> Tiny technology draws world attention
Tiny technology draws world attention
Contact:
Bozena Kaminska, 778.782.6855, kaminska@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, 778.782.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Website: www.ciber.ca
Bozena Kaminska, 778.782.6855, kaminska@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, 778.782.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Website: www.ciber.ca
September 4, 2007
Tiny technology invented by Bozena Kaminska, a petite powerhouse of a scientist at Simon Fraser University, is putting SFU in the spotlight at WIRED NextFest 2007. SFU will be one of only two Canadian universities at the invitation-only international exhibition September 13-16 in Los Angeles.
Kaminska, an engineering professor and senior level Canada Research Chair in wireless sensor networks, will showcase two disposable, wearable wireless miniature biosensors at the future-forward event’s Future Health Pavilion. These sensors are the size of a quarter but have the power of sophisticated hospital diagnostic and monitoring tools. They incorporate mixed-technology electronics developed at CiBER, an SFU lab founded by Kaminska.
Driven by Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), embedded computing, biophotonics and optoelectronics, the minimally-to-non-invasive biosensors detect and monitor physiological signals in real time, including heart rate, mechanical heart function and invisible signs of heart disease.
These biosensors increased accuracy, faster analysis and unobtrusiveness enable contactless heart monitoring. They hold the promise of helping to save lives, improve quality of life and reduce healthcare costs. Fraser Health Burnaby Hospital and Regina health-care facilities are testing the devices on patients. They could be in regular use next year.
“We want to help the rising number of seniors, who are at risk of developing heart disease, by creating a new generation of medical devices that promote prevention and easy diagnosis,” says Kaminska. “Our technology will help target at-risk individuals sooner and ensure they see a specialist early.”
Launched by WIRED Magazine in 2004, WIRED NextFest is now the premier event in the United States showcasing 160 of the world’s most innovative emerging technologies at this year’s exhibition. Last year, the event drew 50,000 attendees to New York City and hundreds of media, such as CNN and the New York Times, to review exhibits spread over nine themed pavilions.
Note: Kaminska leaves for Los Angeles on September 8.
(electronic photo files available on request)
Kaminska, an engineering professor and senior level Canada Research Chair in wireless sensor networks, will showcase two disposable, wearable wireless miniature biosensors at the future-forward event’s Future Health Pavilion. These sensors are the size of a quarter but have the power of sophisticated hospital diagnostic and monitoring tools. They incorporate mixed-technology electronics developed at CiBER, an SFU lab founded by Kaminska.
Driven by Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), embedded computing, biophotonics and optoelectronics, the minimally-to-non-invasive biosensors detect and monitor physiological signals in real time, including heart rate, mechanical heart function and invisible signs of heart disease.
These biosensors increased accuracy, faster analysis and unobtrusiveness enable contactless heart monitoring. They hold the promise of helping to save lives, improve quality of life and reduce healthcare costs. Fraser Health Burnaby Hospital and Regina health-care facilities are testing the devices on patients. They could be in regular use next year.
“We want to help the rising number of seniors, who are at risk of developing heart disease, by creating a new generation of medical devices that promote prevention and easy diagnosis,” says Kaminska. “Our technology will help target at-risk individuals sooner and ensure they see a specialist early.”
Launched by WIRED Magazine in 2004, WIRED NextFest is now the premier event in the United States showcasing 160 of the world’s most innovative emerging technologies at this year’s exhibition. Last year, the event drew 50,000 attendees to New York City and hundreds of media, such as CNN and the New York Times, to review exhibits spread over nine themed pavilions.
Note: Kaminska leaves for Los Angeles on September 8.
(electronic photo files available on request)
Backgrounder on CiBER’s technology and WIRED NextFest
• Bozena Kaminska and CiBER partnered with Nokia to develop the wireless system that drives their contactless heart-monitoring biosensors. Kaminska more recently partnered with Dr. William New to found Adigy Corporation in Canada and the U.S. to accelerate marketing of her biosensors and other health-benefiting technologies as small as a grain of rice. New is a physician, retired professor, engineer and successful serial entrepreneur who developed the pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen levels in the blood of anesthetized patients. The device is found in virtually every operating room worldwide.
• Kaminska says, “Our research will help mitigate the more than $18.5 billion (2003 figure) annual cost of heart disease and stroke to the Canadian economy.”
• Canadian Microelectronics Corporation — a non-profit organization — helped manufacture the polymer sensors that house CiBER’s technology.
• Using new polymer-based micro-fabrication technologies, these micro-sensors are embedded directly in a polymer material that can be worn by a patient and used to monitor pathogens, diseases and patient health, away from hospitals.
• WIRED Magazine, a 15-year-old publication, has established itself as the first word on how technology is changing the world around us. It has nearly six million worldwide readers per month.
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• Bozena Kaminska and CiBER partnered with Nokia to develop the wireless system that drives their contactless heart-monitoring biosensors. Kaminska more recently partnered with Dr. William New to found Adigy Corporation in Canada and the U.S. to accelerate marketing of her biosensors and other health-benefiting technologies as small as a grain of rice. New is a physician, retired professor, engineer and successful serial entrepreneur who developed the pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen levels in the blood of anesthetized patients. The device is found in virtually every operating room worldwide.
• Kaminska says, “Our research will help mitigate the more than $18.5 billion (2003 figure) annual cost of heart disease and stroke to the Canadian economy.”
• Canadian Microelectronics Corporation — a non-profit organization — helped manufacture the polymer sensors that house CiBER’s technology.
• Using new polymer-based micro-fabrication technologies, these micro-sensors are embedded directly in a polymer material that can be worn by a patient and used to monitor pathogens, diseases and patient health, away from hospitals.
• WIRED Magazine, a 15-year-old publication, has established itself as the first word on how technology is changing the world around us. It has nearly six million worldwide readers per month.
— 30 —