Purdue names five students who are patenting their inventions

May 1, 2013  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University recognized five students who are working to patent their own discoveries made while at school. 

Purdue Marketing and Media has developed a website at http://www.purdue.edu/fivestudents that includes information about the students.

The five "Patent Makers" are:

* Julia Alspaugh, a master's student in mechanical engineering from Raleigh, N. C. Alspaugh is part of an interdisciplinary team that is working to create next-generation orthopedic devices out of resorbable materials. These fixation devices, such as screws, plates and pins, would allow bones and joints to heal and then degrade safely into the body. This concept, similar to that of dissolving stitches in dental work, would minimize invasive procedures while keeping foreign or toxic materials out of the body.

* Zachary Amodt, a senior in entomology from Woodinville, Wash. His experience as a combat medic in war zones all over the world was his inspiration for the suspected orthopedic fracture splint (SOF splint) to be used in the field. The splint is light and portable, which makes it ideal in pre-hospital settings such as drop zones. The SOF will even function if it's been shot. Amodt hopes this device will replace the inadequate equipment many war-zone medics are forced to use. 

* Sean Connell, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering from Houston. He co-founded Medtric Biotech with fellow doctoral student Jianming Li and has filed a patent for a breakthrough method for killing germs and promoting wound healing. Their product, GoPlay, includes disinfectant and antiseptic sprays for both over-the-counter and clinical applications. The uniqueness of GoPlay lies in its non-dependence on antibiotics to kill infections. Connell saw the need for such a product because of the rise in superbugs developing from antibiotic-resistant fungi, viruses and bacteria strains. After graduation this month, Connell and Li will carry on with Medtric Biotech at Purdue's Research Park. They hope the product lives up to its many first-place finishes in business competitions. 

* Andrew Glassman, an MBA student from Indianapolis. Glassman combined his Purdue bachelor's degree in engineering with his business education to create the DogBone wrap for iPhone headphones. The device was designed to store iPhone headphone cables in an efficient and easy way so that users aren't constantly fighting with tangled cords. It utilizes the charge port to secure the device to the phone and gives users a portable solution to headphone problems. He created the wrap as part of a team project in a new product development course. In June, Glassman will begin working full-time for Bank of America's Operations MBA program, but says he will still pursue his tinkering as a hobby.   

* Anne Dye Zakrajsek, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering-biomechanics from Akron, Ohio. She aims for a career in assistive technology device design and has already developed and facilitated an engineering senior design project to create a custom-fitted prosthetic that is enabling a young boy to run and play. Her work on redesigned helmet padding is aimed at better protecting football players and soldiers from brain injury.

Writer: Morgan Stephens, 765-490-4855, morganlstephens@gmail.com

Sources: Julia Alspaugh, jalspaugh@purdue.edu

Zachary Amodt, zamodt@purdue.edu

Sean Connell, connell@purdue.edu

Andrew Glassman, aglassma@purdue.edu

Anne Dye Zakrajsek, aedye@purdue.edu

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