A Computerized T-Shirt
Healthcare monitoring to benefit from Tech research commercialization.
Healthcare providers soon will have a new tool for monitoring vital signs, thanks to a licensing agreement between the Georgia Tech Research Corporation and SensaTex Inc., a start-up company funded by New York-based Seed One Ventures, LLC. SensaTex will work with Georgia Institute of Technology researchers to further develop, manufacture and market the "Smart Shirt," a T-shirt that functions like a computer, with optical and conductive fibers integrated into the garment.
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When incorporated into the design of clothing, the technology could quietly monitor the wearer's heart rate, EKG, respiration, temperature and a host of other vital functions, alerting the wearer or physician if there is a problem. The Smart Shirt also can be used to monitor the vital signs of law enforcement officers, firefighters, astronauts, military personnel, chronically ill patients, elderly persons living alone, athletes and infants. The U.S. Navy provided initial funding for the Smart Shirt project in October 1996.
"The Smart Shirt represents a quantum leap in healthcare monitoring, producing accurate, real-time results," says Jeffrey Wolf, chief executive officer of SensaTex. "The potential applications for the technology are enormous ... and SensaTex is well-poised to pursue them all."
SensaTex will seek FDA approval for the Smart Shirt after conducting human testing of the garment in a clinical setting. SensaTex expects the Smart Shirt will be less costly than current monitoring systems, and predicts the shirt will be available to consumers in the first quarter of 2001.
"It is extremely gratifying to know that the results of our research will indeed make a positive impact on the quality of life for individuals in the real world," says Dr. Sundaresan Jayaraman, a professor in Georgia Tech's School of Textile and Fiber Engineering and the lead researcher of the Smart Shirt project.
"Judging from the number of inquiries we have received from parents, physicians and caregivers from all over the world, there is a critical need for the Smart Shirt, and I am happy that this need will be met in the near future," he adds.
The Georgia Tech Research Corporation received an equity stake in SensaTex Inc., and a portion of the revenue generated by sales of the Smart Shirt will support other research endeavors at Georgia Tech.
SensaTex's founders, Wolf and Dr. Jeff Himawan, vice president and chief science officer, have a successful track record in marketing healthcare technologies. One of their recent ventures, Elusys Therapeutics, is developing novel pharmaceutical products to clear the blood of a wide range of invading pathogens.
Georgia Tech's School of Textile and Fiber Engineering has played a leading role in textile technology for more than a century. The school's Textile Information Systems Research Laboratory, headed by Jayaraman, is a leader in exploring the synergy between textile engineering and computing.
– Victor Rogers, Institute Communications
For more information, contact Dr. Sundaresan Jayaraman, School of Textile and Fiber Engineering, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA 30332-0295. (Telephone: 404-894-2490) (E-mail: sundaresan.jayaraman@textiles.gatech.edu). Also, see http://vishwa.tfe.gatech.edu/gtwm/gtwm.html
Go With the Flow
Acclaimed Altamaha River in south Georgia studied for feasibility of
Undammed and rich in natural history, southeast Georgia's Altamaha River has been called one of the "75 last great places in the world" by The Nature Conservancy. Officials in 11 counties along the river wanted to know if the Altamaha can support tourism as well as scores of rare plants and animals, and asked researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology to research that possibility.
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Given the popularity of nature-based tourism and the region's array of attractions and activities, researchers found that potential does exist, but considerable work, and cooperation, will be necessary for success.
"For years, the Altamaha system has been the locals' secret," says Ann O'Neill, a senior researcher at the Georgia Tech Economic Development Institute and chief researcher on the project. "If they're willing to share it with us, it could become one of Georgia's leading wilderness experiences."
As part of the effort, researchers conducted more than 50 interviews with local businesses, elected officials and state agencies, and they spent three days along the river taking inventory of the river's assets and evaluating its access points.
The 12-month project: (1) examined the environmental and cultural issues surrounding tourism development; (2) analyzed the most promising market segments for tourism in the area; (3) selected and profiled the best segment; (4) took inventory of and analyzed the region's tourism assets; and (5) recommended how to prepare for and attract visitors.
Because of population growth along the coast, researchers noted that visitation will increase in any event and suggested that communities should determine how much change is acceptable and consider impacts on the quality of life. Preservation of the asset is crucial for economic, as well as environmental, reasons.
The study found that nature-based tourism offers the greatest potential. This market segment is growing at 10 to 30 percent annually, and as many as 77 percent of all pleasure travelers reportedly have participated in nature-based activities – for example, bird-watching, hiking, kayaking and camping – while on vacation.
The 137-mile Altamaha corridor offers diverse attractions, from manatees and alligators to cypress and orchids to a colonial-era fort and a slave-dug canal. The river is known for fishing and canoeing, and its tributaries boast their own sights and sites, such as the Ohoopee River's white sand and black water. In addition, the lower part of the river is close to the Okefenokee Swamp, Cumberland Island National Seashore and a new wild animal park planned for the coast. And the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is considering a new state park in Appling County, the northern border of which is formed by the Altamaha River.
Successfully developing river-based tourism, the study observed, is a large and complex task, one too great for one or a few counties. Researchers recommended that officials first establish a formal organization whose goal is sustainable tourism development of the river system, and the group's committees would address environmental issues, infrastructure, community relations, business development, funding and other issues.
As an economic development strategy, this sort of tourism could boost existing businesses such as outfitters, restaurants, lodgings and retailers, as well as foster creation of river tour operators and outdoor recreation equipment suppliers.
Any such effort wouldn't happen overnight. The time frame will be years, O'Neill says, although the region could see some increase in visitation within a few months.
Also participating in the project were representatives of Georgia Southern University, the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Development Center, and the state departments of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Community Affairs, and Natural Resources.
– Lincoln Bates
For more information, contact Ann O'Neill, Economic Development Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0640. (Telephone: 404-894-3113) (E-mail: ann.oneill@edi.gatech.edu)
A Bumper Crop at ATDC
A record 19 companies graduate from Georgia Tech's business incubator, attracting more than
The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), Georgia Tech's incubator for technology start-ups, graduated a record number of new companies this past spring. Nineteen companies were recognized for their success, nearly twice the previous record of 10 graduates set in 1998.
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"We're operating on Internet time now," says Wayne Hodges, director of ATDC. "The speed at which companies get to market is more important now than ever before."
The 19 graduate companies together have attracted more than $300 million in investment from venture capital, mergers and acquisitions.
ATDC nurtures young technology firms by providing business management advice, contacts with venture capital sources and other business community support, flexible leases for office space, educational opportunities and technical support. Companies graduate when they achieve specific benchmarks, including sustained revenues, number of employees or acquisition by another firm.
Over the past several years, compression of the market cycle in many business areas has accelerated the maturing process for start-up companies. Some ATDC firms now graduate less than a year after entering the incubator.
The flow of graduates is having a significant impact on the area around the Georgia Tech campus. More and more graduates – including Idapta and NoticeNow – are planting roots in the Midtown area.
"Their proximity allows for greater synergy between Georgia Tech and the business community," Hodges says. "The net effect is creating a hotbed of technology companies."
ATDC's screening process assures investors that ATDC companies are worth investigating.
"The quality of ATDC's companies just keeps getting better," says Stephen Fleming, general partner in Atlanta venture capital firm Alliance Technology Ventures. "The screening mechanisms have been tightened to the point where almost every company there sounds like a good investment candidate. We're proud to have two of our portfolio companies graduating this year, and we look forward to bringing more companies through the process in years to come."
ATDC screens applicant companies against several criteria.
"If a company makes it into ATDC, it means they have a truly unique technology," says Tony Antonaides, ATDC venture catalyst. "We've kicked all the tires and checked under the hood, and there's really something there. And these companies have more than just 'gee-whiz' technology going for them. They have real-world market applications."
And that's something financiers look for. "Today's companies come in with such hot technologies that investors want to snatch them up," Antonaides adds. Though the bulk of venture capital once flowed primarily from regional investors, ATDC companies are now capturing the attention of national firms such as J.P. Morgan.
– T.J. Becker, Freelance Writer
For more information, contact Wayne Hodges, ATDC, 430 10th St., Suite N-112, Atlanta, GA 30318. (Telephone: 404-894-5217) (E-mail: wayne.hodges@edi.gatech.edu). Also, the full text news release version of this article, which includes descriptions of each graduate ATDC company, can be found at http://atdc.org/companies/may42000.html.
Safety Net
EDI helps start-up company gain steadier footing.
When Anita Hill launched her disposable baby bib company, she had plenty of marketing savvy, but lacked manufacturing expertise. So Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute (EDI) extended a helping hand in a variety of ways, causing the entrepreneur to view EDI as a "safety net."
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Hill, who launched KDI Inc. in 1996, outsourced her production initially, but always wanted to bring it in-house. In 1997, after an opportunity to sell her bibs to Wal-Mart, Hill was on the brink of purchasing die-cutting machinery and leasing a larger facility when she contacted an EDI field office for assistance with a plant layout.
"Once we got out there, we realized she needed more than a plant layout," says former EDI field office manager John Laszcz. That's pretty typical, he adds: "When people call us, what they think is a problem often turns out to be a symptom of something else."
In Hill's case, Laszcz thought the entrepreneur was moving a little too fast. "We got her to slow down and catch her breath a little," he says.
The investment in equipment would have been a huge capital expense, and Laszcz advised Hill to continue outsourcing and slowly phase-in manufacturing under one roof as her customer base matured. Laszcz also recommended that Hill pass on the facility she was about to lease. Though it met many of her needs, there was no loading dock, which would have caused problems as shipments increased.
EDI usually works with more established manufacturers. But Laszcz was impressed by Hill's potential and recruited other EDI staff members to lend their expertise. They included Lawanna Burgess, Mark Heflin, Charles France, Harris Johnson, Vicki Leighton, Lydia Lyons and Andy Johnson. Laszcz also involved Darrel Hulsey from the Norcross Small Business Development Center to help Hill with financial and sales analysis.
Some of the team's contributions are:
– T.J. Becker, Freelance Writer
"When you first start out, you're thrilled just to have product on the shelf. Well, that thrill is gone," says Hill, who is now concentrating sales efforts on larger retailers that can offer better margins.
For more information, contact Anita Hill, KDI Inc., 1798 Montreal Circle, Suite 100, Tucker, GA 30084. (Telephone: 770-938-1739 or 678-938-8887) (E-mail: ajhill@kdi.org) (Web address: www.kdi.org).
Faculty Awards and Honors
Professor Emeritus Dr. Aubrey Bush of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering was named division director for the National Science Foundation's Division of Advanced Networking Infrastructure and Research Directorate of Computer and Information Science and Engineering.
Dr. Mary Frank Fox, a professor of sociology in the School of History, Technology and Society, was an invited speaker at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences' international conference on "The Work of Science" in celebration of the Academy's 300th anniversary in June 2000.
The Georgia Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data Clearinghouse was selected by the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association to receive the 2000 Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) Award in the Single Process System Category. Research scientist Thomas D. Mettille of the College of Architecture is the clearinghouse manager.
Dr. Rita Gregory, an assistant professor in the College of Architecture and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received the prestigious 1999 Tasker H. Bliss Medal by The Society for American Military Engineers.
Assistant Professor Dr. Andrew Lyon of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry received a Beckman Young Investigator Award. It is one of the most prestigious awards a young scientist can earn.
Dr. Edward W. Price, a Regents' Professor Emeritus in the School of Aerospace Engineering, was selected for membership in the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded an engineer.
Assistant Professor Dr. Emmanouil M. Tentzeris of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering received a 2000 National Science Foundation CAREER Award "for novel multi-resolution, time-domain schemes for the adaptive analysis and design of high-frequency circuits and packaging structures."
Dr. C.P. Wong, a Regents Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and research director of the Packaging Research Center, was selected for membership in the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded an engineer.
Also see Research Notes news stories.
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Last updated: Sept. 10, 2000