Tech Briefs Magazine - October 2021 - 51

FACILITY FOCUS
Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering
I
n 1900, steel industrialist Andrew Car -
negie announced to the City of
Pittsburgh his intention to build a " first
class technical school " for the sons of local
steel mill workers. Over the next five de -
cades, Carnegie Tech became well-known
for its engineering and science programs.
In 1967, Carnegie Tech merged with
Mellon Institute and Carnegie Mellon
University (CMU) emerged as one of the
nation's top research universities.
Today, Carnegie Mellon's College of
Engineering performs research in robotics,
cyberphysical systems, artificial intelligence,
biomedicine, energy, and other topics.
Biomedical Engineering
Research areas include computational
biomedical engineering, medical devices
and robotics, and neural engineering.
For tens of millions of patients who battle
chronic lung diseases, present-day
care options are mostly limited to shortterm
drug and oxygen therapy. The Biomedical Engineering
team is working on technologies to advance the long-term
effectiveness and fu ture use of artificial organs to address this
worldwide issue. Polycarboxy-betaine (PCB) surface coatings
and the Factor XII Inhibitor (FXII900) are being studied to
keep artificial lung devices from failing due to clot formation,
without creating any negative side effects. This novel combination
provides a safer alternative to heparin, the current
gold standard in anticoagulation treatment, which has been
known to pose bleeding risks in patients.
Researchers developed one of the fastest known COVID-19 antibody tests that produces results
in 10 to 15 seconds. It requires a very small drop of blood to identify and detect antibody concentrations
at an extremely low level. Results are sent almost immediately to a simple interface
on a smartphone.
Researchers - in collaboration with the University of
Pittsburgh - developed one of the fastest known COVID-19
antibody tests. The test results are available in 10 to 15 seconds
and detect the presence of two of the antibodies to SARS-CoV2,
the virus responsible for COVID-19. Such a quick and effective
test could be a game-changer for controlling the spread of
the pandemic. The breakthrough test would require a very
small drop of blood from a fingertip to identify the two antibodies
and detect antibody concentrations at an extremely low
level. Results are sent almost immediately to a simple interface
on a smartphone.
Biomedical Engineering researchers also are part of an
international team working on wearable biomedical technology
that will enhance free-diver safety as well as provide fresh
treatment insights for cardiac patients. The smartwatch-like
wearable device uses light-emitting LEDs in contact with the
skin to measure heart rate, blood volume, and oxygen levels
in the brain. It can withstand depths of at least 107 meters.
Tech Briefs, October 2021
Cov
CMU is fabricating devices at micrometer/nanometer scale
and synthesizing nanomaterials for critical medical applications.
By using nanotechnology, therapeutic drugs could be
inserted directly into cancerous cells, leaving the rest of the
patient's body largely untouched by harsh drugs.
In collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, CMU is developing a
safe, noninvasive, cost-effective, and quicker imaging option
for patients with epilepsy. It leverages noninvasive EEG technology
to create a machine learning algorithm to automatically
identify key oscillations and spikes related to epilepsy.
CMU researchers created the first full-size 3D bioprinted
human heart model using their Freeform Reversible Em -
bedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) technique. The
model, created from MRI data using a specially built 3D printer,
realistically mimics the elasticity of cardiac tissue and
sutures. This milestone represents the culmination of two years
of research, holding both immediate promise for surgeons and
clinicians as well as long-term implications for the future of
bioengineered organ research.
Chemical Engineering
Since its inception in 1905, the Department of Chemical
Engineering has been on the leading edge of innovation in
areas including air quality, consumer products, energy and biofuels,
health and medicine, process systems engineering, and
fluids engineering. Many of the consumer products we interact
with on a daily basis have their roots in chemical engineering
- from cosmetics to dish detergent, paints, and plastics.
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Tech Briefs Magazine - October 2021

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