[November 20, 2014]

Purdue Research Foundation Recognizes 2013-2014 Fiscal Year Patent Recipients, Presents Outstanding Commercialization Award for Purdue Faculty

Purdue Research Foundation honored nearly 80 Purdue University (News - Alert) faculty and staff members and presented the Outstanding Commercialization Award for Purdue Faculty at its tenth annual Inventors Recognition Reception in the Herman and Heddy Kurz Purdue Technology Center at Purdue Research Park.

The event highlighted a record-breaking year in commercialization activities for Purdue. In FY14, Purdue Research Foundation officials reported 272 invention disclosures, 120 finalized deals, 100 issued U.S. patents, 471 global patent applications filed and $5.94 million in royalty income. Officials also reported that 24 startups based on Purdue intellectual property were launched in the fiscal year.

Jessica E. Huber, a professor in Purdue Uniersity's Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, is the 2014 recipient of the Outstanding Commercialization Award for Purdue University Faculty.

The award is given annually to a faculty member in recognition of outstanding contributions to, and success with, commercializing Purdue research discoveries. It was established with an endowment gift from the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Foundation.

Huber is chief technology officer of SpeechVive Inc., a company whose behind-the-ear smart device helps people with Parkinson's disease speak more loudly and communicate more effectively. It is available in more than 20 locations throughout the United States. A video about SpeechVive is available at http://youtu.be/ybNZkCk_ex8.

Huber developed the technology based on her research to improve communication and the quality of life in older adults and people with degenerative motor diseases.

"I was interested in respiratory control for speech. One of the ways to tax the respiratory system is to ask people to talk louder," she said. "People with Parkinson's disease have problems with speaking loudly, and I thought it would be an interesting patient population to study this question."

Patent honorees at the Inventors Recognition Reception were recognized for receiving a patent during the fiscal year July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014. Their inventions have resulted, or may soon result, in commercial applications to benefit society.

For a complete list Purdue faculty and staff whose inventions were patented in the 2013-2014 fiscal year visit here. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation visit [email protected].

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