Media cover innovation showcase at UMaine
Mainebiz published a University of Maine news release to preview a showcase featuring five innovative devices designed as part of the Maine Innovation, Research and Technology Accelerator (MIRTA) program at UMaine and presented at the Foster Center for Student Innovation on May 30. MIRTA projects are all related to Maine businesses or industries key to the state’s future and designed by faculty-led teams, some with undergraduate and graduate students and industry collaborators. The projects included a radar-based beehive monitor to measure the health of the colony, a geoinformatics system for spatial information about timber and other resources, and a medical device for early detection and diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, among others. MIRTA is funded by the University of Maine System 2018 Research Reinvestment Fund. “The goal is to significantly advance research innovation to marketable new products and services,” Renee Kelly, UMaine assistant vice president for innovation and economic development, said. WorldProNews and News Center Maine also reported on the event, noting that all five projects have plans to partner with Maine businesses or start their own business to bring the projects into the Maine economy.