Groundbreaking inventions and technologies from Aalborg University create the basis for the development and growth of society through technology transfer agreements with companies world-wide. See the results of the cooperation between AAU and various companies in these examples.
Examples of successful inventions and technology
iTongue from TKS puts people with heavy spinal cord injury in control of their own life
Associate professor from Aalborg University has invented a brace with sensors that makes it possible for people with heavy spinal cord injury to control both wheelchair and a computer with their tongue. It has since been developed into the product iTongue from the spin out TKA A/S.
People with spinal cord injury have limited capabilities without help from others, as they cannot use neither arms nor legs. As the tongue is controlled direct by the brain and not through the spinal cord, iTongue makes it possible for people with heavy spinal cord injury to control a computer or control their wheelchair.
And that thanks to associate professor Lotte Andreasen Struijk from the Faculty of Medicine at Aalborg University. She invented the brace with sensors which basically functions as a remote control. The brace is controlled by a piercing in the tongue and activates the sensors, which are built into the brace, so the brace basically functions like a mouse and keyboard on a computer. This way the device enables people with heavy spinal cord injury to control a computer or their wheelchair.
iTongue has been launched successfully in the market, and one of the users have sent an email saying: ”Before I could do nothing without asking for help. Now I can do many things without help. So for me it is a completely new life.”
The first prototype was developed in cooperation with the School of Dentistry and a dentist from Aalborg. Since then the invention has been patented and the product developed in TKS A/S, a spinout company from Aalborg University, with associate professor Lotte Andreasen Struijk as the core in all development.
In addition to iTongue, which is controlled by the tongue, two other variants of the product exists, which can be used by paralyzed people who can move just one finger. iHandle is a small handle, which is attached physically to the hand, while iCTRL is an app, which provides the user with a graphical interface for navigation.
TKS A/S is a spinout company from Aalborg University, founded in 2006 and owned by Bevica Innovation A/S, Borean Innovation A/S and Aalborg University.
Additional information
Contact AAU
If you have any questions about AAU’s inventions and technologies and about how to acquire the right to utilize it commercially, you are always welcome to contact the AAU Technology Transfer Office:
Tel.: +45 9940 9336
Email: patent@adm.aau.dk
See examples of inventions and technology from AAU
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iTongue from TKS puts people with heavy spinal cord injury in control of their own life
Associate professor from Aalborg University has invented a brace with sensors that makes it possible for people with heavy spinal cord injury to control both wheelchair and a computer with their tongue. It has since been developed into the product iTongue from the spin out TKA A/S.
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Business Research Collaboration Creates Better Biological Wastewater Treatment
Business research collaboration between Aalborg University and wastewater treatment experts at Danish Krüger A/S has matured AAU invention and created a more efficient wastewater treatment, even under difficult climate conditions in the Tropics.
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PowerCon Triple Pulse Tester
PowerCon Triple Pulse Tester – the system for automated test and characterization of power modules.
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The Bucket Foundation has created the basis for a new offshore industry
An Aalborg University professor and the Aalborg company Universal Foundation, which has the Norwegian company Fred. Olsen as its main shareholder, has developed THE BUCKET FOUNDATION - a revolutionary invention that will create massive savings in the production and installation of offshore wind turbine foundations. The invention will save the wind turbine industry millions and create new Danish jobs while protecting the environment even more than existing solutions. The newest bucket foundation has just been successfully installed at Dogger Bank.
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The E-Core Generator creates advanced spinning bike
A patent on advanced generator technology from the Institute for Energy Technology has led to the construction of eTenzor - the high-tech exercise bike.
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Space Junk - we take out the trash
End-of-life satellites and other space junk left in orbit constitute a rapidly growing problem and have attracted great political attention because space junk is a threat to communications and national security. Space junk is a threat to the future use of space because of the danger of collisions between active satellites and disused ones abandoned in space. Researchers from Aalborg University Esbjerg have invented a simple self-expanding construction which will allow them to remove some of this space junk in the future.
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Cadscor ® System from Acarix: Listening to find blood clots
While working on a master’s thesis, two students and their supervisor at the Department for Health Science and Technology invented a method to detect whether or not a patient is at risk of getting a blood clot. Ever since, the Danish electronics company Acarix has been working to refine the principles of this ground-breaking invention with the objective to detect the risk of a blood clot within a few minutes.