Medical Appointment Booking Software Wins Big at Kansas City Pure Pitch Rally

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Kansas-based software company SureShow was the top prize winner at the fifth annual Pure Pitch Rally. The startup develops software solutions that allow medical practices to take online bookings in the event of no-shows. It took home $20,500 + $5,000 Technology Blueprint Award from Artisan Technology Group.

SureShow’s application allows online patients to be put in a queue, so when a clinic has a last minute cancellation, the physician can perform a virtual consultation (via computer or mobile app). With 25% of appointments resulting in a no-show, this system helps practices meet their full earning potential, and gives patients more access to the care they need. It integrates with clinics’ existing software, and is HIPAA compliant. 

The company was one of eight tech startups that was invited to pitch and compete for funding at the Pure Pitch Rally, this year with a livestream audience. Each entrepreneur presented their ideas/company to ‘land sharks’, aka 88 CEOs and VIPs in the tech industry. 

As well as SureShow, the eight startups included:

  • PMI Rate Pro, a startup that provides fast quotes for private mortgage insurance, which won $24,000.  
  • Relay Trade Solutions, a company that connects all supply chain stakeholders for faster ordering, shipping and process, which won $10,000.
  • AgButler, a gig economy platform that provides job solutions to farmers and agricultural businesses, which won $9,000 + $3,000 People’s Choice Award funded by Lockton.
  • Air Traffic Awareness, an application to improve situational awareness for in-flight safety, which won $5,000.
  • Booth Browser, a mobile application company that helps vendors manage inventory and streamline transactions, which won $5,000.
  • NORDEF (AWA Technology), which streamlines processes in the automotive fluid industry, which won $5,000.
  • Plasmonic Diagnostics, a medical technology startup making diagnosing diseases faster and easier, which won $5,000.

Are you developing new tech? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Research Finds Electromagnetic Fields Could Be Used To Treat Diabetes Remotely

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Researchers at the University of Iowa Health Care have discovered a new way to treat blood sugar non-invasively. The team found that exposure to static electric and magnetic fields normalized blood sugar and insulin resistance, meaning it may be possible to treat type 2 diabetes with electromagnetic fields (EMFs). 

In the study, Calvin Carter, PhD, and Sunny Huang, an MD/PhD student, exposed mice to EMFs for a few hours per day. Their results indicated that EMFs alter the balance of oxidants and antioxidants in the liver, improving the body’s response to insulin. With lasting effects on blood sugar and insulin levels seen, the discovery opens up the possibility of treating type 2 diabetes even overnight, as opposed to the current cumbersome treatment regimes. 

While the discovery is major, the study was almost accidental. Huang was practicing taking blood from mice and measuring blood sugar levels, and Carter offered mice he was using to study the effect of EMFs on the animals’ brain and behaviour. The mice, which had a genetic modification that made them diabetic (and therefore would have high blood sugar levels), had normal blood sugar levels upon testing. From this, the project began. The study found that static magnetic and electric fields modulated blood sugar, and exposure during sleep reversed insulin resistance within three days of treatment.

EMFs these days are used in anything from mobile devices to MRI and EEG machines. However, their impact on human biology is not fully understood. In researching the topic, Carter and Huang found that many animals (e.g. a number of species of birds) sense the Earth’s electromagnetic field and use it for navigation. This pointed to a quantum biological phenomenon whereby EMFs may interact with specific molecules in the body. Some of these molecules are oxidants, which are studied in redox biology, which looks at the behavior of electrons and reactive molecules that govern cellular metabolism. The team collaborated with redox biology experts to better understand an oxidant molecule called superoxide, which plays a role in type 2 diabetes. The experiments suggest that EMFs alter the signaling of superoxide molecules, specifically in the liver, which leads to the prolonged activation of an antioxidant response to rebalance the body’s redox set point and the response to insulin.

Because of the success from the mice trials, the team also treated human liver cells. After six hours of EMF treatment, the cells’ surrogate marker for insulin sensitivity improved significantly, suggesting that the EMFs may also produce the same anti-diabetic effect in humans. The study has now moved onto larger animals, with a goal of human trials, and providing this as a viable solution for people. Carter and Huang, along with Carter’s brother Walter, have founded Geminii Health, to develop wearable devices with this technology.

Are you developing a new treatment, product or process? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Aerospace Partnership Could Mean Commercial Satellite Rocket Test Launches by 2022

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Alaska Aerospace Corporation and India-based AgniKul Cosmos have partnered to launch test rockets from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska (PSCA).

Agnikul Cosmos is developing a small rocket, called Agnibaan, that has the ability to carry 100kg satellites into low earth orbit. Currently, small satellites are carried as ‘piggyback luggage’ by bigger rockets, and thus there is significant wait time for them to be put into orbit. The Agnibaan rocket is three-engine and 18m tall, with a plug-and-play engine configuration that’s customizable for clients’ needs. The company’s idea is to move the small satellite launch market towards a customer-centric business model. It aims to be able to build a rocket in two weeks, and it be launchable from any launch site around the world; thanks to its size, it’s transportable on an 18-wheeler, and comes with a unique launch pedestal. If it’s accomplished, the end result would be easier commercial space access for everyone.

Agnikul Cosmos and Alaska Aerospace Corporation will work to secure regulatory approvals (e.g. launch licensing from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. export control, and the necessary clearances from Indian authorities). The aim is to explore launch vehicle-spaceport interfaces and procedures, and conduct test launches from PSCA. These launches are anticipated to occur from 2022 and onwards.

Are you developing a new invention? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Natural Disaster Planning Software Helping Homeowners Across the U.S.

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On top of a global pandemic, millions of Americans have experienced wildfires, windstorms and hurricanes this year. Louisville-based tech startup WeatherCheck is making their lives easier, by building detailed models of natural disaster damage across the U.S. The company collects data from various sources (e.g. FEMA) and develops software models, to help individuals, mortgage lenders, corporations and insurers prepare for these natural disasters before they happen, and process claims much faster after damage occurs.

WeatherCheck’s team is made up of weather scientists, AI professors, climatologists, cloud computing engineers, and claims analysts. They’re the only company in the country providing the address-specific information owners require.

Before COVID-19 hit, WeatherCheck’s main offering was its subscription service. Customers would pay a fee, and can access damage reports for properties as well as a live monitoring tool for upcoming storms and/or hurricanes. But, as with many businesses, sales dropped when the public was told to shelter and stay home. So, the company shifted focus, developing a solution that allowed homeowners to file claims online.

In late August, a windstorm hit Iowa and more than 8,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, as COVID-19 case numbers rose in the state. WeatherCheck partnered with insurers to set aside $20 million in a recovery fund to help Iowans rebuild and also rolled out free access to its “Preferred” program, which helps users identify the best time to file a claim and get through the reconstruction process two times faster than they would by working directly with an insurance provider. Thanks to those efforts, homeowners affected by the storm were able to receive their recovery funds within 48 hours of filing a claim and start rebuilding immediately.

Are you developing new software, products or inventions? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Verizon has Launched a 5G Lab at the University of Illinois Research Park

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Verizon has launched a new 5G innovation hub at the University of Illinois. It’s part of the company’s plan to utilize 5G technology in more real world applications. The ‘Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband’ service will explore how 5G can be used in machine learning, IoT, robotics, AI, guided vehicles, drones, VR, data analytics, and more. 

“Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband’s super-fast speeds, increased bandwidth and low latency can enhance applications for industries ranging from agriculture to manufacturing,” said Tami Erwin, EVP and CEO of Verizon Business. “The Research Park is an ideal location for our latest 5G Innovation Hub serving as an environment that cultivates startups, and inspires collaboration among various corporate partners and students to spur creativity and accelerate the innovation process.”

The Innovation Hub at the University of Illinois Research Park at Urbana-Champaign is home to more than 120 companies. It allows students, startups and tech employees to combine their knowledge and skills, to collaborate and develop innovations.

Verizon’s Illinois launch is part of the company’s larger plan to partner with enterprises, startups, universities, labs, and government, to explore how 5G can disrupt and transform industries. It has six 5G labs in the U.S., each specializing in exploring use cases in industries from healthcare to entertainment. For example, its Columbia University Lab is working on rehabilitation through VR. The 5G provides extremely low latency, meaning that two people can work together faster (e.g. a patient and a physician), or a person can view their own movements back in real time. One of Verizon’s New York Labs explores the future of retail, attempting to leverage 5G technology into smart wearable devices and augmented reality shopping apps. Another New York team looks at mobile and computer gaming, with 5G improving the processing power (e.g. faster rendering, less lag, better ability for graphics, etc).

Are you developing a new invention? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Launch at-Home Pre-Flight COVID-19 Tests

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Travelers flying to Hawaii from other parts of the U.S. are able to order a pre-travel COVID-19 test, and potentially forego the 14-day quarantine. A number of airlines, such as Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue, have partnered with Vault Health to provide travellers with these test kits. Travelers can self-administer tests at home with real time audio-video supervision.

In May, Vault Health teamed up with RUCDR Infinite Biologics and Spectrum Solutions to offer in-home saliva testing for the coronavirus. The test is more sensitive and safer than the existing swab test, and is performed under the supervision of a Vault healthcare provider through a video telehealth visit, eliminating the risk of person-to-person exposure to the virus. It detects the presence of three genes that are found in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, using a technique called qPCR. The test kits cost $150, and can be provided to travelers of all ages, including children. They’re express mailed overnight, and users receive results 24-48 hours after sending it back.

Currently, Hawaii has a 14-day mandatory self-quarantine in place for U.S. Mainland or International travelers arriving into the state, as well as for inter-island travelers arriving in Maui, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai or Hawaii Island. From October 15, travelers who have tested negative (within 72 hours before their flight), will be able to visit without needing to self-quarantine on arrival.

Are you developing a new invention? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

The DOE has Announced Plans for Hydrogen Fuel Cell R&D

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched its plans to advance fuel cell truck and hydrogen production. The Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck (M2FCT) and the H2NEW consortia will work to identify ways to make the technologies more durable, efficient, affordable and viable in today’s market. This comes off the DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office’s (EERE’s) announcement to invest $100 million into the projects.

The combined intention of the projects is to produce hydrogen in environmentally-friendly ways, and then use that hydrogen as a fuel source.

H2NEW

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Colorado) and Idaho National Laboratory will lead this project, and attempt to develop large-scale electrolyzers, which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.  The hydrogen produced is perfect for hydrogen fuel cells.

Electrolysis has been around since 1800, and a number of methods have been developed. However, it’s not always a cheap endeavor. This consortia will look at how to make the electrolyzers more efficient and cost effective.

M2FCT

Fuel Cell Trucks (FCTs) have the diesel engine replaced with a battery-hydrogen fuel cell hybrid system. The hybrid feature allows for optimal performance in heavy duty applications, with minimized environmental impact. FCTs produce no emissions, only water. Los Alamos (New Mexico) and Lawrence Berkeley (California) National Laboratories will lead the project, focussing on fuel cell durability, performance, and minimizing cost.

Are you developing a new invention? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Canine COVID-19 Detection Training Has Begun, With Help From a Delaware Startup

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Dogs can’t catch COVID-19, but they might be able to detect it and help us stop the spread. A Delaware startup has developed a device to safely train dogs to sniff out the virus.

TADD

SciK9‘s TADDs (training aid delivery devices) are simple: a container, a membrane/filter, and a lid. The odor permeable membrane structure is the star of the show: made of a gas-tight chemical-resistant gasket, hydrophobic and oleophobic membrane, and a custom polypropylene membrane holder with a safety grid placed over the membrane to prevent puncture. It only allows odors through, so there is a scent but no actual exposure to the substance. The container lid is also gas-tight and chemical-resistant.

The TADD is the only training aid containment device to:

  • allow odors to be turned on/off,
  • securely contain liquids, oils, solids, small particulate, and hazmat,
  • extend the training aid (i.e. substance) shelf life, and
  • completely protect the animals and handlers from the substance.

Not only that, but all materials pass NASA’s Outgassing Compliancy tests, meaning that the product has no odor, so dogs are trained on exactly the substance odor.

SciK9, TADD and COVID-19

The TADD prototype was first developed in 2013 as part of research for the U.S. Army’s military explosives community canine detection program. Over seven years, the product was improved for durability, and many different uses. Michele Maughan, a researcher involved in the project, founded SciK9 in early 2020, with the intention of providing safer training to dogs who detect explosives, narcotics, medical diagnosis, etc.

However, SciK9 saw the need for its product immediately with the COVID-19 pandemic. Maughan, with the U.S. Army and the University of Pennsylvania, sought to explore the possibility of dogs detecting biomarkers produced by COVID-19 in humans. Discussions of this project began on March 27, ten days later planning started, and by the end of May COVID-19 human samples had been collected and dogs began training. The dogs never have exposure to the virus but are trained to detect human immune system responses to the virus. The goal is for the dogs to sniff out the disease in humans even before symptoms occur. SciK9 was recently awarded the Booz Allen Foundation Fund Grant, which will fund 250 TADDs for continued research.

 

Are you developing a new invention? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

A Connecticut Startup is Solving Issues of Waste Management and CO2 Emissions

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Waste management tech startup Ecogensus has patented recycled fuels to replace coal, in some of the most wasteful countries. The company’s systems heat solid waste into a dense char. This char can later be burned as fuel, replacing coal in power plants and cement factories.

The Farmington Valley company has received its patent in Indonesia, the world’s second largest plastic waste contributor according to a 2015 study. It also has several waste management systems in other countries, including the U.S. 

The System

Ecogensus’ systems convert mixed solid wastes, including plastic waste, into high energy fuel. Ecogensus’ flagship system is the Model EGS-5000L, a transportable system designed for transfer stations, recycling centers, or directly at landfills. It uses a thermal treatment process called torrefaction to dry out and breakdown waste at extreme temperatures, removing oxygen to prevent combustion. 

The result from this process is a biofuel, similar to coal. However, coal contains harmful metals like mercury and burning it adds to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The biofuel from Ecogensus’ machines is cleaner, and easier to transport, store, grind and produce energy from. 

Torrefaction is often used to treat biomass that are then burned to generate electricity. But, the process of combining waste materials and creating a product with similar energy as coal has never been done before. This is mostly due to fire hazards, which Ecogensus says it has overcome with this machine.

The startup’s founder and CEO, Bjornulf Ostvik, says he wanted to create a solution for both the waste and utility industries. The EGS-5000L units reduce the need for landfill and burning waste, the two most prominent waste disposal systems in the U.S.

Are you developing a new invention? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Student Innovation Challenge: diet pet food, simple small claims systems and more.

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Tech Launch Arizona (TLA)‘s first Student Innovation challenge has provided five students with funding and commercialization help for their innovations. The goal was to engage students in the innovation process, to create unique inventions that benefit society.

The Inventions:

  • Mushroom cultivation for fresher produce with unique flavors, medicinal benefits, and easy grow-ability. A biosysems engineering graduate student developed it with the intention of allowing any market and restaurant to grow fresh mushrooms on site.
  • An online small claims system, to assist with claims under $2,500. These may incude rental disputes, which the law student behind the idea experienced first-hand.
  • Diet pet food that veterinarians can administer to induce weight loss/prevent obesity in both dogs and cats. The honors student behind this idea first thought of this in her thesis work, where she tested pet obesity and owners’ guilt when placing their dog on a diet.
  • Un-cloggable toilet paper, an idea that came to an undergraduate student when travelling on an airplane that had to land because all toilets were clogged with toilet paper.
  • An app for real-time detection of road roughness, to assist with highway maintanance. This was developed by a civil engineering graduate student, who intends to calculate road roughness utilizing smartphone sensors and accelerometers.

The Student Innovation Challenge

TLA modeled the Student Innovation Challenge after a similar staff-based program that provides funds to UArizona employees to develop early-stage inventions and prepare them for commercialization. Open to both undergraduate and graduate students, the challenge involved activities like creating a prototype, confirming functionality and exploring scalability. The students filed out invention disclosures and worked with TLA on intellectual property protection, asset development and strategy planning.

Eighteen proposals entered into the first challenge, and the five above were chosen as the most commercially viable. Each of the winning students was paired with a TLA licensing manager; they will assist with intellectual property protection and strategic planning, to make these projects into commercial products. Following the success of this first challenge, TLA will launch its next in September.

Are you developing a new invention? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs and CFPs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.