will involve the development of thin-film, hybrid-power-source batteries for Resensys’ wireless, distributed sensors that monitor the structural integrity of bridges, buildings, or pipelines.

The Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program (www.mips.umd.edu), an initiative of the A. James Clark School of Engineering’s Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute, or Mtech, brings university innovation to the commercial sector by supporting university-based research projects to help Maryland companies develop technology-based products.

Monday's announcement marks the 43rd round of MIPS funding. The program has supported research projects with more than 400 different Maryland companies since 1987. Commercial products benefitting from MIPS projects have generated more than $16.9 billion in revenue, added jobs to the region, and contributed to successes such as Martek Biosciences’ nutritional oils, Hughes Network Systems’ HughesNet™, MedImmune Inc.’s Synagis®, and Black & Decker’s Bullet® Speed Tip Masonry Drill Bit.

Published February 2, 2009