Patents by Inventor Axel Scherer

Axel Scherer 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).

  • METAL-ENZYME SANDWICH LAYERS
    Publication number: 20220071529
    Abstract: Measurement of target analytes is carried out with an enzyme-based sensor. The enzyme hydrogel is protected by a porous layer of a metallic material. The size of the pores is small enough to prevent degradation of the enzyme layer caused by the immune system of an organism, but large enough to allow transfer of molecules that participate in the electrochemical reaction allowing the enzyme to detect the target analytes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Dvin ADALIAN, Samson CHEN, Muhammad M. JILANI, Axel SCHERER, Xiomara Linnette MADERO, Richard SMITH
  • Implantable micro-sensor to quantify dissolved inert gas
    Patent number: 11260943
    Abstract: Methods and devices including implantable micro-sensors used to detect tissue-dissolved inert gas and to detect microbubble formation to avoid Caisson disease are described. The disclosed methods and devices are based on measuring the refractive index changes in hydrophobic liquids after absorbing an inert gas such as nitrogen. The changes in the refractive index are based on implementing one of an interferometry, optical microcavity resonance shift, a photonic crystal resonance, a beam deflection, a resonance tuning or detuning, an amplitude change, or an intensity change method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Emil P. Kartalov, Axel Scherer
  • OPTICAL RESONATOR DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE AND METHODS OF USE
    Publication number: 20210373013
    Abstract: An implantable diagnostic device in accordance with the present disclosure provides various benefits such as a compact size thereby allowing implanting of the device inside animate objects; low cost due to incorporation of inexpensive detection circuitry and the use of conventional IC fabrication techniques; re-usability by heating thereby allowing multiple diagnostic tests to be performed without discarding the device; and a configuration that allows performing of simultaneous and/or sequential diagnostic tests for detecting one or more similar or dissimilar target molecules concurrently or at different times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Axel SCHERER, Samuel NJOROGE, Jingqing HUANG
  • Optical Layer Having A Low Refractive Index and Methods of Fabrication
    Publication number: 20210373208
    Abstract: The teachings of the present disclosure enable a reduction of the refractive index of a material by incorporating an additive selected from air, vacuum, or an inert gas in the material to turn the material into a material foam that is suitable for use in optical systems. A material foam in accordance with the present disclosure is characterized by a porosity that reduces its refractive index from that of the same material as found in nature. The higher porosity also decreases the density of the material from that of the same material as found in nature. Material foams in accordance with the present disclosure are suitable for use in the low-refractive-index layers of a Bragg mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Axel SCHERER, Taeyoon JEON
  • FRET-BASED ANALYTES DETECTION AND RELATED METHODS AND SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20210363581
    Abstract: FRET-based analytes detection and related methods and systems are described where a pair of FRET labeled primers and/or oligonucleotides are used that are specific for target sequences located at a distance up to four time the Förster distance of the FRET chromophores presented on the FRET labeled primers and/or oligonucleotides one with respect to the other in one or more polynucleotide analyte; in particular the pair of FRET labeled primers and/or oligonucleotides is combined with a sample and subjected to one or more polynucleotide amplification reactions before measuring FRET signals from at least one FRET chromophore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Emil P. Kartalov, Aditya Rajagopal, Axel Scherer, Mark D. Goldberg
  • Smart bandage
    Patent number: 11162934
    Abstract: A sensing chip attached to a bandage monitors the healing process of a wound by detecting growth factors, thrombin and fibrinogen. The complementary metal-oxide semiconductor includes a functionalized working electrode, functionalized counter electrode and functionalized reference electrode. The healing progress is stimulated by generating oxygen in the wound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Axel Scherer
  • System and methods for wireless drug delivery on command
    Patent number: 11160476
    Abstract: A fully integrated small size implantable sensing device is described, which can include a sensor and an electronic circuit to interface with the sensor and communicate with an external device. Various fabrication methods for the sensing device are described, including provision of wells, created using same fabrication technology as the electronic circuit, to contain electrodes of the sensor and corresponding functionalization chemicals. Such implantable sensing device can be used for a variety of electrochemical measuring applications within a living body as well as actuation by injecting a current into the living body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
    Inventors: Axel Scherer, Meisam Honarvar Nazari, Muhammad Mujeeb-U-Rahman, Mehmet Sencan, Arti Gaur
  • LOW POWER, CHEMICALLY AMPLIFIED, ELECTRICALLY REMOVABLE BARRIER
    Publication number: 20210322300
    Abstract: An implantable device contains a drug or biosensing compound, protected from the external environment within a human body by several barriers which are broken upon activation of the device through electrothermal, chemical, and mechanical processes. The device allows accurate and repeated dosing within a human body, thus reducing the number of implantation procedures required. This device extends the lifetime of a biosensor, reducing the number of implantation procedures required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Samson CHEN, Axel SCHERER, Richard Daniel SMITH, JR.
  • METHOD OF PRODUCING THIN ENZYME-BASED SENSING LAYERS ON PLANAR SENSORS
    Publication number: 20210321918
    Abstract: A sensor implanted in tissues and including a sensing layer is fabricated by mixing the signal transduction enzyme with non-reactive components including buffer salts and fillers, and spin coating the enzyme onto a substrate. The signal transduction enzyme is crosslinked by introducing the coated substrate in a vacuum chamber. In the chamber, a crosslinker evaporates and is deposited onto the enzyme, therefore crosslinking the enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Samson CHEN, Axel SCHERER, Dvin ADALIAN, Peter PETILLO, Muhammad Musab JILANI, Xiomara L. MADERO, Deepan KISHORE KUMAR
  • Metal-enzyme sandwich layers
    Patent number: 11109784
    Abstract: Measurement of target analytes is carried out with an enzyme-based sensor. The enzyme hydrogel is protected by a porous layer of a metallic material. The size of the pores is small enough to prevent degradation of the enzyme layer caused by the immune system of an organism, but large enough to allow transfer of molecules that participate in the electrochemical reaction allowing the enzyme to detect the target analytes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Dvin Adalian, Samson Chen, Muhammad M. Jilani, Axel Scherer, Xiomara Linnette Madero, Richard Smith
  • Optical resonator diagnostic device and methods of use
    Patent number: 11067575
    Abstract: An implantable diagnostic device in accordance with the present disclosure provides various benefits such as a compact size thereby allowing implanting of the device inside animate objects; low cost due to incorporation of inexpensive detection circuitry and the use of conventional IC fabrication techniques; re-usability by heating thereby allowing multiple diagnostic tests to be performed without discarding the device; and a configuration that allows performing of simultaneous and/or sequential diagnostic tests for detecting one or more similar or dissimilar target molecules concurrently or at different times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Axel Scherer, Samuel Njoroge, Jingqing Huang
  • Microfluidic-based artificial muscles and method of formation
    Patent number: 11060511
    Abstract: Artificial muscles comprising a body of dielectric elastomer, wherein the body contains a pair of microfluidic networks are presented. Each microfluidic network includes a plurality of channels fluidically coupled via a manifold. The channels of the microfluidic networks are interdigitated and filled with conductive fluid such that each set of adjacent channels functions as the electrodes of an electroactive polymer (EAP) actuator. By using the manifolds as compliant wiring to energize the electrodes, artificial muscles in accordance with the present disclosure mitigate some or all of the reliability problems associated with prior-art artificial muscles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Emil P. Kartalov, Axel Scherer
  • Method of producing thin enzyme-based sensing layers on planar sensors
    Patent number: 11026610
    Abstract: A sensor implanted in tissues and including a sensing layer is fabricated by mixing the signal transduction enzyme with non-reactive components including buffer salts and fillers, and spin coating the enzyme onto a substrate. The signal transduction enzyme is crosslinked by introducing the coated substrate in a vacuum chamber. In the chamber, a crosslinker evaporates and is deposited onto the enzyme, therefore crosslinking the enzyme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Samson Chen, Axel Scherer, Dvin Adalian, Peter Petillo, Muhammad Musab Jilani, Xiomara L. Madero, Deepan Kishore Kumar
  • Waveguide integrated plasmon assisted field emission detector
    Patent number: 11009658
    Abstract: Light detectors that combine field emission with light focusing by surface plasmon polaritons. Methods and devices that allow detection and measurement of light at high frequencies in the THz range are described. The disclosed devices include plasmonic metal contacts with a narrow nanometer-sized gap to couple an optical waveguide mode into a plasmonic mode thereby generating filed emission currents by biasing the contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: William M. Jones, Lucia B. De Rose, Axel Scherer
  • Infrared Spectrometer Having Dielectric-Polymer-Based Spectral Filter
    Publication number: 20210140817
    Abstract: An infrared spectrometer for operation in the mid-infrared spectral range is disclosed, where the spectrometer includes a Bragg-mirror-based spectral filter that is operative for providing an output optical signal whose spectral content is spatially dispersed along a first direction, where the Bragg mirrors include low-refractive-index layers comprising a polymer material that is transmissive across the mid-infrared spectral range and is characterized by less than ten absorption peaks with the operating spectral range of the spectrometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Axel Scherer, Taeyoon Jeon, Jieun Myung
  • Fabrication and self-aligned local functionalization of nanocups and various plasmonic nanostructures on flexible substrates for implantable and sensing applications
    Patent number: 11002908
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating flexible substrate nanostructured devices are disclosed. The nanostructures comprise nano-pillars and metallic bulbs or nano-apertures. The nanostructures can be functionalized to detect biological entities. The flexible substrates can be rolled into cylindrical tubes for detection of fluidic samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Chieh-feng Chang, Sameer Walavalkar, Scott E. Fraser, Axel Scherer
  • In situ chemical sensing electrode reconditioning
    Patent number: 10996185
    Abstract: A cycle of positive and negative voltage pulses applied to an electrode sensor removes passivation of an electrode surface. The conditioned sensors have improved sensitivity to concentrations for analytes of interest. The electrode surfaces can also be passivated on purpose to reduce sensitivity. The voltages applied are varied according to the solution present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Samson Chen, Axel Scherer, Muhammad M. Jilani
  • CANARY ON A CHIP: EMBEDDED SENSORS WITH BIO-CHEMICAL INTERFACES
    Publication number: 20210093233
    Abstract: Wireless electrochemical measurements methods using minimally invasive micro-sensors that monitor response of cells to specific analytes are described. Micro-actuators integrated on a same chip as the micro-sensors are used to provide closed loop in-vivo local therapy on demand. An in-vivo bio-electronic system that can monitor the health of cell colonies and accordingly dispense corresponding therapeutic drugs is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Axel SCHERER, Arti GAUR
  • SIGNAL ENCODING AND DECODING IN MULTIPLEXED BIOCHEMICAL ASSAYS
    Publication number: 20210098076
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods, systems, compositions, and kits for the multiplexed detection of a plurality of analytes in a sample. In some examples, this disclosure provides methods, systems, compositions, and kits wherein multiple analytes may be detected in a single sample volume by acquiring a cumulative measurement or measurements of at least one quantifiable component of a signal. In some cases, additional components of a signal, or additional signals (or components thereof) are also quantified. Each signal or component of a signal may be used to construct a coding scheme which can then be used to determine the presence or absence of any analyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Emil P. Kartalov, Aditya Rajagopal, Axel Scherer
  • Minimally invasive wireless sensing devices and methods
    Patent number: 10959617
    Abstract: A sensing device allows detection of biological quantities in ways that are minimally invasive. Micrometer or nanometer sized needles allow sensing of bodily fluids in a minimally invasive method. The device comprises electronics and power harvesting. Antennas or coils allow communication and power harvesting from an external device, which can be attached to smartphones to allow operation of a camera and camera light for biosensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Axel Scherer, Muhammad Mujeeb-U-Rahman, Meisam Honavar Nazari, Muhammad Musab Jilani