Innovation Utah

Utah Leading the Nation in Innovative Company Creation

amieparker — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:47:29 +0000

According to the Milken Institute’s State Technology and Science Index, Utah ranks number one in the nation for its technology concentration and dynamism. Along with the number one ranking, Utah has also garnered the number two ranking in the Inc. 500 per capita index, according to data from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Compiled by USTAR from The Ascent of America’s High-Growth Companies: State Profiles of America’s High Growth Companies Sept. 2012. By: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

The Milken Institute’s 2012 report evaluates technology outcomes to assess how effective policymakers and other stakeholders have been at parlaying regional assets into regional prosperity. Utah’s top ranking, which it also held in 2008 and 2010 in this bi-annual ranking, shows the state’s policymakers and stakeholders are engaged in promoting an innovation driven economy.

The composite index uses ten indicators to evaluate this effectiveness. The indicators include, average yearly growth of high-tech industries, percent of employment in high-tech NAICS codes, net formation of high-tech establishments per 10,000 business establishments, percent of establishments births in high-tech NAICS codes, number of high-tech industries growing faster than U.S. average, number of Inc. 500 companies per 10,000 business establishments, percent of establishments in high-tech NAICS codes, number of high- tech industries with LQ higher than 1.0, number of technology fast 500 companies per 10,000 business establishments and percent of payroll in high-tech NAICS codes.

The State Technology and Science Index is the Milken Institute’s fifth in the decade since the first report was released in 2002. The overwhelming trend this year throughout the country is that technology and science are leading the economic recovery, and as a result, competition among the states is getting tougher. Utah leads this trend, as one of the top economies in the nation with a very robust economic growth rate of 4.0% and steadily declining unemployment rate of 4.9%.

“Utah has consistently been recognized for being on the forefront of technology-based economic growth,” said Ted McAleer, the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR) executive director. “And USTAR has played a vital role by providing an infrastructure that brings academic, industry and entrepreneurial minds together in a way that accelerates this growth.”

USTAR matches up well with the effectiveness the index seeks to measure. USTAR collaborates with the University of Utah (U of U) and Utah State University (USU), in addition to regional higher education offices throughout the state to catalyze world-class research teams in strategic innovation areas. USTAR has shown success in securing some of the best talent to head up their research teams. Since its inception, USTAR has attracted leading researchers from MIT, Harvard University, UCLA, Case Western, University of Arizona, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and other top research institutions which are helping to drive Utah’s top ranking.

Another example of the state leveraging its regional resources is USTAR’s world-class research facilities opened in 2011 and 2012 on the campuses of USU and the U of U. The primary purpose of these buildings is to give USTAR’s research teams and their collaborators top-of-the-line facilities to conduct their ground-breaking research. The secondary purpose is also critical, to foster greater connections between industry, entrepreneurs and research, a connection which is recognized by this recent ranking.

Utah’s fertile ground for starting and growing businesses has driven it to #2 per capita in Inc. 500 companies. In the 1980’s, Utah companies achieved Inc. 500 company status 28 times. This number has steadily grown to 117 during the 2000’s, vaulting Utah up the list. Salt Lake City alone has 57 Inc. 500 status achieving companies, validating Utah’s innovative and entrepreneurial climate where companies can grow and thrive.

Additionally, USTAR created the Technology Outreach Innovation Program (TOIP) to be the business engine to drive commercialization activities. The TOIP team helps the state’s entrepreneurs and existing companies commercialize new technology and access the resources available at high education institutions, and with financing to drive local entrepreneurship. The program is led by four directors who head an outreach center located at one of the state’s higher educational institutions: Weber State University, USU-Uintah Basin, Utah Valley University, and Dixie State University.

“Emerging reports validate the economic development model in Utah,” said McAleer. “We have a long established entrepreneurial spirit which, when coupled with the resources and programs in the state, bolster Utah’s high-tech knowledge economy and make it one of the most dynamic in the nation.”

It is the collaboration and focus on innovation between the universities around Utah and the industry partners that has come together as part of the USTAR program. And it is this combination of facilities, human capital and entrepreneurial nature that sets Utah apart from other states.

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MPO Summit: Helping Medtech Manufacturing Move Mountains

amieparker — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:29:25 +0000

Medical Product Outsourcing will be hosting their two-day summit June 4-6 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The summit will provide medical device professionals with top-level learning and networking opportunities. The summit will also tap into the state’s innovative and growing medical device market while addressing broader industry-related issues critical to medical device manufacturing professionals.

MPO is a global magazine dedicated to the growing trend of medical device outsourced manufacturing. For eight years, at leading manufacturing hubs throughout the United States and internationally, MPO events have provided the medical device industry with the most comprehensive programs addressing critical medical device outsourcing and manufacturing issues.

The event will address the Utah’s innovative and growing medical device market. Utah’s life-sciences industry boasts more than 26,800 employees, making it a leader among Western states for life-science businesses per capita and second for overall industry growth. Of the more than 600 life-science companies located in Utah, more than 100 are medical device companies, according to the Economic Development Corporation of Utah.

Companies such as C.R. Bard, Becton Dickinson, Edwards Lifesciences, Fresenius, ICU Medical and Merit Medical are just a few of the medical device firms already doing business in Utah. In addition, state universities bring in more than $400 million annually in research grants. Utah’s two research universities, the University of Utah (U of U) and Utah State University (USU) consistently spin out about a dozen new medical device companies each year combined.

The Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative is a sponsor of the summit and works closely with world-class research teams at both the U of U and USU to develop the most innovative technologies in the medical device industry. USTAR also has aided the commercialization and has boosted many medical device startups in the state such as TouchMD. The southern Utah startup focuses on better connecting doctors and patients through innovative and interactive technologies.

“The state is thrilled the medical device industry in Utah is one of the most highly concentrated of its kind in the United States. Hosting the MPO conference is an exciting opportunity to raise the profile nationally of this fast-growing industry cluster and highlight the innovative research at our universities,” said Spencer P. Eccles, Executive Director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, which also is acting as a supporting sponsor of the MPO Summit.

As in years past, the 2013 MPO summit will focus on delivering the mission-critical information and knowledge-sharing that a manufacturer and their suppliers use to succeed. The summit’s theme, “Helping Medtech Manufacturing Move Mountains” build conference topics on almost a decade of experience with right-sized education and networking meeting geared toward medical device manufacturing’s busy professionals.

Sessions include, “Setting Strategy to Cultivate Win-Win Growth Partnerships,” presented by Sean MacLeod, President of Stratos Product Development, and Ashish Bhargava, Senior Director, Product Development for Cyberonics Inc. This session will address how well-executed partnerships are innovation engines for driving revenue and market-share growth.

Another highlight session is, “Connected Health and Collaboration in the Value Chain: Beyond Traditional Models,” presented byDonna Fedor, founder of the Arden Consulting Group.This session will discuss the new realities and complexities that digital, connected health is bringing into the value and supply chains of medical device and pharmaceutical companies.

The MPO Summit will also include sessions on supply chain issues, product development partnerships, supplier management, quality and risk management, outsourcing strategies, sourcing decisions, product commercialization, and insight from leading medical device CEOs.

Along with the valuable opportunities for education, additional sessions will tackle international supply chain quality, environmental issues and medtech manufacturing, reducing material costs, and new market opportunities.

Visit www.mposummit.comto learn more about the MPO Summit agenda, speakers and sponsors. To register visit: http://mposummit.com/?page_id=11.

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USTAR Researcher Shedding New Light on Solar Power

amieparker — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:53:47 +0000

As the world grapples with the ever-changing dynamics of energy use and production, a researcher at the University of Utah is pioneering a new frontier in solar energy called Diffractive Spectrum Separation. It represents a novel way to boost solar panel efficiency and cost effectiveness.

This new frontier was described in “Increased Photovoltaic Power Output via Diffractive Spectrum Separation,” a paper published in the March 2013 volume of the Physical Review Letters. This research is the culmination of a collaborative effort of Rajesh Menon and researchers at MIT, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Stion Corporation. Menon is a Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR) researcher at the University of Utah’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The research, which was partly funded by USTAR and the University of Utah Foundation, developed a novel photovoltaic device that substantially increases the power harnessed by solar panels, achieving levels not currently possible. Moreover, the technology can be applied to existing solar panel designs.

Currently, solar panel technology can only produce electricity using a relatively few frequencies of light. Most solar panels cannot capture the entire range of solar light and much of the potential energy is unharnessed.

“In this field, much of the work has focused on either improving the material quality of the photovoltaic device or on using a variety of schemes to improve light absorption or ‘light-trapping’,” said Menon.

Menon’s research instead focuses on splitting the light into different wavelengths and directing those beams of light onto different cells. This process is achieved through a broadband diffractive optic (called a polychromat) that separates multiple spectral bands and concentrates incident light onto separate absorbers.

Menon’s research reports an increase in power output as high as 42 percent with relatively inexpensive thin-film CIGS solar cells able to capture more light from the beam. Since the polychromat may be fabricated over large areas (much like printing newspapers), it is possible to cheaply incorporate such optics into current photovoltaic devices.

“The most important advance is that we can utilize optics that are both efficient and can be mass produced in conjunction with conventional photovoltaic devices to significantly increase the photovoltaic efficiency,” said Menon. “Our work is distinct because we can now condition the light, split and concentrate it, before it even reaches the absorption material.”

This ability to leverage existing technology and move with advancements in other components of photovoltaic devices presents a game changer for solar energy.

“The most important point in my mind is that this is a practical solution and can actually be implemented in large scale in the future,” said Menon.

As this research pushed the boundaries of current technology researchers’ biggest challenge was to innovate approaches to better design the solar panel’s optics to be ultra-efficient in how they processed the light. Additionally, the researchers needed to accurately incorporate current fabrication constraints through complex algorithms and implement the effects of the new optics, which led to their breakthrough.

“We had to assemble a device that incorporated both the optics and the photovoltaic devices, which had never been done in this manner before,” said Menon.

The researchers are looking to take the next bold step in their innovation of the solar power industry through the construction of a commercial prototype with existing materials.

“The idea is to incorporate the optics into the cover glass of a multi-material photovoltaic device. Such a prototype would have the same aspect ratio, weight, etc. as a conventional flat solar panel,” said Menon. Additionally, Menon and his colleagues have already improved on this research and have a new paper under review. With these advancements the project is set to achieve extremely high efficiency (>50%).

“This can be achieved by increasing the number of spectral bands more than two and also increasing the geometric concentration. This is, of course, sort of a holy grail in photovoltaics,” said Menon.

For more information about Menon’s research visit: http://lons.utah.edu/

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Utah Game Wars: Competition, Creativity and Commercialization

justinberry — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:51:45 +0000

Utah is fast becoming known for a vibrant digital media and entertainment industry. The state is at the forefront of the industry with a digital media pipeline of developing innovative technologies, attracting new businesses and promoting world-class education. This innovation combined with Utah’s robust entrepreneurial spirit creates the ideal environment for 2013 Utah Game Wars competition.

The competition leverages the digital media pipeline that has produced some of the best innovations in 3D animation, compression technology, and game design in the world. In addition to these innovations, the pipeline has been strengthened as Utah has become home to digital media giants. Companies such as Adobe, Electronic Arts and Smart Bomb Interactive see locating within the state as a huge opportunity to expand and develop their business. The attraction to the state is fueled by Utah’s top universities and entrepreneurs who are driving innovation in the field, such as the University of Utah’s Entertainment Arts and Engineering Program (EAE) program. The EAE program was recently ranked the number one undergraduate and second best graduate program for gaming design by the Princeton Review.

“The goal of Utah Game Wars is to stimulate creativity and job creation in the exceptionally high-paying digital media and gaming industry that was recently highlighted in Governor Herbert’s keynote address at the 2013 Utah Economic Summit,” said Ryan Angus, associate director of USTAR’s Central Region technology outreach office. “Many gaming studios have grown from small independent shops to major players in Utah over the years and we want to encourage more of the same behavior.”

The competition, a Concept to Company contest, focuses on new game development driven by innovators and entrepreneurs. Entries to the competition can enter into one of two categories: unreleased (not yet distributed) or released (distributed) mobile, console, or computer games. The competition is open to Utah residents, students, and small businesses with under $5 million in annual revenues. The goal is to help further develop the state’s digital media pipeline while spurring creativity and innovation.

Entries must include a short highlight video of the game being played. Eight finalists will be selected in June. The finalist’s games will be judged by representatives from major local game studios based on potential commercial appeal. The best unreleased and released games will be awarded cash prizes of $15,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Entries may be submitted until midnight on May 31, 2013. For more information about Game Wars or to enter the competition visit: http://www.concepttocompany.org/current-contests/gaming13

The contest is organized and hosted by Grow Utah Ventures, Utah Valley University, UVU Business Resource Center, and Zions Bank. Sponsors of the contest include the Utah Science and Technology initiative (USTAR), and the Digital Media UCAP project. Many industry experts and game developers will also contribute their time and resources.

The Concept to Company competitions are ongoing entrepreneur contests held in various regions across the State of Utah. The main objectives of the contests are to encourage and support Utah’s entrepreneurial innovators with the intent of helping them bring concepts to the marketplace. Competitions are held in all regions of the state with each competition focusing on the unique entrepreneurial strengths of that region. To date, over $450,000 has been awarded to nearly 30 entrepreneurs amongst 12 different contests.

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U of U’s entertainment arts gaining steam and recognition

amieparker — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:10:08 +0000

Likely, if you are reading this article on your tablet, smart-phone, or even on your laptop computer the University of Utah (U of U) played an important role. The U of U has a strong history in the computer sciences, from computing and networking, to digital media and video game design.

The U of U has been part of many great innovations in the field in recent decades. These innovations include helping pioneer the modern day Internet as well as U of U alumni who have founded industry giants such as Adobe and Pixar.

Robot Pinball Escape – Master’s Thesis game (Photo Courtesy U of U EAE Program)

Designing the Foundation

The U of U’s Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE) program has become more than the virtual realities it creates. The Princeton Review recently recognized the program as a national leader in video game design. In fact, the EAE undergraduate program ranked as the top innovative and productive gaming schools in the country beating out the likes of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Southern California, and other esteemed programs. Not to be out done, the program’s graduate program was recognized as the second best in video game design.

“We are so excited to be recognized nationally as a game design program,” said Corrinne Lewis, program manager of EAE. “This is more a reflection and recognition of our great staff and professors, but of course our excellent students and alumni. We really do have the greatest minds in the world on our campus.”

Designing Utah Jobs

While the EAE program may be the best at educating those great minds, finding jobs in the State of Utah is even better. The state ranks as the sixth most information concentrated economy

in the country for employment, and has attracted the top employers in the industry to the state, including Electronic Arts (EA) and Disney Interactive Studio.

Nationally the video game and digital media industry is a $21 billion market, and continues to grow. Such a big market means jobs, and lots of high-paying jobs. The EAE program is specifically designed to help students meet this demand.

Building the Workforce

Matt Anderson, a graduate of both the EAE undergraduate and graduate programs is evidence of this focus. Anderson’s degrees helped lead to not just one job, but two–working as creative director of Broken Compass Studios and as a project manager of Party and Mobile Games for Wyrd Games.

“EAE exposed me to a great deal of process and production practices that have been a guiding light in being able to complete large projects on time,” said Anderson. “There is no substitute for being surrounded by bright people who are as passionate and engaged with your field as you are.”

Further evidence of EAE’s focus on producing the best talent for the video game industry is Laura Warner, 2012 alumni from the program’s graduate program. Warner now works on creating character animation for Disney Interactive Studio in Salt Lake City.

“The EAE program provided me with so many things including the tools, experience, education and networking needed to get a job in a very competitive industry,” said Warner.

While Warner and Anderson have found jobs at industry leading firms, other graduates of the EAE program are redefining the way we even think about digital media. Alex Johnstone, another double graduate of EAE works as a consultant for the digital media exhibits for the Leonardo, a science and technology museum in downtown Salt Lake.

Johnstone attributes his success to EAE’s innovative and collaborative learning environment. “The EAE develops a strong culture of collaboration through a team dynamic of designers, engineers, and programmers,” said Johnstone. “This academic environment has helped me apply the same type of thinking when developing exhibit design.”

Designing the Future

While the EAE has garnered accolades and jobs for graduates, the program is also striving to evolve and improve. The graduate program with the new Master of Entertainment Arts and Engineering (MEAE) degree will provide students with a much more focused and detailed designation for the video game industry as compared to the traditional Master’s of Science or Fine Arts.

“The EAE program attracts creative and innovative students from a variety of disciplines and currently has roughly 400 undergraduate students and 60 graduate students,” said Lewis. “The new MEAE will allow these students to gain a more focused, while still interdisciplinary experience in game design.”

Students currently in the program also rave about this interdisciplinary experience provided by the EAE faculty and the program’s cohort-oriented. Andrew Witts, a graduate student in the MEAE program, moved from Boston to Salt Lake because of the program’s top ranking and curriculum.

“I believe that the academic environment of the EAE program is what makes it different,” says Witts. “I believe it keeps students like myself on their toes and focuses on molding our professional identities.”

Alice Owens, a graduate from the EAE undergraduate program and now in her first year in the MEAE program added, “The EAE program has awesome faculty. There are industry professionals teaching and providing vital information for every student’s future in game design.”

Building for Success

The faculty at EAE includes two Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative affiliated professors, Cem Yuksel and Craig Caldwell. USTAR focuses on driving innovation, supporting entrepreneurs and developing new technologies.

“When we were developing the EAE program we wanted to integrate the economic development and commercialization aspect of USTAR,” said Caldwell. “We wanted students to work together from an artist, programmer and an engineer all in the same environment, as they would in any startup.”

This focus on economic development, entrepreneurship, and commercialization led to a partnership between the U of U Technology Commercialization Office (TCO) and the EAE program. This collaboration led to Utah Game Forge which is an independent game publisher formed to publish student games originating from the EAE program.

Students in the EAE program work in teams to develop games for the real world. Since the creation of Game Forge, 10 student games have been published and more than 67,500 copies of EAE student produced games have been downloaded.

“From the classroom to the creative design team of the industry’s top companies, the EAE program’s main goal is to develop the next generation of game designers,” said Lewis. “Our program is agile and tailored to meet this objective, and the future for EAE and Utah’s game design industry looks bright.”

This article originally appeared on KSL.com

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Tapping into Utah’s Brightest at the Milford Renewable Energy Fair

amieparker — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:16:52 +0000

Innovators, experts and students alike will gather on May 1, 2013 for the fifth Annual Milford Renewable Energy Fair. The fair attracts people from all across Utah to learn more about renewable energy and the future of the industry in Utah. Hosted by the Southwest Utah Renewable Energy Center (SUTREC), the Milford Renewable Energy Fair will begin at 9:00 am at the Milford High School in Milford, Utah.

The fair will feature booth displays on the latest in renewable energy, energy efficiency, biomass and alternative fuel technologies including several natural gas and electric powered vehicles. Booth display participants include over 30 industry leaders, universities, government agencies, students, and scientists. Additionally, the fair includes educational breakout sessions and overview of renewable energy technologies and activities that include an electric vehicle endurance race, a wind-power resource balloon, miniature solar car races, and a solar pathfinder demonstration.

“The energy sector is a great place to be and having students study energy resources and then create electricity in their own backyard builds confidence and gets them excited about math, science and their future career possibilities,” said Jake Hardman, SUTREC Coordinator. “The fair gathers industry, government, community and academic leaders to the one of the most diverse electricity generating valleys in the world. They are able to speak with students about energy projects, recruit them to work or study with them and also be impressed by how much these young scientists already know. They are also able to see what others in the industry are up to and network with Utah’s best and brightest.”

One of the highlights of the fair is the electric vehicle endurance race, which pits high school student teams against each other in a battle of engineering, science and driving skill. The student’s have designed and built electric vehicles, which they race for an hour on a track to complete the most laps.

Andy Swapp, a career and technical education and renewable energy instructor at Milford High School and the Southwest Applied Technology College originally organized the fair to help his students better connect with the growing field of renewable energy.

“The fair is meant to be a lot of fun, but it’s also a look at the future of energy generation and conservation,” said Swapp. He will be joined by Cody Stewart, the Governor’s energy advisor, as speakers at the event.

The fair will also host a luncheon for attendees interested in discussing the successes in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries thus far. The luncheon is also an opportunity to meet with energy industry business leaders, state and local government officials, academic leaders and community members to advance development of the renewable energy industry

The Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative is proud to work in collaboration with SUTREC as a sponsor of the annual fair. For more information about the Milford Renewable Energy Fair and to register visit: http://www.sutrec.org/page.php?id=24

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Fourth Annual Waxy Crude Workshop Coming to Vernal April 18

amieparker — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:49:51 +0000

The annual Waxy Crude Workshop will be held at the Uintah Basin Applied Technology College in Vernal, Utah on April 18, 2013 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. The workshop now in its fourth year, will explore further solutions and ongoing research regarding extracting and transporting waxy crude oil which have higher paraffinic (waxy) content than standard crude oil. Furthermore, the workshop will elaborate on improving the economic viability of the resource including increased netbacks for producers and higher revenues for investors.

“The economic potential of black wax oil has dramatically increased in recent years,” USTAR Eastern Regional director Alan Walker said. “This workshop’s main goal is continue to resolve some of the waxy crude issues in Utah’s Uinta Basin and to explore long-term solutions for this resource.”

The Uintah Basin has significant reserves of black xax and its counterpart yellow wax oil and recent innovations, including fluid catalytic cracking units (FCCUs), have made it possible to transport these thick crude oils. In fact, in 2012 there were approximately 1,213 drilling permit applications in Uintah Basin, which represented 57% of all permits in the state.

As these innovations have enhanced the economic viability of black wax oil, Utah’s largest producer of crude oil Newfield Exploration spent an estimated $500 million in the state last year drilling and running assessment operations.

Utah receives more than $10 million in state royalty payments and severance taxes annually from Newfield, and between 2005 and 2010, the state received more than $50 million in ad valorem and production taxes from the company. Beginning in 2014 Newfield Exploration agreed to deliver 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) to the Salt Lake refinery, which will provide Holly with a consistent supply of waxy crudes.

During the 2013 legislative session, the Utah State Legislature appropriated $3 million to study improving the transportation options for these and other natural resources from Uintah Basin. The study is a continuation of recent UDOT research that estimated that without significant improvements to the Uintah Basin transportation network there would be roughly $30 Billion in lost production by 2042. Without these improvements that state would forego nearly $11.4 billion in revenues and user benefits, and an estimated 26,000 jobs would not be created in the region.

While the study shows there are significant improvements to make on infrastructure, there have been recent innovations in the development of this resource and will be discussed at the workshop. Speakers will include John Braza, director of Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM), DOGM associate director of oil and gas John Rodgers and Dr. Richard Roehner from the department of chemical engineering at the University of Utah.

The workshop is led by the Utah Science Technology and Research(USTAR) initiative’s Eastern Utah Technology Outreach team. Alan Walker and the USTAR team are working with research, industry and entrepreneurial leaders in the energy sector to establish Utah as a center for the development and deployment of new energy technology and to assist the efficient and environmentally responsible production of energy resources in the state.

The workshop is held in conjunction with Utah Department of Natural Resources’ quarterly meeting of the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. Other sponsors include the University of Utah Institute for Clean and Secure Energy, Utah State University, the Bingham Entrepreneurship and Energy Research Center, UBATC, USTAR and the Office of Energy Development. Lunch will be provided by Integrated Water Management.

For more information about the Waxy Crude Workshop contact Alan Walker, alanjwalker@egi.utah.edu

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Exciting Utah Technology Harnesses the Calming Power of Light

amieparker — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:14:06 +0000

TranqiulMed, a startup medical device company, is helping people get a good night’s rest. TranquilMed’s medical-grade light therapy device alleviates the symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) which is one of the top four sleep disorders affecting approximately 37 million people in North America.

Founded in 2010, TranquilMed’s technology is licensed through Brigham Young University and is based on the discoveries of Dr. Ulrike Mitchell. The treatment requires a patient to wear the device on each leg for 30 minutes each day. Clinical research has shown a 52 percent decrease in the uncomfortable leg sensations associated with RLS in patients after just 12 treatments.

TranquilMed’s innovative device uses light at 890nm, which can pass through human tissue easier than other wavelengths of light. When the light passes into the deep tissue, it releases the light’s energy, widening blood vessels which increase blood flow, oxygen and nutrients reducing the symptoms of RLS

After a recent eight week product review, TranquilMed’s technology has received a favorable review from the RSL foundation, the leading authority on RLS in North America. This review will make TranquilMed’s product the first drug-free treatment option featured by the RLS Foundation

“This RLS foundation review further establishes TranquilMed’s credibility, as a viable non-narcotic treatment for RLS,” said Rich Hoops, President and CEO of TranquilMed., “Our research has shown that TranquilMed is an effective treatment and this review confirms those findings.”

In addition to the review, TranquilMed recently won a Go-To-Market (GTM) grant from the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR). The GTM grants focus on bringing innovative new technologies to market in partnership with Utah’s universities and colleges. The GTM grant program is independently administered on a regional basis through USTAR’s Northern, Southern and Central technology outreach teams. For additional information about the GTM Program, see: http://www.innovationutah.com/entrepreneur-resources/funding-resources/go-to-market-grants/

“As TranquilMed provides a unique and drug-free treatment for those who suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome, the company has great potential and is positioned for significant growth,” said Hoops. “The USTAR Go-To-Market grant has helped established TranquilMed’s efforts to develop and market our treatment to improve the quality of life for those who suffer from RLS.”

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Energize 2013: Sustainable Energy Summit for the Mountain West

amieparker — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:10:16 +0000

The Energy Commercialization Center is hosting their first annual Energize 2013 summit April 11-12. Energize 2013 will bring together diverse and influential stakeholders from the sustainable energy community of the Rocky Mountain West for thought leadership, collaborative problem solving, and inspiring dialogue on the emergence of sustainable, carbon free energy economy.

The summit will discuss the growth of regional innovation ecosystem and how collaboration can drive emerging ventures to the next stage of validation. Keynote speakers include Paul Ahlstrom, Co-Author of the book, “Nail It Then Scale It,” Theddi Wright Chappell, CEO of Sustainable Values Inc., and Thomas Parks, University of Utah Vice President for Research.

Attendees will participate in interactive workshops meant for collaborative problem solving and will highlight best practices, lessons learned, and the strengths and weakness of a carbon free energy economy. The Energize 2013 summit will also include an opportunity to meet industry and investment leaders while learning the latest research breakthroughs and IP from professionals within the national labs, research institutes and academic university.

One of the ECC’s community partners, the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR), provides research and commercialization efforts with a strong focus on energy. This includes carbon management research, biofuels, and most recently the development of a first-of-its-kind electric powered bus at Utah State University (USU). Additionally, Ted McAleer, USTAR’s executive director will participate in a session titled “Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Best Practices” at the two day event.

The ECC’s Energize 2013 Emerging Venture Competition finalists will also present at the summit. Attendees will have an opportunity to listen to and interact with these early stage companies as they pitch their innovative ideas. At the end of the summit a winner will be announced, which will win a 10,000 dollar prize, a two hour strategy and legal advice session, website service for their company and startup legal services.

The ECC was established in 2010 through the department of Energy grant awarded to the University of Utah. ECC’s mission is to drive emerging sustainable energy ventures to the next state of validation through the facilitation of an innovation ecosystem in the Rocky Mountain West. The ECC is a regional cleantech collaboration center providing the through leadership, community engagement, and acceleration resources necessary for the transition to sustainable, carbon free energy economy.Energize 2013 will be held at Snowbird Meeting and Conference Center. For more information or to request registration visit: http://www.eccutah.com/energize/

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GeoMetWatch Partners with AsiaSat to Launch Advanced Severe Weather Payload

amieparker — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:37:59 +0000

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) and GeoMetWatch Corp announced April 3, 2013 that the two companies have entered into a strategic partnership to host the first of six Sounding & Tracking Observatory for Regional Meteorology (STORM) instruments on board a new satellite planned to be launched by AsiaSat in 2016.

“We are pleased to have reached this cooperation agreement with GeoMetWatch. We are excited to take part in this ground breaking project that will provide advanced data to improve weather forecasting, natural disaster monitoring and climate modeling. This new partnership with GeoMetWatch will open up new opportunities to expand our satellite services into new areas, and allow us to explore a new source of revenue for the company,” said William Wade, President and Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat.

“GeoMetWatch’s partnership with AsiaSat is a significant step towards the implementation of our global geostationary hyperspectral sounder constellation. The first STORM sensor will provide unprecedented atmospheric and weather data over Asia and the Pacific region, for which we have already had significant interest to purchase the data when available,” said David Crain, Chief Executive Officer of GeoMetWatch. “For the past 25 years, AsiaSat has been the preeminent satellite operator in Asia and we are pleased that our first STORM hyperspectral sounder will be hosted on their satellite.”

Planned for launch in 2016 and to be positioned at 122 degrees East, this new AsiaSat satellite will host the first hyperspectral STORM sensor that will collect and return to Earth sophisticated and critical weather data not currently available. This hyperspectral data will enable meteorologists to provide better daily forecasts, predict severe weather and atmospheric instability more accurately, and improve location and storm tracking and analysis of the intensity of hurricanes and typhoons, resulting in earlier evacuations that can improve the preservation of lives and property.

“STORM will provide significantly earlier warning for severe weather and climate instability, and it will do so faster, more frequently and with finer detailed measurements than any capability in orbit today,” Crain said.

The first STORM sensor is currently being manufactured by Utah State University’s Advanced Weather Systems. AWS is part of Utah State’s rich heritage of designing, building and testing state-of-the-art space based sensors. “AWS is thrilled to be a part of the GMW-AsiaSat partnership,” said Robert T. Behunin, AWS Board Member and USU vice president for commercialization. “This unprecedented partnership and the activities that will come from it will revolutionize the weather sensor and data community; it will also provide a more efficient business model to secure and distribute weather data.”

Twelve scientists in Logan started the first hyperspectral sounder in February with capital from GeoMetWach and the state-funded Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR). USTAR provided funding for much of the initial design and trade study efforts undertaken to establish details associated with final instrument design and pricing requirements. Additionally, these funds were used to provide valuable market research and customer engagement activities necessary for project evaluation and progress.

Partnering with Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) of University of Wisconsin for expertise in hyperspectral algorithm development and data processing, the GeoMetWatch system will provide high-resolution, visible and infrared images of atmospheric conditions as well as a complete set of quasi-continuous measurements that are high resolution in vertical, spatial and temporal dimensions. These include profiles of temperature, water vapor, pressure, clouds and wind, three-dimensional fields of aerosols, pollutants, and trace gases, volcanic ash and gases, weather instability, precipitation and flood forecasts, hurricane intensity and ground track, and other data. GeoMetWatch’s products and services will be available globally under an innovative fee-for-service data-buy model that enables its clients to meet their critical atmospheric data needs with increased accuracy, efficiency and affordability.

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