Patents by Inventor David J. Loftus

David J. Loftus 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: 9824870
    Abstract: A system that integrates several technologies into a single, portable medical diagnostic apparatus for analyzing a sample body fluid (liquid and/or gas): (1) a mechanism to capture airborne microdroplets and to separate the body fluid into a first fluid component (primarily gas) and a second fluid component (primarily liquid); (2) a volatilizer to convert a portion of the second fluid component into a third fluid component that is primarily a gas; (3) a functionalized nanostructure (NS) array configured to receive, identify, and estimate concentration of at least one constituent in the first and/or third fluid components; (4) a miniaturized differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) module; and (5) a biomarker sensor, to detect volatile and non-volatile molecules in a sample fluid, which may contain one or more components of blood, breath, perspiration, saliva, and urine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Tore Straume, David J. Loftus, Jing Li, Cristina E. Davis, Anup K. Singh, Matthew A. Coleman
  • Patent number: 9770405
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include capsules for containing medical implants and delivery systems for release of active biological substances into a host body. Delivery systems comprise a capsule comprising an interior enclosed by walls, and a source of active biological substances enclosed within the capsule interior, wherein the active biological substances are free to diffuse across the capsule walls. The capsule walls comprise a continuous mesh of biocompatible fibers and a seal region where two capsule walls overlap. The interior of the capsule is substantially isolated from the medium surrounding the capsule, except for diffusion of at least one species of molecule between the capsule interior and the ambient medium, and prevents cell migration into or out of the capsule. Methods for preparing and using the capsules and delivery systems are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventor: David J. Loftus
  • Patent number: 7135172
    Abstract: A method for repairing a retinal system of an eye, using bucky paper on which a plurality of retina pigment epithelial cells and/or iris pigment epithelial cells and/or stem cells is deposited, either randomly or in a selected cell pattern. The cell-covered bucky paper is positioned in a sub-retinal space to transfer cells to this space and thereby restore the retina to its normal functioning, where retinal damage or degeneration, such as macular degeneration, has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: David J. Loftus, Theodore Leng, Philip Huie, Harvey Fishman
  • Patent number: 7070923
    Abstract: System and method for enclosing cells and/or tissue, for purposes of growth, cell differentiation, suppression of cell differentiation, biological processing and/or transplantation of cells and tissues (biological inserts), and for secretion, sensing and monitoring of selected chemical substancesand activation of gene expression of biological inserts implanted into a human body. Selected cells and/or tissue are enveloped in a “cage” that is primarily carbon nanotube Bucky paper, with a selected thickness and porosity. Optionally, selected functional groups, proteins and/or peptides are attached to the carbon nanotube cage, or included within the cage, to enhance the growth and/or differentiation of the cells and/or tissue, to select for certain cellular sub-populations, to optimize certain functions of the cells and/or tissue and/or to optimize the passage of chemicals across the cage surface(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventor: David J. Loftus
  • Patent number: 6755530
    Abstract: Method and system for processing light signals received by the eye of a human or other animal, where the eye may be compromised or non-functioning. Incident light is received at first and second pixels in a photodetector array and provides a pixel electrical signal representing the received light. Each of an array of carbon nanotube (CNT) towers is connected to a pixel, has a first tower end penetrating a retinal active layer of the animal and has a second tower end positioned to receive to receive and transport the pixel electrical signal to the retinal active layer. The CNT tower may be coated with a biologically active substance or chemically modified to promote neurite connections with the tower. The photoreceptor array can be provide with a signal altering mechanism that alters at least one of light intensity and wavelength intensity sensed by a first pixel relative to a second pixel, to correct for one or more selected eye problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: David J. Loftus, Theodore Leng, Harvey Fishman