COVID-19 Innovations
The University of Minnesota is developing technologies to help in the fight against COVID-19. The Technology Commercialization team is assisting this effort by quickly moving COVID-19 relevant innovations into the marketplace, connecting potential industry partners with researchers, and adopting AUTM’s COVID-19 Licensing Guidelines.
Contact the staff member listed with each technology for more information about supporting UMN’s research or licensing a technology.
Therapeutics & Devices
Coventor Emergency Ventilator
A low-cost medical device to mechanically ventilate COVID-19 patients suffering significant breathing problems. The device is FDA EUA approved with an open-source design available at no cost.
Invention number: 2020-295
Contact Doug Franz (franz417@umn.edu) for more information.
Diagnostics
Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) COVID-19 Antibody Test
This COVID-19 antibody test leverages the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain that is produced from stably transfected mammalian cell lines with a high yield and high purity. The antigen has a high affinity for antibodies in COVID-19 patients. Protein production can be easily scaled up for mass test kit production.
Invention number: 2020-301
Contact Kenny Karanja (kara0108@umn.edu) for more information.
Personal Protective Equipment
Face Mask Decontamination Box
The mask storage box is designed specifically to facilitate safe storage, decontamination, and reuse of N95 masks. The design is based on the CDC guidelines to allow five days between uses of N95 masks. The design specifications are available from the University of Minnesota.
Invention number: 2020-356
Contact Vaughn Schmid (schm2230@umn.edu) for more information.
Low-cost, Easily Produced, Level 1 Isolation Gown
This one-size-fits-all isolation gown uses commercially available, FDA certified 2 mil virgin polyethylene film. The Gown for U is impervious to fluids and provides a barrier to infectious waste as defined for a level 1 gown. Design specifications are available.
Invention number: 2020-357
Contact Vaughn Schmid (schm2230@umn.edu) for more information.
MNmask Emergency-Use Face Masks
The design specifications include three styles of emergency-use face masks. All three styles use a specific filter media, components sourced from non-endangered supply chains, and a fabrication process that does not require specialized equipment or a highly skilled workforce.
Invention number: 2020-349
Contact Vaughn Schmid (schm2230@umn.edu) for more information.
Portable Aerosol Hood
This respiratory protective box limits virus containing droplet and aerosol transmission by covering a COVID-19 patient’s upper body and drawing air through a HEPA filter to shield the physician during respiratory procedures.
Invention number: 2020-302
Contact Doug Franz (franz417@umn.edu) for more information.
Portable Testing Booth
This testing booth protects healthcare workers from viral exposure during testing procedures with a plastic barrier and a positive airflow through a HEPA filter. It minimizes the need to change PPE gear between patients allowing up to twice as many tests per day.
Invention number: 2020-359
Contact Doug Franz (franz417@umn.edu) for more information.
Polyamine-Containing Coatings to Deactivate COVID-19 on Surfaces
Specific polyamines (poyethylenimines or derivatives) are being developed to deactivate the COVID-19 virus on soft surfaces, such as PPEs, and hard surfaces, as quickly as possible.
Invention numbers: 2020-292, 2020-293
Contact Larry Micek (micek013@umn.edu) for more information.
Health Informatics
Artificial Intelligence Tool for COVID-19 Identification from Chest X-rays
A deep learning AI tool that supports radiologists and physicians in rapidly identifying Covid-19 patients. The tool analyzes chest x-rays (CXR) to differentiate patients with COVID-19 from patients with normal CXRs, as well as those with pneumonia, pulmonary edema, and pleural effusions due to other causes with significant sensitivity and specificity.
Invention number: 2020-343
Contact Doug Franz (franz417@umn.edu) for more information.
COVID-19 Epidemiological Model and Data
Custom mathematical models to help predict the spread and impact of COVID-19 in Minnesota, created by an interdisciplinary research team at UMN in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health.
Invention number: 2020-288
Contact Andrew Morrow (amorrow@umn.edu) for more information.
Location & Symptom Mapping Tool
SafeDistance is a free, non-profit app and website that crowdsources symptom data to help detect, predict, and prevent the spread of COVID-19, while assuring your privacy. SafeDistance data provides recommendations to help communities make more informed decisions.
Invention number: 2020-282
Contact Andrew Morrow (amorrow@umn.edu) for more information.
Healthcare Delivery
Medication Repository & Distribution
RoundtableRx is a non-profit medication repository program for the state of Minnesota that allows donations of safe, unexpired, medications to individuals who otherwise could not afford them. The program expands access to medications, reduces medication waste, improves health care outcomes, reduces healthcare spending, and keeps pollutants from entering the water supply.
Invention number: 2020-358
Contact Andrew Morrow (amorrow@umn.edu) for more information.
Compassion Fatigue App for First Responders
The First Responder Toolkit aids responders in attending to their own physical, emotional, and social well-being. This differs from other self-care inventories and tools by its “in-the-field” usability that can be used during deployments and in an electronic format.
Invention number: 20140245
Contact Andrew Morrow (amorrow@umn.edu) for more information.
Q-Rounds: In-hospital Rounds Queueing Software
Q-Rounds allows doctors to create a queue of patients that will be seen on inpatient medical rounds, electronically sharing information with the patient and family. This decreases uncertainty and increases efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Invention number: 2019-253
Contact Andrew Morrow (amorrow@umn.edu) for more information.