Vice President for Research & Innovation President & CEO, Research Foundation University of South Florida
13 U.S. Patents
Sylvia Wilson Thomas, Ph.D. is the Vice President for Research & Innovation at the University of South Florida and President & CEO of the USF Research Foundation, Inc. As a member of the USF president’s and provost’s cabinets, Dr. Thomas directs, manages, and provides vision for USF’s $690M+ research and innovation enterprise. Dr. Thomas also serves as a Professor of Electrical Engineering at USF’s College of Engineering where she leads the Advanced Membrane and Materials Bio and Integration Research laboratory for biomedical, biological, and nano electronic device integration using advanced material systems for membrane technology.
Dr. Thomas’s transformational innovations in miniaturized electronic circuitry and devices and nanotechnologies for sensing applications has opened new pathways for bio and nano electronic device integration using advanced membrane/material systems to meet global technological challenges. Her novel developments, from implantable health monitoring devices to the frontier of wearable electronics, have broad applications from health care to the military.
Prior to joining USF, Dr. Thomas was a research scientist at leading industry companies such as Kimberly Clark Corp, IBM, and Procter & Gamble, and most notably at Bell Labs/Agere Systems/Lucent Technologies, where she began her groundbreaking research in implantable microelectronics.
Dr. Thomas is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. She is also the recipient of the 2020 Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) STEM Educational Leadership Award. Her creative, current affairs-driven projects have been supported by a wide range of funders, from USF seed grants to the National Science Foundation for over $4.8M.
Dr. Thomas also serves as the president of the IEEE’s Engineering in Medicine and Biology Florida West Coast Section; Secretary/Treasurer of the Florida Education Fund; former advisor for the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and National Society of Black Engineers; and an inaugural member of the Board of Directors for Black Girls Code. She is the recipient of the 2023 Top 50 Women Leaders in Education, and 2022 Florida Trend 500 Most Influential Business Leaders.
Dr. Thomas holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University, where she was a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellow, and earned her Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Howard University as an NSF Materials Research Center of Excellence Fellow.
Greg Mesaros is the Chief Executive Officer and Chair of Triadex, an award-winning, data-driven marketing firm he founded over 20 years ago that leverages proprietary data analytics and AI-ML to unlock key growth drivers for businesses. He owns additional companies in the marketing and data sectors, with several listed on Inc. Magazine’s 500/5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies List.
Mr. Mesaros founded his first technology company in 1999 and just one year later was successful in commercializing the first seller-initiated social buying platform. In that same year, he filed his initial patent application that has yielded 45 patents across 10 patent families in such diverse categories as e-commerce, dynamic pricing, mobile devices, predictive analytics, social networks, and location-based marketing. His patents have been cited in numerous patent applications by such companies as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, American Express, eBay, IBM, among others, and he has licensed his inventions to companies across diverse industries.
Mr. Mesaros has served on the board of several non-profits and was a member of the External Advisory Corporate Board for the University of South Florida’s Office of Corporate Partnerships. In 2007, he and his wife, Sonia, founded their family charitable trust supporting local and international charities. His company started the industry’s first Environmental Offset Program that provides funding for the National Forestry Foundation and the Gold Standard Foundation. The program champions equitable, science-based policies that remove carbon directly from the environment through moonshot technologies. His company awards annual scholarships for first generation college students working towards degrees in STEM, entrepreneurship, and business. As a thought leader, Mr. Mesaros frequently shares his insights as a guest speaker at universities. His interactions with students aim to inspire a future generation of inventors and entrepreneurs.
Mr. Mesaros has been recognized for his significant contributions to advancing new technology, including awards ranging from the TechKnow and Manny Awards, to being selected by the State of Ohio, where his company was originally founded, for the E-Commerce Pioneer Award. Mr. Mesaros was named a Top 50 Tampa Business Leader and Purchasing Magazine named him one of the top 40 e-procurement visionaries in the country. Mr. Mesaros earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University. He went on to graduate Beta Gamma Sigma with an MBA from Loyola Marymount University.
A MENTION ABOUT INVENTION – 3 Questions for the Inventor
Q1. Of your patents/inventions, which one is your favorite and why?
While I value all my patents, one stands out for its uniqueness and how it almost didn’t get filed. Patent number 8573492, titled “Presenting Offers to a Mobile Device Associated with Information Displayed on a Television,” was part of a larger theme dating back to patents originally filed in 2003, but it was completed as part of a continuation of mobile device patents. When I first conceived the idea of someone holding a mobile device and interacting with images on a television, my initial thought was, “Who would actually do that?” That moment could have ended the invention right there—my inner critic nearly won. However, I took the time to explore potential applications and address each critique. I saw how the concept could be applied, and even though I wasn’t convinced at the time that it would ever be commercialized, I decided to file the patent.
That’s the thing about filing patents: you often don’t know the commercial value upfront. Only time will reveal whether it becomes part of the commercial ecosystem. Fast forward several years, and a well-known, publicly traded company reached out through their representative, seeking to purchase that very patent for an application they were developing. Instead, we agreed to license the technology.
Q2. What inspired you to become an inventor/innovator?
I have always been curious about the world around me. As a child, I loved reading, especially autobiographies. I was inspired by individuals who not only saw the world as it was but also sought to change it for the better. In college, I decided to focus on the intersection of technology, marketing, and finance. I took as many graduate-level courses as possible and consumed technical and business journals. This preparation gave me a unique framework across all three disciplines, which I was able to apply when the internet came into existence.
Invention starts with the belief that you have a better way. The next step is finding sustained enthusiasm to weather the tough times and see your invention through to completion. It takes an immense amount of effort to create something new, and it is equally challenging to know when to end that invention. There is a certain amount of listening to your inner voice that comes into play, and you must assess which concept has more room to run. Trust your gut. With your time being finite, it’s essential to pick your area of focus, apply all your effort and ingenuity, and remain persistent in producing the absolute best solution. As Thomas Edison famously said, it’s far more about hard work than the initial spark of inspiration. In short, persistence and the ability to remain open to the possibilities are key to inventing.
Q3. What is your process when developing new inventions/innovations?
As a sole inventor, you don’t have the luxury of bouncing ideas off a team. While there’s value in collaboration and feedback for revisions, I find it best to work through the initial concept on my own. You must improvise to ensure your ideas are realistic and marketable. One method I use is to “go with the flow.” When I’m excited about an invention, I harness that optimism to explore all the possibilities of how it could be used. I often sketch my ideas on whiteboards, sometimes for days or even weeks. Then I return to them to gauge my level of enthusiasm. If I’m less optimistic about the invention’s viability, rather than dismiss the concept outright, I channel that energy into listing every reason it might not work. I document every shortcoming and identify what is missing for it to succeed commercially. Later, when I’m in a more positive state of mind, I tackle each negative point, finding improvements or workarounds for the invention’s limitations. This process of iteration—alternating between enthusiasm and skepticism—can be time-consuming, but the final product is worth it. By the time I file the first patent, the invention not only solves a real problem but also addresses many anticipated limitations.
Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering University of South Florida
9 U.S. Patents
Daniel H. Yeh, Ph.D. is Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida, where he leads the Membrane Biotechnology Lab. Dr. Yeh also serves as a Visiting Professor at NASA Kennedy Space Center.
Dr. Yeh is an international leader in the areas of wastewater engineering and recycling; sustainable and resilient infrastructure; renewable bioenergy; global WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene); and life support systems for space travel. Dr. Yeh’s research efforts over the past two decades have focused on decentralized small systems for challenging environments at the water/energy/food nexus where sewers are not possible and safely managed drinking water is not readily available. His groundbreaking research led to the development of the NEWgenerator—a portable and self-contained, solar-powered toilet system that converts collected waste into fertilizer nutrients, renewable energy, and clean water to be used for crop irrigation and toilet flushing. The NEWgenerator operates completely off-grid, making it especially effective in areas where clean water and access to consistent power are scarce or unavailable.
Dr. Yeh’s work on the NEWgenerator began in 2011 with a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations grant and has since been deployed and tested extensively in India and South Africa—not only in informal settlements, where there is no functioning sewer system, but also in schools and housing projects. The Gates Foundation also selected the NEWgenerator to be showcased at the 2018 Reinvented Toilet Expo in Beijing, China.
Additionally, Dr. Yeh and his team launched the start-up company, BioReNEW, Inc., and have collaborated with industry partners worldwide to commercially produce and deploy the NEWgenerator. His inventions also include ICARUS, a floating membrane bioreactor for growing microalgae for biofuel using wastewater as a feedstock. Dr. Yeh is also working with collaborators at NASA to develop innovative wastewater treatment systems for the Artemis Program to establish permanent human presence on the Moon and eventually Mars.
A pioneer in his field, Dr. Yeh has secured over $13M in research funding and has received accolades across industry and academia for his breakthrough technologies, including the 2024 prestigious Association of University Technology Managers Better World Project Award. His work was also recognized by the US Patent and Trademark Office with the Patents for Humanity Award in 2020 and was highlighted in MIT Technology Review’s 10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2019. Additionally, in 2014, the NEWgenerator came in first place for the Cade Museum Prize for Innovation competition. Dr. Yeh is a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors and was selected by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists as the 2023 Stanley E. Kappe Distinguished Lecturer to tour U.S. universities and share his invention journey of the NEWgenerator with other faculty and students. Dr. Yeh received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan; earned his Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology; and conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University. He is a professional engineer, board certified environmental engineer, and a LEED accredited green building professional.
Pegasus Professor University Trustee Chair University Distinguished Professor of Optics, Electrical Engineering & Physics Director, Townes Laser Institute University of Central Florida
45 U.S. Patents
Peter J. Delfyett, Ph.D. is Pegasus Professor, University Trustee Chair, and University Distinguished Professor of Optics, Electrical Engineering, and Physics at CREOL, the College of Optics & Photonics at the University of Central Florida, where he also serves as the Director of the Townes Laser Institute.
Throughout his career, Dr. Delfyett has made significant discoveries in the areas of ultrafast optical device physics, semiconductor diode based ultrafast lasers and their application to optical communication and signal processing, including the development of the world’s fastest, most powerful mode-locked semiconductor laser diode. Dr. Delfyett’s groundbreaking innovations also include the demonstration of an optically distributed clocking network for high-speed digital switches and supercomputer applications, and the first observation of the optical nonlinearity induced by the cooling of highly excited electron-hole pairs in semiconductor optical amplifiers.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Delfyett founded Raydiance, Inc., a spin-off company developing high power, ultrafast laser systems, based on his research, for applications in medicine, consumer electronics, defense, material processing, biotechnology, automotive, and other key technological markets.
Dr. Delfyett is a Member of The National Academy of Engineering. He is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, National Academy of Inventors, National Society of Black Physicists, Optica, and the International Society for Optics and Photonics. He is also the recipient of the NSF Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the APS Edward Bouchet Award, the Florida Academy of Science Medal, the Townsend Harris Award, the IEEE Photonics Society’s William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award, and the APS Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science.
Dr. Delfyett holds a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from The City College of New York and an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from The University of Rochester. He went on to complete both an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. at The Graduate School & University Center of the City University of New York.
A MENTION ABOUT INVENTION – 3 Questions for the Inventor
Q1. Of your patents/inventions, which one is your favorite and why?
It’s difficult to pick only one; however, there are a few that stand out, in particular. The first is a collection of patents that show how one can circumvent fundamental physical limitations on the generation and amplification of short optical pulses from semiconductor lasers. This collection of patents served as the basis for a company that we spun out of UCF. The company went on to be one of the first in the “internet of things,” and the laser source that the company manufactured was used by 1) Samsung for cutting the Gorilla glass in your cell phone, 2) Delphi Automotive for laser-drilling precision holes in manufacturing advanced fuel injectors, and 3) Boston Scientific for laser-cutting novel intravenous stents to improve blood flow in patients.
The second patent that is most ‘memorable’ is the “Optical modulator with linear response, US 8,842,998 (2014).” The reason why this is so memorable is because I had this idea “in a dream while taking a nap.” I had just given a lecture at a research program review, and while the talk went very well, I knew there was a ‘weak point’ in one of the technologies that we were presenting. After the talk, there was a group lunch, and afterward, I went back to my room to rest for a bit. Well, I laid my head down on the pillow, thinking about the weak point and that, at some point, someone would recognize it. Apparently, I had fallen asleep for maybe 10–20 minutes, then I woke up ‘in a flash’ with the idea for the linear modulator as a solution to the weak point. Another reason why this is interesting is that August Kekulé discovered and visualized the ring structure of benzene after dreaming of a snake eating its own tail, showing that the mind can solve extremely difficult problems if given the right set of circumstances.
Q3. What is your process when developing new inventions/innovations?
I didn’t initially have an ‘intention’ to become an inventor. However, I was focused on becoming a skilled scientist and engineer in advanced laser science and technology. During graduate school and my early years in industry, I discovered that as I tackled challenging problems, I would gain unique insights that led to creative solutions, which were often patentable. Once I learned that the patent process is an integral part of problem-solving, it became easier to identify which aspects of a solution were patentable.
Q3. What is your process when developing new inventions/innovations?
It’s challenging to teach “creativity” or “how to invent.” Generally, we are trying to solve a problem with no known solution. What I’ve found is that I start by trying to understand the limitations or roadblocks of the problem I’m addressing. If I can identify the problem and why it’s impeding progress, I might be able to devise a solution to overcome those specific limitations.
One approach I use is to “work with the limitation, not against it.” By this, I mean that if there’s a physical constraint preventing technological advancement, I try to see if I can leverage that limitation as an advantage. An analogy I like to use is from judo: instead of using force to counter an opposing force, can we use the incoming force to our advantage, by pulling the opponent?
Another method that I’ve found enhances creativity is what some people call “thinking outside the box.” For me, this simply means not confining myself to conventional approaches. For those who find this hard to visualize, I prefer to call it “on-your-head thinking.” My analogy here is that if you stand on your head and look around the room, you get a very different perspective of what the room looks like. For example, you can see things hidden underneath the sofa. In terms of problem-solving, this means that if we approach the problem from an opposite direction, or by ‘turning the problem around,’ we might discover a solution we hadn’t seen before. So, instead of tackling a problem ‘head-on,’ consider approaching it ‘on your head.’
Chief Technology Officer e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc.
61 U.S. Patents
Anthony “Tony” Van Heugten is the Chief Technology Officer of e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc., a leading electronic lens modulation company that designs and fabricates optics that control and shape light with no moving parts.
Mr. Van Heugten’s industry-disrupting innovations are in electronic liquid crystal lenses, ophthalmic diagnostic devices, eye surgery instruments, and next generation human vision correction; and include products from resistive bridges for practical electro-active contact lenses to dynamic focusing elements for augmented reality headsets to electro-optic phoropters for performing vision examinations. His research has led to the development of liquid crystal tunable lens technology for intra-ocular lenses, remote controlled contact lenses and eyewear, and virtual and augmented reality devices. Moreover, Mr. Van Heugten’s work on liquid-crystal-based lenses is being commercialized in Japan by Mitsui Chemicals as the TouchFocusTM instantaneously adjustable eyewear for near- and far-sighted vision.
Prior to joining e-Vision, Mr. Van Heugten co-founded and served as the Chief Technology Officer of WaveTec Vision Systems, Inc. where he invented a miniature wavefront sensor coupled to a surgical microscope that measured the optical power of the eye in real time during cataract eye surgery, resulting in better surgical outcomes. WaveTec was sold to Alcon Laboratories in 2014. Since then, over three million surgeries have been performed with these sensors.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Van Heugten has commercialized or licensed a number of his innovations including products for interventional cardiology (MedClose), vascular access (Johnson & Johnson), and laser-vision-correction lasers (Summit Technology). He has also led projects sponsored by NASA, the National Institutes of Health (systems to screen children for vision disorders), the US Air Force (lenses correcting higher order aberrations in the pursuit of “super vision”), and the US Army (night vision systems).
Mr. Van Heugten is also president of the non-profit Institute for Adaptive Optics in Human Vision, where he is constantly seeking new ways to improve the quality of life of people in the way that they see.
A MENTION ABOUT INVENTION – 3 Questions for the Inventor
Q1. Of your patents/inventions, which one is your favorite and why?
Of the many medical devices I have developed, my favorite is a surgical microscope that provides the surgeon with real-time optical measurements of the eye to guide the operation. This is because it made a significant contribution to the state of the art in cataract and refractive procedures. I believe our eyesight is the most important sense we have and has the greatest impact on our quality of life. This device has helped improve surgical outcomes for over three million eyes. It has also inspired other inventors to develop additional instruments that give the surgeon even more live diagnostic information on the operating table during procedures.
Q2. What inspired you to become an inventor/innovator?
I did not set out to become an inventor. My employer, Critikon/Johnson & Johnson, made me one. During the hiring process for a position working with automation, I was asked, “What is your ultimate career goal?” Rather than give a typical answer such as, “Become company president,” or “Become wealthy,” I said that I wanted to invent something useful that would contribute to society. (After I said that, I asked myself, “What were you thinking?”)
A little while later, after developing several new manufacturing automation processes for the company, I found myself at R&D headquarters in Tampa, Florida, with the assignment to develop new things. Although I was terrified that I would fail and be fired, that was the beginning of my successful career in inventing new products.
Q3. What is your process when developing new inventions/innovations?
I start by gathering as much information as possible through first-hand observation of what’s currently being done, reading extensively on the subject, and, most importantly, listening to others about what they’d like to see improved. Once I’ve absorbed everything I can about the current state of the art and its limitations, I intentionally shift my focus and engage in unrelated activities like biking, hiking, or camping. Inevitably, after some time, I’ll have an “aha!” moment that provides the solution. My wife, Sue, has grown used to me getting out of bed at 2 AM to drive to my lab and test a new idea.
Gary K. Starkweather is an American physicist who invented the world’s first laser printer and pioneered the invention of color management technology.
Mr. Starkweather got his start working for the Bausch & Lomb optical company. In 1964, he went to work for Xerox, and later he transferred to Xerox PARC in California, where he invented the first laser printer. As a result of his invention, in 1977, Xerox launched the 9700 laser printer, which would become one of Xerox’s best-selling products. Making billions of dollars for Xerox, Starkweather’s original laser printer was the most commercially profitable product to come out of the PARC facility.
During that time, he also became a consultant to the film industry, helping the digital effects team on the first Star Wars movie in 1977. He later received an Academy Award for his pioneering work on color film scanning with Lucasfilm and Pixar.
After more than 20 years at Xerox, Mr. Starkweather joined Apple Computer, where he spent about 10 years working on color imaging management, which led to the development of ColorSync technology. He then worked for Microsoft from 1997 until retiring in 2005. After retirement, he settled in Florida where he lectured at colleges such as the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida, inspiring a new generation of innovators.
Mr. Starkweather received his B.S. in Physics from Michigan State University and his M.S. in Optics from the University of Rochester. He is a recipient of the David Richardson Medal. He was a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of Optica (formerly Optical Society of America), and he is a 2012 Inductee to the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Mr. Starkweather passed away in Orlando, Florida on December 26, 2019.
Principal Illusion Integrator Walt Disney Imagineering
30 U.S. Patents
Daniel Joseph is a Principal Illusion Integrator at Walt Disney Imagineering, where he leads a team of designers and the “Illusioneering Lab.” A trained Industrial Designer, Mr. Joseph’s advances in special effects revolutionized modern design and implementation of special effects, transforming them into three-dimensional, immersive and interactive experiences.
As a leader in the industry, Mr. Joseph helps to conceive, design, and install a range of special effects and illusions for Disney theme parks around the world. Most notably, he was one of the key team members who brought to life the Hatbox Ghost for the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary. His pioneering innovations have also been incorporated into Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, Test Track, Magic Kingdom expansion, and both Trader Sam’s tiki bars, to name a few.
In addition to his breakthrough patents in interactive special effects including Infrared projection for camera blocking; volumetric projection device; personal temperature regulator; two-dimensional media combiner for creating three-dimensional displays; and an autostereoscopic display system and method, he has also consulted on product development for medical equipment to improve safety and usability. One of his design patents was featured in PC Magazine’s article called “The Best Inventions of 2011 – So Far.”
Mr. Joseph has also designed and created cutting-edge interactive museum exhibits and new wayfinding devices for a number of prestigious museums, including The Franklin Institute. He also designed special effects and illusions for Universal Studios attractions, and at historic facilities and sites such as the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc.
A life-long inventor, Mr. Joseph started making special effects haunted houses in his basement as a young boy, charging 25 cents to his neighborhood friends and visitors—which he then donated to the local humane society. He has often said, “creating something that makes a person say, ‘how did they do that?’ is my daily goal.”
Mr. Joseph holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Design from the University of the Arts. He was featured in all three books of the late Disney legend Marty Sklar: Dream it! Do it! My Half-Century Creating Disney’s Magic Kingdoms; One Little Spark! Mickey’s 10 Commandments and the Road to Imagineering; and Travels with Figment on the Road in Search of Disney Dreams. In 2006, he won first prize in Walt Disney Imagineering’s Imaginations Design Competition. Additionally, Mr. Joseph is an unwavering advocate for encouraging and mentoring future inventors, especially inspiring those with different abilities or who come from difficult circumstances, and he is a frequent speaker on this topic.
Co-Founder and former Chief Technology Officer, Luminar Technologies Founder / Chair, Jonathan’s Landing Courtesy Faculty Member, CREOL – College of Optics and Photonics University of Central Florida
82 U.S. Patents
Jason Eichenholz, Ph.D. is a trailblazing innovator in laser and optics-enabled technologies, especially in lidar (light detection and ranging) applications advancing the self-driving vehicle industry, as well as fundamental product development for early cancer detection and environmental studies to military explosives detection.
Dr. Eichenholz is currently the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Luminar Technologies, a sensing technology company that will become the core platform to enable safe fully autonomous vehicles. As CTO, he is responsible for research and development of new products, product roadmap, and bringing Luminar’s technology to market.
A serial entrepreneur, Dr. Eichenholz founded several other companies, and led the research and development on hundreds of millions of dollars in revolutionary products. His patents have been licensed and/or productized into a variety of applications including battlefield explosives detection, early cancer detection, and environmental studies from the depths of the oceans to the top of Mt. Everest and even on the Moon and Mars.
Before joining Luminar, Eichenholz was the CEO and founder of Open Photonics, an open innovation company dedicated to the commercialization of optics and photonics technologies as well as an executive at some of the largest optics and photonics companies in the world. He has also served as the Principal Investigator for Air Force and DARPA funded research and development programs.
His products and various companies have been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, IEEE Spectrum, Tech Crunch, Engadget, Axios, Venture Beat, and Wired. He is a Fellow of SPIE—the International Society for Optics and Photonics, and a Fellow of Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America). An alumnus of the University of Central Florida’s College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL)—where he earned both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Optical Science and Engineering, Dr. Eichenholz enjoys giving back to UCF by mentoring students and lecturing on campus as a courtesy faculty member at CREOL. He currently serves on the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s advisory board and the CREOL undergraduate advisory board. He earned his B.S. in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
David E. Flinchbaugh, Ph.D., P.E., C.Mfg.E., C.E.M.
CEO of Technology Applications International, and CTO of Medventions Technologies
11 U.S. Patents
Dr. David Flinchbaugh is the CEO of Technology Applications International, CTO Advanced Medical Innovations and founder and former CEO of UroSolutions, Inc. Dr. Flinchbaugh is a trained nuclear physicist, health physicist and prolific inventor across a number of scientific sectors.
His most significant patents include seven which describe the UroCycler—a non-invasive, fully FDA Certified prosthetic urinary sphincter and bladder management system which restores normal recycling to the human urinary tract and which has been clinically proven to reduce by 90.9% fatal catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) by 90.9%, a significant decrease considering CAUTIs kill an estimated 90,000 people each year.
His extraordinary developments also include the invention of the ROSA (remotely operated service arm) for deployment in nuclear power facilities. This high-tech robotic system is deployed for the maintenance, decontamination, and refueling of nuclear reactor electric power generation facilities, and can perform all operations required to keep the facility operating, without exposing the human workers to the extremely hazardous radiation environments. His successful work has been used in nearly all of the nuclear power systems around the world, including the recovery of the Japanese Fukushima system in the wake of the 2011 tsunami.
Dr. Flinchbaugh has also been a leader in the innovation ecosystem in Florida and across the nation. He founded four Florida companies as well as the Inventors Council of Central Florida—the second oldest inventors council in the nation. He also served as a Director of the National Council of Inventor Organizations.
Dedicated to helping his community, Dr. Flinchbaugh works almost daily with quadriplegics, wounded and disabled returning war combat veterans, and he has provided numerous innovations to help cancer and HIV victims. He enjoys working with young people and has created and taught courses in STEM for K-12 as well as college students.
Dr. Flinchbaugh holds two B.S. degrees from Union College; two Master’s degrees, and a doctorate in quantum physics from the University of Connecticut. He went on to complete post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a Life Fellow of IEEE; and a Fellow of the Laser Institute of America, Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America), and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He also received the Medical Excellence Award, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation Award, and the DaVinci Award.
James L. Cairns is CEO of Abyssal Systems, Inc., and the Founder and Executive Director of the Cairns Foundation. Dr. Cairns’ pioneering underwater electrical, fiber-optic connector technologies have revolutionized subsea surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and ocean energy production.
Dr. Cairns’ electrical/electronic and fiber-optic connector technology allowed circuits for the first time to be mated and de-mated reliably within the extremely harsh environment of the deep ocean. The need for deep-ocean electrical connectors goes back to the World War II development of SONAR for antisubmarine warfare. Prior to the mid 1950’s, the “dry mate” connectors existing then had to be assembled and disassembled in a dry environment before and after each submersion. In Dr. Cairns’ seminal 1968 patent, the electric sockets were housed in sealed fluid-filled chambers where the pressures are balanced to the exterior environment by a movable portion of the chamber wall. His principle of oil-filled and pressure-balanced construction has become the universal standard for subsea connectors.
His innovations have revolutionized anti-submarine warfare and subsea surveillance by providing sophisticated subsea systems for homeland security and military surveillance; expanded the global area available for conventional deepwater oil and gas production in addition to facilitating the emerging and burgeoning industry of sustainable offshore windmill farms; and made possible real-time oceanographic observatories by providing internet access on the seafloor thereby enabling tsunami, volcanic and earthquake early warning systems for coastal communities around the world.
Dr. Cairns also co-founded two Florida technology companies which he later sold to Lockheed Corporation and Teledyne Technology Corporation, respectively. He holds 62 U.S. patents and received the Marine Technology Society’s Compass-Rolex Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award and Lockheed Martin Award for Excellence in Marine Science and Engineering. In 2017, he was inducted into the Offshore Energy Center Hall of Fame for Pioneering Technology. He earned his Ph.D. at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California-San Diego, on a full Navy Fellowship.
