Patents by Inventor Blake N. Johnson

Blake N. Johnson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10405963
    Abstract: The present invention includes biomimetic nerve conduits that can be used as nerve regeneration pathways. The present invention further provides methods of preparing and using biomimetic nerve conduits. The disclosed compositions and methods have a broad range of potential applications, for example replacing a missing or damaged section of a nerve pathway of a mammal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Michael C. McAlpine, Blake N. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10139270
    Abstract: An asymmetric sensor having asymmetric electrodes and/or being asymmetrically anchored provides enhanced sensitivity. In example embodiments, part of the electrode on a sensor is etched or removed resulting in enhanced mass-change sensitive resonant modes. In another example embodiment, a sensor is anchored asymmetrically, also resulting in enhanced mass-change sensitive resonant modes. By asymmetrically anchoring a piezoelectric portion of a sensor, resonant bending modes of the sensor can be measured electrically without external instrumentation. Modifying the electrode of a piezoelectric cantilever enables expression of mass-change sensitive resonant modes that normally do not lend themselves to electrical measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Rajakkannu Mutharasan, Blake N. Johnson, Ramji S. Lakshmanan, Harsh Sharma
  • Publication number: 20170135802
    Abstract: The present invention includes biomimetic nerve conduits that can be used as nerve regeneration pathways. The present invention further provides methods of preparing and using biomimetic nerve conduits. The disclosed compositions and methods have a broad range of potential applications, for example replacing a missing or damaged section of a nerve pathway of a mammal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: MICHAEL C. McALPINE, BLAKE N. JOHNSON
  • Patent number: 9517128
    Abstract: A bioelectronic device and method of making is disclosed. The device includes a scaffold formed via 3D printing. The device also includes a biologic and an electronic device formed via 3D printing, the biologic and electronic device being interweaved with or coupled to the scaffold. The electronic component may e.g., include at least one of hard conductors, soft conductors, insulators and semiconductors. The scaffold may be formed of at least one of synthetic polymers and natural biological polymers. The biologic may include at least one of animal cells, plant cells, cellular organelles, proteins and DNA (including RNA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Michael C. McAlpine, Manu Sebastian-Mannoor, Yong Lin Kong, Blake N Johnson
  • Publication number: 20150064723
    Abstract: A novel dual mode sensor may combine mass-sensing measurements of dynamic-mode cantilevers with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy employed for transduction in sensitive electrochemical biosensors. The integrated design of the sensor may provide simultaneous and continuous measurement of resonant frequency shift and charge transfer resistance of a target analyte bound to a surface of the sensor. Binding of a target analyte to the surface of the sensor may cause charge transfer resistance to increase and the resonant frequency of the sensor to decrease. These simultaneous dynamic modes of the sensor may be utilized to measure an amount of mass of the target analyte accumulated on the surface of the sensor and to reduce and/or eliminate false negative measurement results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Rajakkannu Mutharasan, Blake N. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140360890
    Abstract: Cantilever Sensors made of piezoelectric material may be structured with various configurations of asymmetric anchors as well as asymmetric electrodes. Such asymmetry enables measurement of resonant properties of the cantilever that are otherwise unmeasurable electrically, resulting in significant advantages for ease of measurement. In addition the asymmetry enables expression of torsional and/or lateral modes that are otherwise absent, and these modes also exhibit excellent mass-change sensitivity. The asymmetries may enable resonant mode impedance-coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: Drexel University
    Inventors: Rajakkannu Mutharasan, Blake N. Johnson, Harsh Sharma
  • Publication number: 20140257518
    Abstract: A bioelectronic device and method of making is disclosed. The device includes a scaffold formed via 3D printing. The device also includes a biologic and an electronic device formed via 3D printing, the biologic and electronic device being interweaved with or coupled to the scaffold. The electronic component may e.g., include at least one of hard conductors, soft conductors, insulators and semiconductors. The scaffold may be formed of at least one of synthetic polymers and natural biological polymers. The biologic may include at least one of animal cells, plant cells, cellular organelles, proteins and DNA (including RNA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Michael C. McAlpine, Manu Sebastian-Mannoor, Yong Lin Kong, Blake N. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8809065
    Abstract: A change in impedance of a electromechanical resonating sensor is utilized to detect and/or measure a change in mass accumulated on the sensor. The impedance is monitored at a fixed frequency. The fixed frequency may be at or near the resonance frequency of the sensor. In various configurations, the sensor comprises a quartz crystal microbalance sensor or a piezoelectric cantilever sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Rajakkannu Mutharasan, Sen Xu, Blake N. Johnson, Harsh Sharma, Ramji S. Lakshmanan
  • Publication number: 20130205902
    Abstract: An asymmetric sensor having asymmetric electrodes and/or being asymmetrically anchored provides enhanced sensitivity. In example embodiments, part of the electrode on a sensor is etched or removed resulting in enhanced mass-change sensitive resonant modes. In another example embodiment, a sensor is anchored asymmetrically, also resulting in enhanced mass-change sensitive resonant modes. By asymmetrically anchoring a piezoelectric portion of a sensor, resonant bending modes of the sensor can be measured electrically without external instrumentation. Modifying the electrode of a piezoelectric cantilever enables expression of mass-change sensitive resonant modes that normally do not lend themselves to electrical measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: Drexel University
    Inventors: Rajakkannu Mutharasan, Blake N. Johnson, Ramji S. Lakshmanan, Harsh Sharma
  • Publication number: 20100297687
    Abstract: A change in impedance of a electromechanical resonating sensor is utilized to detect and/or measure a change in mass accumulated on the sensor. The impedance is monitored at a fixed frequency. The fixed frequency may be at or near the resonance frequency of the sensor. In various configurations, the sensor comprises a quartz crystal microbalance sensor or a piezoelectric cantilever sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: DREXEL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rajakkannu Mutharasan, Sen Xu, Blake N. Johnson, Harsh Sharma, Ramji S. Lakshmanan