2010
In the Spotlight
250th License
Remote Tagging and Tracking of Objects Using Hyperspectral Video Sensors. This
unique video surveillance
system combines spectral,
spatial and temporal information to detect and track objects.
Infused with APL Innovation, New Solar Charger Provides Energy on the Go
by Michael Buckley
n the mid-1990s, APL researchers Joe Suter,
Binh Le and Ark Lew had a clever idea for a
small, thin, flexible device that can convert light
to electricity.
They also had foresight and—fortunately—a
bit of patience.
More than a decade later, their patented
invention is close to reaching consumers. In late
2009, APL licensed the technology to Floridabased Genesis Electronics, which weaved
APL’s ideas into a sleek solar recharger called
SunBlazer. When attached to a cell phone or
related electronic device, SunBlazer’s 2- by
4-inch solar panel will continually draw energy
from the Sun—or any sufficient light source—
and keep the device charged.
“With its power and portability, the SunBlazer is
a true breakthrough in the recharging concept
and an effective application of renewable
energy,” says Edward Dillon, CEO of Genesis
Electronics Group.
Conceived primarily for use in satellites, APL’s
self-contained power circuit can fit a variety
of applications and match the shape of the
device it powers. Suter says that’s why the
inventors thought it also would have use in
laptops or cell phones; yet they could only
imagine the world of today, when practically
everyone carries a cell phone, mobile
computer or digital music player that all
demand more and more power. “It was an
invention before its time, before there was
a market,” Suter says. “So many people use
these devices today, and they’re looking for
every bit of power they can find. The demand
has caught up to our technology.”
But Suter sees benefits beyond extra juice to
run the latest apps and downloads. A quick
jolt to a comatose phone battery might allow
emergency calls from almost anywhere.
Military readiness would get a boost from
smaller, more efficient devices for powering
GPS units, radios and countless other items
soldiers carry that need a constant charge.
“APL researchers have the unique
opportunity to deliver timely solutions to
their sponsors and focus on the future
applications of their technologies,” says
Kristin Gray, the Laboratory’s Technology
Transfer Director. “In this case, they
invented a solution to a problem that didn’t
even exist—yet. That a technology devised
in the 1990s could be relevant today tells
you a lot about the insight and creativity
that go into APL’s cutting-edge work.”
2009 Invention of the Year
Winner
Method and System to
Establish Drug Resistance/
Susceptibility. By using mass
spectrometry and in under 6
hours, microorganisms are
detected and characterized to
determine their drug resistance and susceptibility.
Presented at “Technologies
That Can Save the Bay” Event
Molecularly Imprinted
Polymers for the Selective
Capture of Environmental Pollutants. Made from
inexpensive, sustainable and
biocompatible materials, this
reusable polymer sequesters
pollutants found in the marine
environment.
InnovationSTATS
A sampling of inventions disclosed, patents issued and licenses granted in the last year are listed below. For abstracts
or licensing information on any of the listed technologies, call 443-778-7262 or e-mail techtransfer@jhuapl.edu.
INVENTIONS
 Biomedical/Biochemical Technology
2708 Automated Detection of Intermediate-Stage Age-Related Macular
Degeneration
Invention of the Year Nominee
2729 Fuel for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells
2742 Intra-gastric Time-Release Drug Delivery System
2765 Concentration, Purification, and Separation of Nucleic Acids and
Proteins by Isotachophoresis
Invention of the Year Nominee
2779 Biofidelic Models for Somatosensory Stimulation in Sensory
Neuroprostheses
Invention of the Year Nominee
Developed under the Revolutionizing Prosthetics
Program for the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency, a novel set of algorithms converts mechanical, kinematic and thermal stimuli experienced by a
prosthetic limb into a series of activations of implanted
electrodes that convey the appropriate sensations to the
prosthetic limb user, creating a sensation of “real” or
“natural” feelings for the user.
2780 4D Echocardiography and Biomechanical Modeling for Mitral
Valvuloplasty Planning
2791 Detection of Skin Inflammation and Disease Using
Chemiluminescent Nanoparticles
2802 Functionality Enhancements to the Telewatch Telemedicine System
 Communications and Distributed Systems
2702 Methods for Distributed Adaptive Medium Access Control and QoS
Scheduling in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
2715 High-Speed Error Detection for Fading Propagation Channels
Invention of the Year Nominee
2722 System and Method for Synchronization of Free-Space Optical Systems
2723 Delay-Tolerant Wireless Communications Codes for Amplify-andForward and Decode-and-Forward Protocols
Invention of the Year Nominee
To improve wireless transmission, signals can be
simultaneously copied and retransmitted using multiple
2726
2741
2773
2782
antennas. As wireless devices become smaller, it
is challenging to accommodate multiple antennas,
so methods have been developed to allow devices
to use nearby transmitters as relays. This novel
protocol solves the challenges associated with
synchronization of these independent transmissions, helping to reduce computing resources and
the associated increases in power and size.
Topology Transition Schemes in Dynamically Optimized
Free-Space Optical and Directional RF Mesh Networks
Systems and Methods for a Rateless Round Robin Protocol
for Adaptive Error Control
Invention of the Year Nominee
Fiber-Optic Automatic Gain Control System for High Data
Rate Systems That Experience Large Channel Fading
Photonically Enabled, High Data Rate, Millimeter Wave
Wireless Communications Link
2775
2787
 Electronics Technology
2710 Method for Determining the Position of Hall Sensors
2718 High-Efficiency Gallium Nitride Solid-State Power Amplifier
2750 Adaptive, Electronic Eyeglass Based on Eye Activity
2753 Reliable, Quick Motor Controller for Miniature Turbo
Molecular Pumps
Invention of the Year Nominee
2755 Advanced Thin Film Battery
2764 Continuous, Charge-State Equalization Method and Device
for Lithium Ion Cells
2769 Method to Harden Semiconductor Designs Against
Tampering and IP Theft
 Information Processing and Management
2705 LIDAR Pointing and Flight Management System
2709 Systems Engineering Management Model
Invention of the Year Nominee
No single engineering management software
application provides the capability for integrated
program health and status observation, informed
decision-making, interdependency identification and
requirements and risk management. The Systems
2788
2799
2807
Engineering Management Model is intended to fill
this void, giving the user the capability for total
executive management of systems and products.
Ocean Surveillance Initiative (OSI)
Invention of the Year Nominee
Measuring the Freshness of Attestation Values Using the
Trusted Platform Module
Invention of the Year Nominee
Before computers and devices can safely access
networks, they must be verified as safe and
uncompromised. Enhanced by the APL technology, attestation measurements can confirm the
state of the computer at specific periods of time.
Knowing when these measurements were taken
may help determine the trust level in the attesting computer system, which may translate to the
level of access granted to a network and other
computing resources.
Method for Validating Autonomous Systems
Course Material for Model-Based Systems Engineering
with SysML
Electrostatic Discharge Compliance Verification Data System
 Materials and Structures
2713 Dry Method of Eliminating Catalyst Particles from
Carbon Nanotubes
2721 Static Dissipative Cable Ties for Space/Vacuum and
Electrostatic Discharge Sensitive Environments
2725 Solder Paste Dispensing Tip
2758 Selective Reinforcement and Custom Fabric Shaping
2767 Thermal Neutron Detection Based on Gadolinium
Aerogel
2774 Method of Making Nonwoven, Silicon Carbide, Nanofibril Mats
Invention of the Year Nominee
2776 BioNanoCellulose Reinforced Fibers for Composite
Reinforced Plastic Materials
2778 Two-Dimensional Porphyrin Sheet
1
InnovationSTATS
venth An
Ele
e
Y
Inv
2735 Atmospheric Correction System
nt
ion of the
Invention of the Year Nominee
2743 Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Using a Monotonic Lagrangian Grid
2762 Beam Propagation Through Thermally Bloomed and
Turbulent Atmospheres
ea r
al
nu
 Modeling and Simulation
2777 Method to Dynamically Create and Associate Interactive
Content and Narrative Elements in 3D Virtual Environment
Applications
Th
e
2814 Cellulose Fiber-Reinforced Hydrogel Support for Ocular Repair
2815 Helmet Elastomers for Blast Wave Attenuation and Dissipation
 Sensors and Sensor Systems
2736 Mass Spectrometry-Based Method and System to Establish
Drug Resistance/Susceptibility in Microorganisms
Invention of the Year Winner
2738 Single-Use Radio Transmitting Chemical Sensors
2740 Lensless Omnidirectional Light Guide Transceiver
2745 A Method for Segmenting Hyperspectral Images Using Level Sets
(continued)
2806 Self-Propelled Tracking Tags for Swarming Intruder
Detection Network
2813 Swarming Intruder Detection Network with Mobile Sensor Nodes
2812 Rocketsonde System for Real-Time Atmospheric
Measurements
 Space and Environmental Physics
2789 Rapid Ascent for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launch via Balloon
2808 Small Body Mobility Concept
2816 Method to Monitor the Exterior of Space Vehicles
Kristin Gray, Technology Transfer Director
Norma Lee Todd, Assistant Group Supervisor of Technology Transfer
Heather Curran, Technology and Marketing Manager
Sherry March, Senior Administrative Specialist
Anne King, Editor
Michael Buckley, Contributing Writer
Magda Saina, Art Director
Jacob Elbaz, Illustrator
Eleanor Edgeworth, Layout Coordinator
Licenses
Radiance Library Forecasting for Time-Critical Hyperspectral Target Detection Systems is nonexclusively licensed to NovaSol of Honolulu, Hawaii, PAR Government Systems of La Jolla, Calif., and
Advanced Coherent Technologies in San Diego, Calif.
Ignition System for Hydrocarbon-Fueled Scramjet Engines is nonexclusively licensed to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Integrated Systems Western Region) of El Segundo, Calif.
Techniques for Deriving Tissue Structure from Multiple Projection, Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry
is licensed to Quantum Medical Metrics of Baltimore, Md.
Passive Method to Objectively Quantify the Level and Density of a Neural Blockade is exclusively
optioned to Jodi A. Cook in Baltimore, Md.
Gunshot Digital Imaging System is exclusively licensed to ShotSpotter, Inc., in Mountain View, Calif.
Home Link System for Daily Monitoring of Outpatients is nonexclusively licensed to The University of
Trinidad and Tobago of Tacarigua, Trinidad.
A Support Vector Method for Detecting Anomalies in Images, Remote Tagging and Tracking of Objects
Using Hyperspectral Video Sensors, A Method for Segmenting Hyperspectral Images Using Level Sets,
and A Method for Probability Distribution Function Estimation are nonexclusively optioned to Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) Corporation in Arlington, Va.
Smart Sensor Array is nonexclusively optioned to Nova Research, Inc., in Alexandria, Va.
Three-Dimensional Scanning System That Combines a Photometric Stereo Method with a Structured
Light Method to Obtain the Shape of an Object is exclusively licensed to Trilumen in Herndon, Va.
Eye Fixation Monitor and Tracker is exclusively optioned to REBIScan, LLC, in Waltham, Mass.
Ocean Surveillance Initiative is nonexclusively licensed to Raytheon Company in McKinney, Texas.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Colorimetric Determination of Molecules of Biological Relevance
by Rapid Dye Labeling and A Polydiacetylene-Based Biochromic Sensor for the Specific Detection of
Biomolecules are nonexclusively licensed to Columbia BioSystems, Inc., in Baltimore, Md.
Dynamic ISR Management Service is nonexclusively licensed to The MITRE Corporation in McLean, Va.
Patents
A sampling of recently issued U.S. PATENTS available for licensing
The complete list of patents issued is available at:
http://www.jhuapl.edu/ott/Technologies/PatentPortfolio.asp
7,475,053,
7,593,914
7,494,769
7,508,999
7,515,953
7,519,714
7,530,218
7,536,914
7,543,664
7,548,897
7,554,294
Atmospheric Correction System is nonexclusively licensed to Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in
Fairborn, Ohio.
7,556,855
Method to Allow an Application to Make Time-Related Calls at Speeds Faster or Slower than Real-Time
is nonexclusively licensed to Raytheon Company (Integrated Defense Systems) in Tewksbury, Mass.
7,561,802
Network-Based Surveillance System, Propagation Network, A Flexible Computational Framework for
Systems Optimization, and A Network Management Protocol Framework for Dynamic Formation
and Operation of Joint Tactical Edge Networks are nonexclusively optioned to the Naval Postgraduate
School in Monterey, Calif.
7,570,426
Methods and Devices for Digital Microscopy-Based Automated Diagnosis of Blood-Borne Parasites is
nonexclusively optioned to Square One Systems Design, Inc., in Jackson, Wyo.
7,574,497
Integrated Power Source is exclusively licensed to Genesis Electronics Group, Inc., in Hollywood, Fla.
2
Geographic Interactive Analysis Tool is nonexclusively licensed to AEgis Technologies Group in Alexandria, Va.
7,570,202
7,629,881
Method and System for the Autonomous Design of Cybernetic Systems; Robert L. Fry
(6 Jan 09 and 22 Sep 09)
Method and Apparatus for Detection of Bioaerosols; Adam K. Arabian, Micah A. Carlson,
Protagoras N. Cutchis, Harvey W. Ko, David R. Kohler, Michael P. McLoughlin, George M.
Murray, Jennifer L. Sample, Cheryl S. Schein, Jennifer A. Vincent (24 Feb 09)
Fiber-Optic Sensor Device for Measuring Chromophoric Compounds in Biological Fluid;
Steven M. Babin (24 March 09)
Techniques for Identifying Molecular Structures and Treating Cell Types Lining a Body
Lumen Using Fluorescence; Igal Madar, John C. Murphy (7 April 09)
Adaptive Image Format Translation in an Ad Hoc Network; William R. Macneil (14 April 09)
Pulsed Plasma Thruster Using Vapor; H. Bruce Land III, Daniel H. Simon (12 May 09)
Sensor for Detecting Arcing Faults; Kim R. Fowler, H. Bruce Land III (26 May 09)
Mono-track Vehicle; Carl V. Nelson (9 June 09)
Mission-centric Network Defense Systems (MCNDS); George R. Barrett, Susan C. Lee
(16 June 09)
Battery Health Monitor; Bliss G. Carkhuff, Subhas Chalasani, Terry E. Phillips, Hassan M.
Saffarian, Rengaswamy Srinivasan, Paul R. Zarriello (30 June 09)
Impact-Resistant Flexible Body Device; David Ayres, Paul J. Biermann, Richard Reidy, Jack
C. Roberts (7 July 09)
Mobile Communications via an Optical Signal During Adverse Atmospheric Conditions;
Joseph R. Cipriano, Donald D. Duncan, Joe Frank, Jerry A. Krill, Craig R. Moore, Raymond
M. Sova (14 July 09)
Apparatus and System for Wide-Angle Narrow-Band Optical Detection in Daylight; Robert E.
Erlandson, C. Bryon Hargis, Wayne Rodgers (4 Aug 09)
Polarimetric Selectivity Method for Suppressing Cross-Track Clutter in Sounding Radars;
Russell K. Raney (4 Aug 09)
System and Method for an Open Autonomy Kernel (OAK); David L. Alger, Christopher B.
McCubbin, David H. Scheidt, Shon D. Vick, David P. Watson (11 Aug 09)
Sensor-Based Adaptive Wearable Devices and Methods; Alexander M. Alm, Steven M. Babin,
Jeffrey S. Chavis, Tia Gao (8 Dec 09)