December 21, 2021 welcomed three new patent grants to Smith & Hopen clients.
The University of South Florida (Tampa, Florida) secured U.S. Patent 11,202,604 today, for a system to assess pediatric and neonatal pain. On average, infants receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) experience fourteen painful procedures per day. Newborn children have a limited ability to communicate pain. Additionally, earlier misconceptions led pediatricians to believe, for several decades, that these children do not feel or remember pain.
Consequently, researchers at the University of South Florida developed a system to automatically assess pediatric and neonatal pain. USF researches used facial expressions along with crying sounds, body movement, and vital signs. The system improves the diagnosis and treatment of pain for pediatric patients. Dr. Ghadh Alzamzmi was the lead inventor. Joint-inventors included Chid-Yun Pai, Dmitry Goldgof, Rangachar Kasturi, Terri Ashmeade and Yu Sun. Molly Sauter prosecuted the patent on behalf of Smith & Hopen.
Swiss Fire Protection Research & Development secured U.S. Patents 11,202,930 and 11,202,927. These patents cover fire suppression systems. Major tank fires damaged $10 billion in property since 2001. Moreover, this includes 297 fatalities and 2,040 injuries. Consequently, Swiss Fire’s innovative technologies have substantial value in saving both infrastructure and lives.
