Amelia Yin presented her ideas about an innovative treatment for muscle strains.
The ideas range from blueberry sensors to ballistic materials as 11 teams of UGA faculty and student innovators work toward translating research into products for the market.
The teams are the latest cohort to participate in UGA I-Corps, a National Science Foundation-funded accelerator program. The teams presented their ideas at the UGA I-Corps Winter Showcase Monday night at Ciné in Athens, presented by the law firm Fortson, Bentley and Griffin, P.A.
UGA researchers are hard at work looking for novel solutions to real problems—such as improving berry harvesting, improving the flexibility and breathability of ballistic vests, identifying where potholes will form before they appear, and improving inventory management for scientific labs.
Nicholas Watson presented his idea about converting coal ash into biofuel or fertilizer.
Turning solutions into commercialized products is one way these researchers can bring tangible results. But, as I-Corps’ Jared Bybee said, “The transition from research to product can be a bumpy one.” That’s especially true for innovators with little to no business experience.
Through an intensive six-week process, I-Corps guides researchers through the steps to creating market-ready products.