ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

Additional technologies under development at PKC include Smart Brain Retractor™ (SBR), VEGF Aptamer BioSensor ™, and Intelligent Interbody Fusion Device™. 

SBR is a retractor assembly for brain surgery that has an embedded sensor array to detect and predict local electrophysiological conditions such as electroencephalographic signal, pressure beneath the retractor blade and temperature activity of the tissue.  The SBR is expected to provide early warning on the viability of the underlying tissue during brain surgery in order to avoid the potentially fatal damage to the brain that is common due to use of standard brain retractors during surgery.

The VEGF Aptamer BioSensor™ is a novel, solid-state biosensor for label-free detection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This low-cost, portable, and fully integrated device contains an immobilized RNA aptamer that electrochemically binds with VEGF. The detection mechanism is based on changes in voltage in an electronic circuit monitoring the binding of VEGF to the aptamer.

PKC is also in early stages of developing an Intelligent Interbody Fusion Device, an implanted device for controlled, local delivery of BMP-2, a medication that promotes bone growth following spinal surgery. The device employs an integrated magnetostrictive diaphragm pump that delivers BMP-2 according to a regimen determined by a physician. Control and power are provided transcutaneously by an externally wearable control unit using magnetic induction technology.