Patents Assigned to University Of Limerick
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Publication number: 20150045885Abstract: A water dispersible, biocompatible, non-toxic, seedless Group IV nanowire having an etched surface and surface oxide is provided. Also provided is a method of forming water dispersible seedless Group IV nanowires, comprising the steps of providing pristine seedless Group IV nanowires, and reacting the nanowires with a solution of an acidic amino acid to etch the nanowires and promote the formation of a water dispersible oxide layer through the formation of etched nanowires.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICKInventors: Patrick Kiely, Kevin Ryan, Michael Bezuidenhout
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Patent number: 8934744Abstract: A method for performing a multi-stage dilation of optical fibers is described, the method comprising performing successive dilation steps such that the adiabatic condition is maintained throughout the fiber. There is also described various optical devices employing such multi-stage dilated optical fibers, as well as methods of manufacture of the optical devices.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2010Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignees: University of Limerick, Waterford Institute of TechnologyInventors: Dominic Finnian Murphy, Noel Valentine Healy, Conleth Dennis Hussey, Ronan O'Byrne, Sergey Sergeyev
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Publication number: 20140343625Abstract: A surface NMES stimulation device the device has a control processor, a voltage regulator connected to a high voltage supply, a bridge of control switches, and electrodes or electrode terminals connected in the bridge to receive drive signals via the control switches. The processor directs a drive scheme for the bridge control switches in which charge build-up on a user's skin is allowed to dissipate to ground in an inter-pulse interval. An isolation capacitor isolates the high voltage supply from the electrodes, and charging of the capacitor only occurs if a switch allows it. Sensors senses supply voltage and bridge current and the processor monitors there to determine further stimulation and faults.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2012Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAYInventors: Gearóid Ó Laighin, Paul Breen, Derek O'Keeffe, Richard Conway, Sinziana Lulia Birlea
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Patent number: 8881794Abstract: A cooling device (1) comprises a top plate (2), a bottom plate (3), an axial flow inlet (4) in the top plate (2), a rotor support (5) on the top plate (2), and a pump rotor fan (6). The outer dimensions are 40 mm in diameter and 4 mm in height. The internal separation of the plates 2 and 3 is 4 mm. The cooling device (1) has a low profile in scale. Depending on the configuration and on operating parameters steady or unsteady fluid flow vortices can be created in the heat sink. The resulting flow field enhances heat transfer rates locally through impingement cooling and thermal transport by the vortices, whether generated to be steady or unsteady in nature. Also, the vortices drive a secondary flow within the heat sink, effectively creating a pumping mechanism, which further enhances heat transfer.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: University of LimerickInventors: Edmond Walsh, Ronan Grimes, Jeff Punch
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Publication number: 20140303460Abstract: A monitoring system comprises sensors adapted to be worn by a user, and, a processor linked with the sensor. The processor receives sensor data and processes this data to determine user posture data including data indicative of vertical distance between level of the user's heart and ankle. Based on the posture data together with a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency and/or blood density, generate an estimate of user static venous pressure while the user is static, without calf muscle pump activity. The processor also processes the sensor data to determine if there is calf muscle pump activity, and generates an estimate of user active venous pressure according to the static venous pressure estimate, rate of calf muscle activity, and a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency. The processor may generate the venous pressure estimate in real time, and may control an NMES device accordingly.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2012Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAYInventors: Gavin Corley, Gearóid ÓLaighin, Paul Breen, Barry Broderick, Pierce A. Grace, Derek O'Keeffe
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Publication number: 20140220091Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymeric material having one or more nanoparticles embedded within the surface layer of a single side of the material. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles are microbiocidal nanoparticles which impart antimicrobial characteristics to the polymeric material within which they sprayed and pushed by are embedded.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2012Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK, WROCLAW UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, WROCLAW MEDICAL UNIVERSITYInventors: Syed Tofail, Jacek Zeglinski, Patrick Cronin, Halina Podbielska, Ewa Dworniczek, Peter Tiernan, Roman Franiczek, Igor Buzalewicz, Magdalena Wawrzynska
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Publication number: 20140213762Abstract: A casein hydrolysate formed by controlled hydrolysis of a casein substrate by an aspergillus-derived (fugal) proteolytic preparation is described. The controlled hydrolysis employs a FlavorPro-Whey™ formulation and a degree of hydrolysis (% DH) of from 5% DH to 15% DH. The hydrolysate has at least a 98% reduction in antigenicity compared to intact sodium caseinate and a mean bitterness score of less than 30%.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2012Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICKInventors: Dick Fitzgerald, Dara O'Sullivan
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Patent number: 8764678Abstract: A pressure sensor (10 for medical applications comprises a silica optical fiber extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) pressure sensor (2) and an in-fiber Bragg grating (FBG, 3). The cavity of the EFPI pressure sensor (2) is formed by the end face of the FBG (3), a glass capillary (5) and a glass diaphragm (6). The glass diaphragm (6) is secured in place by a fusion splice (7) and the glass capillary (5) by a fusion splice (8). As illustrated, incident light is directed into the FBG 3 and there are reflections in the EFPI pressure sensor (2). Applied pressure causes a deflection of the glass diaphragm (6) and hence modulation of the EFPI sensor (2) cavity. The FBG (3) is used as a reference sensor to eliminate temperature cross-sensitivity of the EFPI pressure sensor (2). The EFPI cavity was fabricated using a 200 ?m silica glass fiber, a 133/220 ?m (inner/outer diameter) silica glass capillary and a standard telecommunication FBG.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2011Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: University of LimerickInventors: Kort Bremer, Gabriel Leen, Elfed Lewis, Brian J. Moss, Steffen Lochmann, Ingo Mueller
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Patent number: 8764503Abstract: A process for removing hazardous substances from a LCD display (1) includes incision through off set lines (10) around the front of the panel (3). Top components are then removed to expose the fluorescent tubes (5) which contain hazardous substances. The incisions are parallel to the recessed lips, at a distance in the range of 0 to 20 mm from the recessed lips. The cuts are to a depth of 20 mm to 50 mm. Preferably, at least two incisions are made simultaneously. The fluorescent tubes (5) are crushed after the access operation, by rollers, chains or by plates. During crushing there is suction of the particles and gases which are released, thereby removing the hazardous substances by filtration.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2010Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: University of LimerickInventors: Lisa O'Donoghue, Huw Lewis, Alan Ryan
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Publication number: 20140090071Abstract: A method of adapting a security configuration of a data processing application at runtime, and a system, together with its computing architecture, are disclosed. The system stores a causal network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of incoming and outgoing causal links associated therewith, wherein each node of the causal network is associated with a security concern or a requirement that can be affected by any configuration of the security controls. The current value of assets nodes, as well as those of the security concerns that can be affected by monitored contextual factors, are updated. The control nodes corresponding to the security controls is updated according to the security configuration whose utility is evaluated by the causal network. The node corresponding to the at least one variable is updated with the determined current value, which is propagated through the causal network through the causal links associated with the updated node.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: University of LimerickInventors: Mazeiar Salehie, Liliana Pasquale, Claudio Menghi, Inah Omoronyia, Bashar Nuseibeh
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Publication number: 20140069182Abstract: An apparatus for testing effects of relative movement of a fluid and an object has a test chamber (3) arranged to contain a fluid and is open in a manner to allow fluid inlet and/or outlet while the movable surface is moving. There is a drive (1) for moving a movable surface (13) with respect to the fluid in the chamber, and a probe for monitoring fluid conditions within the test chamber. The chamber has an inlet (5) and a separate outlet (6), and the drive is arranged to rotate a rotor (1) having the movable surface (13).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICKInventors: Conny SCHMIDT, Trevor YOUNG, Emmanuel BENARD
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Patent number: 8629422Abstract: The method utilizes a conducting trench base with non-conducting trench walls to corral charged particles precisely into the trenches. The nanoparticles are close packed in the channels and highly ordered. This approach utilizes the charge on the particles to selectively deposit them within the trenches, as all nanoparticles in solution can be charged, and this can be extended to any nanoparticle system beyond gold. Also, this method results in the layer-by-layer growth of the gold nanoparticles. Therefore the depth of the nanoparticle layers within the trenches is controllable. This allows the possibility of heterolayered structures of different nanoparticle layers. Further this method ensures that assembly occurs to fill the void space available provided the back-contacting electrode is more conducting than the trench walls. This allows nanoparticle assemblies to be corralled into any lithographically defined shape, which makes this approach highly adaptable to a range of applications.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2009Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: University of LimerickInventors: Kevin M. Ryan, Shafaat Ahmed
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Patent number: 8619849Abstract: The invention provides a multi-phase digital pulse width modulator (MP-DPWM) to implement a distribution scheme which applies the duty cycle in the fastest possible manner with restriction on the number of switching actions per phase and cycle, and additionally takes the number of available phases into account. It modulates switching signals according to a duty cycle input command, their previous switching states, and the current switching cycle. The controller is adapted to additionally take the residue of the previous subcycle into account. In the control scheme: each phase is allowed switch up to twice per cycle; only the next phase in the cycle is additionally turned on, at the start of a subcycle, and if a phase is still on at the end of a subcycle it can be kept on for longer, if required.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2010Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: University of LimerickInventors: Simon Effler, Mark Keith Halton
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Patent number: 8501432Abstract: Ligand-capped nanoparticles are dispersed in an organic solvent. There is then phase transfer of the nanoparticles introducing into the organic solvent an aqueous solution of polymer surfactant dissolved in water. The organic solvent and the aqueous solution are then mixed until the polymer forms micelles which encapsulate the nanoparticles in assemblies. The resultant nanoparticle assemblies in an aqueous phase may be used for any of a range of desired applications. It has been found that the assembly size can be tuned by control of any or a combination of method parameters such as concentration of polymer surfactant, and/or temperature of the phase change reaction, and/or rate of mixing, such as rotational rate of stirring. The nanoparticle assemblies find particular application as fluorescent biomarkers.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: University of LimerickInventors: Kevin M. Ryan, Ambarish Sanyal, Timothy McGloughlin, Anna V. Piterina
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Publication number: 20130183188Abstract: A mixture of powders for preparing a sintered nickel-titanium-rare earth (Ni—Ti—RE) alloy includes Ni—Ti alloy powders comprising from about 55 wt. % Ni to about 61 wt. % Ni and from about 39 wt. % Ti to about 45 wt. % Ti, and RE alloy powders comprising a RE element.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2013Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicants: Medical Engineering and Development Institute, Inc, UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICKInventors: University of Limerick, Medical Engineering and Development Institute, Inc.
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Publication number: 20130153677Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing droplets comprises a dispensing tip with an orifice having a cross sectional area in the range of 0.00002 mm2 to 0.03 mm2. An actuator assembly comprising an actuator element engages with and disengage from the tip and, when engaged, couples acoustic energy to liquid in the tip to expel the liquid through the orifice as a droplet. The actuator assembly includes one or more piezo elements, which may be in the form of piezo stacks. In some embodiments, the actuator assembly comprises a plurality of jaws adapted to move to engage with the dispensing tip for dispensing. This allows side loading of the tip followed by movement of the actuator assembly to engage the tip.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: University of LimerickInventors: Gabriel Leen, Bernard Bryce
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Patent number: 8446304Abstract: The invention provides a digital background calibration system and method for a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter comprising a digital to analog converter (DAC) having a plurality of weighted capacitors to be calibrated; means for splitting each of said weighted capacitors into a plurality of sub-capacitors and at least one redundant capacitor; means for multiplying the voltage level of at least one of the sub-capacitors with a PN sequence; and means for calibrating the weighted capacitor from the multiplied sub-capacitor and the redundant capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2011Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: University of LimerickInventor: Anthony Gerard Scanlan
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Patent number: 8440031Abstract: A nickel-titanium-rare earth (Ni—Ti-RE) alloy comprises nickel at a concentration of from about 35 at. % to about 65 at. %, a rare earth element at a concentration of from about 1.5 at. % to about 15 at. %, boron at a concentration of up to about 0.1 at. %, with the balance of the alloy being titanium. In addition to enhanced radiopacity compared to binary Ni—Ti alloys and improved workability, the Ni—Ti-RE alloy preferably exhibits superelastic behavior. A method of processing a Ni—Ti-RE alloy includes providing a nickel-titanium-rare earth alloy comprising nickel at a concentration of from about 35 at. % to about 65 at. %, a rare earth element at a concentration of from about 1.5 at. % to about 15 at. %, the balance being titanium; heating the alloy in a homogenization temperature range below a critical temperature; and forming spheroids of a rare earth-rich second phase in the alloy while in the homogenization temperature range.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2010Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignees: Cook Medical Technologies LLC, University of LimerickInventors: Tofail Ansar Md. Syed, James M. Carlson, Abbasi A. Gandhi, Peter Tiernan, Lisa O'Donoghue, James Butler
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Publication number: 20130101455Abstract: A method of forming a sintered nickel-titanium-rare earth (Ni—Ti-RE) alloy includes adding one or more powders comprising Ni, Ti, and a rare earth constituent to a powder consolidation unit comprising an electrically conductive die and punch connectable to a power supply. The one or more powders are heated at a ramp rate of about 35° C./min or less to a sintering temperature, and pressure is applied to the powders at the sintering temperature, thereby forming a sintered Ni—Ti-RE alloy.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2012Publication date: April 25, 2013Applicant: University of LimerickInventor: University of Limerick
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Publication number: 20130085355Abstract: A system and method for non-invasive monitoring of cardiac activity in a human or animal is disclosed. A radiation source directs radiation through a patient site, and a detector detects radiation after passing through a patient tissue. A processor processes data derived from the detected radiation, determining pulse peaks and troughs and calculating area under a pulse peak to provide a real time cardiac output indicator. The radiation wavelength is on a haemoglobin spectral isosbestic point, not influenced by changes in SpO2 concentration. The processor performs numerical integration of pulse data between troughs, and wherein said integration is performed per pulse. Preferably, the processor monitors trends, thus providing very useful information and reducing need for calibration.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2012Publication date: April 4, 2013Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICKInventor: University of Limerick