UWF researcher's invention going international
- November 22, 2013
- / Shannon Nickinson
- / education
Something Joseph Moss noodled around on in the lab at UWF is about to go international.
Moss, a faculty researcher at the Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation at the University of West Florida, created a spin concentrator, a handheld reusable device that tests for the presence of parasites in water in a fraction of the time of traditional lab tests.
And at a fraction of the price.
“Yeah, I guess you could call me an inventor,” Moss concedes in an interview before his trip to the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention to speak to schoolchildren about the science of water with his boss, Richard Snyder.
[caption id="attachment_11053" align="alignright" width="300"]
Left to right is Joseph Moss, Dr. Richard Podemski (back) and Provost Martha Saunders.[/caption]
The university signed its first international licensing agreement for Moss’ spin concentrator. The flexibility in the device — its filters are interchangeable and the entire unit can be autoclaved and used again — makes it stand out in the market.
The agreement with GenIUL in Barcelona, Spain, allows for the sale and distribution of the device with protecting Moss’ intellectual property.
“Mr. Moss’ invention is an excellent example of how UWF researchers are working to solve key environmental problems,” said Richard Podemski, associate vice president for research and dean of the graduate school via news release. “The spin concentrator is more effective, less costly and easier to use than commercially available products. The international license with GenIUL will enable its use across the globe.”
The spin concentrator is reusable and highly adaptable. It uses metal filters soaked in acetone to test for the presence of cryptosporidium in water. It costs between $10 and $50 per test (based on how many filters you use) and results are available in 30 minutes.
Moss says current tests for the waterborne intestinal parasite are about $500 a sample and take 8 to 12 hours to get results.
“In a major flood you have, say 50 samples or more and one scientist taking eight to 12 hours to get results,” Moss says. “The spin concentrator knocks that down tremendously.”
Next up, Moss says, are trials to see if it can be used to test for tapeworms, ringworms and the like. “If that works, it should have broad application all over the world,” especially in Third World countries, he says.
Last year, Moss’ invention was a finalist for the Cade Museum Prize, which is given to early-stage inventors and entrepreneurs. Its namesake, Dr. James Robert Cade, is the inventor of Gatorade, the miracle mix of carbohydrates, electrolytes and water that keep professional and backyard athletes hydrated.
And like Gatorade, Moss says the spin concentrator is a simple solution to a problem.
“It’s so simple, it’s beautiful. There isn’t much to it, but that’s OK. It works.”
[progresspromise]
Left to right is Joseph Moss, Dr. Richard Podemski (back) and Provost Martha Saunders.[/caption]
The university signed its first international licensing agreement for Moss’ spin concentrator. The flexibility in the device — its filters are interchangeable and the entire unit can be autoclaved and used again — makes it stand out in the market.
The agreement with GenIUL in Barcelona, Spain, allows for the sale and distribution of the device with protecting Moss’ intellectual property.
“Mr. Moss’ invention is an excellent example of how UWF researchers are working to solve key environmental problems,” said Richard Podemski, associate vice president for research and dean of the graduate school via news release. “The spin concentrator is more effective, less costly and easier to use than commercially available products. The international license with GenIUL will enable its use across the globe.”
The spin concentrator is reusable and highly adaptable. It uses metal filters soaked in acetone to test for the presence of cryptosporidium in water. It costs between $10 and $50 per test (based on how many filters you use) and results are available in 30 minutes.
Moss says current tests for the waterborne intestinal parasite are about $500 a sample and take 8 to 12 hours to get results.
“In a major flood you have, say 50 samples or more and one scientist taking eight to 12 hours to get results,” Moss says. “The spin concentrator knocks that down tremendously.”
Next up, Moss says, are trials to see if it can be used to test for tapeworms, ringworms and the like. “If that works, it should have broad application all over the world,” especially in Third World countries, he says.
Last year, Moss’ invention was a finalist for the Cade Museum Prize, which is given to early-stage inventors and entrepreneurs. Its namesake, Dr. James Robert Cade, is the inventor of Gatorade, the miracle mix of carbohydrates, electrolytes and water that keep professional and backyard athletes hydrated.
And like Gatorade, Moss says the spin concentrator is a simple solution to a problem.
“It’s so simple, it’s beautiful. There isn’t much to it, but that’s OK. It works.”
[progresspromise]
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