The newly patented technologies reflect the breadth of research at the Weldon School, from developing noninvasive medical diagnostics and advanced infrared manufacturing methods to creating autonomous agricultural robotics and portable systems for rapid contaminant detection.

Charlie Babbs develops noninvasive approach to meningitis screening

Charlie Babbs, founding member and senior lecturer, received a patent for a technology that uses ultrasound to aggregate white blood cells, making them visible for the noninvasive diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection that can cause neurological damage, learning disabilities and even death, particularly in children. Current diagnosis requires a spinal tap (lumbar puncture), an invasive, painful and costly procedure.

Babbs' patented technology uses low-frequency ultrasound waves to aggregate and focus white blood cells in cerebrospinal fluid, creating the potential for a painless, noninvasive screening method.

Potential benefits include:

• Noninvasive diagnosis
• Reduced discomfort for pediatric patients
• Lower healthcare costs
• Improved screening for bacterial meningitis

Chi Hwan Lee patents scalable manufacturing process for infrared optical filters

Chi Hwan Lee, professor and University Faculty Scholar, received a patent for a scalable manufacturing method for infrared bandpass filters using reusable silicon molds and quasi-three-dimensional plasmonic nanoantennas.

The technology provides a faster and more cost-effective alternative to conventional nanolithography while maintaining the optical performance and structural precision required for high-performance infrared filters. It also overcomes manufacturing challenges associated with fragile infrared-transparent materials.

Potential applications include:

• Multispectral imaging
• Remote sensing
• Environmental monitoring
• Defense technologies

David Cappelleri advances autonomous agricultural robotics

David Cappelleri, assistant vice president for research innovation, received a patent for P-AgBot, an internet of things-enabled agricultural robot platform that autonomously navigates crop rows while collecting plant measurements and sampling leaves for analysis.

Unlike many autonomous agricultural systems, P-AgBot operates without relying on a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The platform measures crop height and stalk width while using a robotic arm to collect leaf samples without human supervision.

Field and simulation testing demonstrated accurate navigation, crop measurements and successful leaf collection.

Potential applications include:

• Automated crop monitoring
• Plant phenotyping
• Disease detection in crops
• Precision agriculture research

J. Paul Robinson patents portable multi-analyte detection platform

J. Paul Robinson, Distinguished Professor of Cytometry and SVM Professor of Basic Medical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, received a patent for a multilayer bioassay system that rapidly detects biological and chemical contaminants.

The portable platform uses laser-exposed absorbent strips and metal-conjugated antibodies to detect 15 or more analytes simultaneously with little to no sample preparation. Results are available in approximately 15 minutes.

Compared with traditional mass cytometry systems, the new technology offers a dramatically lower-cost solution while maintaining the ability to detect multiple analytes.

Potential applications include:

• Food safety testing
• Environmental monitoring
• Hazard detection
• Biological and chemical sample analysis

These four newly issued patents demonstrate the Weldon School's continued commitment to translating innovative research into technologies that improve healthcare, strengthen agriculture and expand scientific capabilities.

Read more about these patents and other Purdue innovations at Purdue Innovates: 
https://stories.prf.org/november-edition-newly-issued-patents-25/

The Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university’s academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. In fiscal year 2024, the office reported 145 deals finalized with 224 technologies signed, 466 invention disclosures received, and 290 U.S. and international patents received. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. In 2020, IPWatchdog Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation and in the top 20 for patents. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org for more information.