When the European Patent Office (EPO) presents the European Inventor Award 2016 on 9 June in Lisbon, one of the 15 finalists will also be crowned winner of the Popular Prize. Every vote counts and it is easy to take part: an online poll open to everyone runs until 31 May. One vote is possible every 24 hours until the closing date.
This is the first time for a Lithuanian representative to be among the finalists at European Inventor Award. KTU Professor Arminas Ragauskas has been nominated in the “Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)” category for designing a non-invasive technology to measure intracranial pressure. Based on the sonic Doppler wavelength effect, the ultrasound scanners provide precise and instant pressure measurements via a probe applied to the patient's eye. Besides elevated cranial pressures, the devices also detect stroke, glaucoma, and brain tumours.
"The scanning devices invented by Arminas Ragauskas provide quick and accurate measurements of cranial pressure levels, allowing doctors to initiate life-saving treatments on time, which was previously impossible”, said EPO President Benoît Battistelli announcing the European Inventor Award 2016 finalists.
The European Inventor Award is one of Europe's most prestigious innovation prizes. This year marks the 11th edition of the annual award. Launched by the EPO in 2006, it honours individual inventors and teams of inventors whose pioneering inventions provide answers to some of the biggest challenges of our times. The winners are selected by an independent jury consisting of international authorities in the fields of business, politics, science, academia and research, who examine the proposals in terms of their contribution towards technical progress, social development, economic prosperity and job creation in Europe.
KTU: Birthplace for Innovation
Arminas Ragauskas earned a degree in Electronic Engineering in 1964 at KTU, followed by a doctorate in Measurement Sciences in 1969. In 1993, Ragauskas established the Telematics Science Laboratory at KTU to pursue his interest in measuring technologies for the human body in areas including neurology. The author of 91 peer-reviewed scientific papers and more than 91 granted or pending patents, Ragauskas still heads the Health Telematics Science Institute as its director.
Non-invasive absolute value intracranial pressure measurement technology, cerebrovascular blood flow autoregulation monitoring technology, technologies for monitoring and diagnostics of volumetric intracranial waves and brain compliance, unique flow speed and debit measurement devices are among the innovative worldwide patented technologies created at KTU’s Health Telematics Science Institute.
“It is a universal truth that research means huge permanent expenses and sometimes unplanned discoveries. However, a fraction of scientific knowledge created when solving fundamental science problems is economically profitable. We are converting this economically productive knowledge into innovative technologies. Creating radical innovations, which open new niches in global market, is our line of work,” says Ragauskas.
