For several years, WVSU has led the Bioplex Project (http://bioplexproject.wvstateu.edu), an investigation of the anaerobic fermentation of poultry litter. Farmers must dispose of livestock waste material, but spreading it on fields leads to nutrient runoff problems and potential seepage into water systems. Additional problems are caused by the associated odor and pathogens. The Bioplex unit is demonstrating that these problems can be overcome by anaerobic fermentation, a process that breaks down the waste material into harmless and potentially valuable products such as fertilizer and energy sources.

The liquid effluent from the digester contains valuable dissolved materials, and is useful as a hydroponics nutrient medium. However, the high water content of this stream makes it uneconomical to transport. MATRIC is beginning a research project in collaboration with WVSU aimed at economically reducing the water content and isolating valuable components of this solution. New separations technology based on inorganic membranes may be the key to deriving additional value from this process.

The National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is interested in specific “Bioengineering Approaches to Energy Balance and Obesity.” This multidisciplinary team of a small-business, a non-profit, and an academic institution plans to target this Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR).

Measurement of energy expenditure presents a very difficult technical problem in addressing human weight control because it is concerned with the level of metabolic activity throughout an entire day. For an energy expenditure measurement technique to be most useful, it must be cost-effective, convenient and meaningful for the individual, applicable for use in a variety of daily living activities, and valid across a varied population of differing body compositions and states of fitness.

Although there are a number of techniques available for monitoring signals related to metabolism and physical activity, the conversion of this data into energy expenditure is a challenging problem. A technique to conveniently estimate total energy expenditure would fill an important public health need for weight control, particularly if it can be based on inexpensive wearable monitoring units calibrated only as necessary by laboratory equipment. These units may measure metabolically-relevant telemetry such as heart rate, skin temperature, and blood-oxygen levels.

Many technologies presently exist that with some adaptation could have a major impact on mine safety. Many of these technologies were developed for entirely different industries. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for example, a location technology, has focused on providing timely information for tracking inventory. For mine safety, it could be used to locate those miners in need of assistance. Bio-monitoring technology is used by many athletes to monitor vital signs to help increase their performance. This same technology, combined with RFID could monitor and report trapped miners’ health status.

MATRIC and its partners are committed to undertaking life changing research and development in the area of safety and other coal technologies. This research includes systems that could:

• Quickly locate miners in need of assistance
• Transmit data about air quality where miners are trapped
• Allow two-way communication under emergency circumstances
• Monitor vital signs of miners in crisis
• Guide miners to a safe location
• Prevent vehicles from entering unsafe situations
• Provide renewable oxygen for emergency situations