Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Processes and apparatus for disassembling spent batteries and recovering valuable materials (e.g., metals, electrolytes, plastics) through mechanical, chemical, or electrochemical methods for reuse or sustainable disposal.

Focuses on the mechanical design, articulation, and actuation of hand-held or robotic surgical instruments, including improvements in stapling, cutting, grasping, and tissue manipulation.

Systems and methods that use imaging technologies, computer vision, and augmented reality to provide real-time guidance, localization, and visualization during surgical procedures or for detailed anatomical assessment.

Systems and methods for non-invasive or minimally invasive collection and analysis of physiological data (e.g., blood pressure, electrolytes, genetic markers, B cell repertoire) to assess patient health status, screen for conditions, or aid in diagnosis.

Focuses on the design of medical equipment for ease of use, mobility, and adaptability in various clinical or home environments, including carts, mounting systems, and compact form factors.

Design and application of devices that are inserted into the body or implanted to treat diseases, modulate physiological functions, or repair anatomical structures.

Active anode materials and manufacturing techniques for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, including silicon-carbon composites, graphite, lithium-metal anodes, and electrode coating processes that improve capacity, cycle life, and rate capability.

Development of devices and methods for non-invasive or minimally invasive collection and analysis of physiological data, often from wearable sensors, to monitor health, activity, or specific conditions.

Methods for layer-by-layer deposition or 3D printing of concrete and cement-based materials, often employing rapidly hydrating binders or specialized compositions for rapid setting.

Slurry compositions and coating processes for battery electrodes, including binder/active-material slurries, surface coating layers, and electrode-to-foil adhesion for cathode and anode.

Technologies focused on converting waste plastics, residual polymers, or aromatic waste streams into valuable hydrocarbon liquids, gases, or chemical feedstocks through thermal or catalytic pyrolysis, followed by upgrading and separation processes.

Methods and systems for monitoring the operational status, detecting anomalies, ensuring safe interaction, and preventing damage or injury in robotic systems.

Process and equipment for producing solid-state battery cells, including solid electrolyte synthesis (sulfide/oxide/polymer), thin-film deposition, lamination, sintering, dry-electrode fabrication, and stacking under controlled atmosphere.

Miniaturized devices that manipulate small volumes of fluids (nanoliters to picoliters) through microchannels to perform laboratory functions like mixing, separation, reaction, and detection on a single chip.

Materials and structures designed for implantation or tissue regeneration, focusing on properties like biodegradability, mechanical strength, cellular integration, and long-term in-vivo stability.

Concrete compositions and structures enhanced with reinforcing elements or functional additives to achieve improved mechanical properties, durability, or specific functionalities beyond basic structural support.

Development of concrete and cement compositions utilizing waste products, alternative binders, or eco-friendly additives to reduce environmental impact and resource consumption.

Manufacturing processes and material compositions for creating electronic circuits on flexible or conformable substrates, enabling novel form factors, enhanced durability, and new applications beyond rigid PCBs.

Novel or optimized methods and apparatus for efficiently separating desired products, recovering valuable components, or managing effluents from complex hydrocarbon mixtures and refining processes.

Algorithms and systems for generating, optimizing, and executing trajectories for autonomous vehicles or robots to move through an environment, often involving obstacle avoidance, route validation, and goal reaching.

Methods and structures for integrating and enclosing electronic components into compact, multi-functional modules, often involving embedded components, multi-layer substrates, and electromagnetic shielding for performance and miniaturization.

Processes and reactor designs for breaking down heavier hydrocarbon feedstocks into lighter, more valuable products using catalysts, including methods for regenerating spent catalysts through coke burning or other means.

Chemical processes that utilize hydrogen to remove impurities like sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen from hydrocarbon feedstocks, or to saturate aromatic compounds, often employing specific catalysts and process conditions.

Systems and methods for producing fuels, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), or hydrogen with a reduced carbon intensity, often leveraging alternative feedstocks, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, or integrated energy recovery.

Design and control of advanced robotic grippers, tools, and mechanical linkages for specific manipulation tasks or operating in challenging environments.

Devices and software systems designed to facilitate physical rehabilitation, track human movement, evaluate posture, or assess biomechanical parameters for injury recovery, surgical planning, or performance improvement.

Methods and systems for improving the quality of video streams, generating intermediate frames, or continuously locating and following objects within a sequence of images, even under occlusion.

Design and synthesis of acyclic or carbocyclic organic compounds that selectively modulate specific biological targets or pathways for the treatment of diseases.

Utilizing machine learning, particularly deep learning, to analyze medical data such as images, sensor readings, or physiological signals for disease prediction, diagnosis, or treatment assessment.

Systems and methods for automated monitoring and dynamic adjustment of environmental parameters (e.g., pH, temperature, oxygen, nutrients) and fluid handling within bioreactors to optimize cell/tissue growth or product synthesis.