GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Valley State University continues to fulfill its role as a regional economic development partner through assistance to a new medical device research and development small business. That company, Elkins Innovations, is working with the West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative at Grand Valley State University to bring an innovative new prosthesis to the market.
Elkins Innovations is conducting research into a prosthesis capable of multiple movements controlled by a wireless electromechanical controller. Grand Rapids inventor Jeff Elkins developed the concept and worked on a prototype with the Small Business and Technology Development Center -- which is also housed at Grand Valley State University. The SBTDC's staff assisted in establishing a corporation, verifying the technology, developing a business plan and recruiting corporate management. With a patent pending, a technical advisory board was recruited from the area's professional community to further define and develop the technology.
Elkins hopes to provide this prosthesis to the tens of thousands of people who are confronted with the loss of an upper extremity, either through birth defect, injury, or disease. The research is supported by a $100,000 grant from the National Institute of Health's Small Business Innovation Research program.
Once this concept phase is completed in about six months, the project will concentrate on the refinement of the artificial hand, the foot control, and evaluation tools; as well as, the manufacture of hand and foot control devices for clinical trials, all leading to its commercial availability.
The company is housed at Grand Valley State University's West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative in Grand Rapids. The research team is led by principal investigator Renard Tubergen, Ph.D. Working with the company's technical advisory board, Tubergen will conduct "proof of concept" research under Grand Valley's Institutional Review Board.
The project has benefited from community collaboration throughout its development. In addition to help from the SBTDC and the Initiative, there have been student service learning projects directed by faculty from Grand Valley's Padnos School of Engineering, research and development support through the Institutional Review Boards of Grand Valley and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and test subject recruiting directed through Grand Valley's Seidman College of Business.
Grand Valley State University is a four-year public university. It attracts more than 22,000 students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is the comprehensive regional university for the state's second largest metropolitan area and offers 68 undergraduate and 23 graduate degree programs. It has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids, and Holland and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The university is dedicated to individual student achievement, going beyond the traditional classroom experience, with research opportunities and business partnerships. Grand Valley employs more than 1,700 people and is committed to providing a fair and equitable environment for the continued success of all.
The West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative was created as a SmartZones designated by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. in 2001 as part of an effort to promote and attract high technology business development in the state. Grand Valley was the only university in the state to be granted two SmartZones -- one in Grand Rapids and one in Muskegon.
