Northeastern University

<p>Northeastern University’s Center for Research Innovation (CRI) is an impact driven initiative bridging the gap between laboratory research and need-based solutions. The CRI serves as the University-wide portal between industry and leading-edge innovations from Northeastern’s use-inspired research portfolio.</p>
<p>Over the past seven years, research activity at Northeastern has more than doubled. Northeastern’s cutting edge faculty focus their use-inspired research on solving the nation’s greatest challenges in health, security, and sustainability. The Center for Research Innovation connects private companies with the researchers and inventions that meet their business needs – now and in the rapidly evolving future. Our team of professionals all have business and entrepreneurial experience. We strive for a high level of responsiveness and service, moving with speed and flexibility.</p>
<p><strong>Industry Connections:</strong></p>
<p>The CRI is the University’s bridge to industry. We are continuously building relationships with companies to identify their key technology needs and to explore opportunities for collaboration. Our network spans across industry, from the Life Sciences to the Physical Sciences. The CRI aims not only to license individual technologies, but to form long standing partnerships with industry, leveraging the core competencies of our faculty and students.</p>
<p><strong>Collaboration Benefits:</strong></p>
<p>The CRI aims to move beyond the standard paradigm of one-off licenses, focusing instead on forming long-term relationships with industry. We look to assist companies with their ongoing technology needs, leveraging the expertise of our faculty. Collaborating partners can expect flexible terms and IP policy, “high touch” and responsive service, world leading research and development and access to Northeastern resources, including use of labs and equipment.</p>
<p><strong>Research Capabilities:</strong></p>
<p>Northeastern has cutting-edge research in areas such as the Life Sciences, Nanotechnology and Network Research. The CRI can arrange briefings from faculty whose research aligns with your key corporate priorities.</p>
<p>The CRI team is agile and responsive – focused on the translation of University innovations into tangible solutions through licenses, spinouts and collaborations. Our dedication to establishing ongoing dialogue with industry informs Northeastern’s progressive research, enabling a productive balance between exploration and implementation.</p>


<h1 id="background">Background</h1>
<p>Infants with feeding challenges are at higher risk for developmental delays. Non-nutritive sucking (NNS) refers to the sucking action that occurs when a finger, pacifier, or other object is placed in a baby’s mouth, but there is no nutrient delivered. It is one of the earliest motor behaviors that occurs when the baby is born. Data such as sucking frequency, the number of cycles and their amplitude provides important clues about the brain development of infants and preterm infants. There is increasing evidence that NNS behavior can be linked to childhood language, motor abilities, and overall neurodevelopment. However, existing methods for collecting NNS data include devices with embedded sensors and bulky transducers that are inserted into the baby’s mouth. These devices are not only expensive, and largely prohibitive for at-home use, but their invasive nature has a direct impact on the baby’s natural sucking behavior. When sensors are not available, clinicians will also often assess NNS using a gloved finger, which is a highly subjective method of acquiring data. With pediatric disorders increasing and affecting around 20-50% of developing children, there is a crucial need for a contact-less NNS data collection and analysis system, that is accurate, affordable, and that can be used in a baby’s natural environment.</p>
<h1 id="technology-overview">Technology Overview</h1>
<p>NeuroSense has developed a facial landmark tracking technique using machine learning and computer vision algorithms to track jaw movements remotely from video. This contact-less NNS data acquisition and quantification platform successfully measures parameters such as neonatal sucking amplitude, frequency in a burst, suck cycle count in a burst, and cycle and burst counts in a session. Analysis of such indicators can provide insight into key developmental information of infants and developing children. The remote tracking approach allows the infants to perform their natural NNS patterns without the intervention of clinicians and invasive devices. So far, the inventors have completed a beta-test of the application using the facial landmark estimation model and real-time video streaming on Android and iOS platforms.</p>
<h1 id="benefits">Benefits</h1>
<ul>
<li>Remote tracking allows easy analysis of NSS without intervening with natural process</li>
<li>Inexpensive method as compared to existing technology ($2,500-$150,000)</li>
<li>At-home measurement system with physician or pediatrician connections</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="applications">Applications</h1>
<ul>
<li>Baby monitoring device for assessing growth and developmental issues</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="opportunity">Opportunity</h1>
<p>Connecting with prospective investors, applying for grant funding</p>
