An app for early detection of child abuse | A way to recycle PVC

An app for early detection of child abuse

LOUISVILLE, KY–Software and app development company Slingshot, partnering with Dr. Mary Clyde Pierce, a physician with Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, has developed an app for detecting early signs of child abuse. Called LCAST, the app uses data-driven information and can help remove intentional or unintentional biases. The group has been collecting data and working on this app for almost ten years.

A way to recycle PVC

ANN ARBOR, MI—PVC is one of the most widely used plastics in the world but is has a major drawback: it can’t be recycled. That’s because PVC contains a lot of plasticizers, which contaminate everything in the recycling stream and also releases hydrochloric acid when heated. But scientists at the University of Michigan have found a way to chemically recycle PVC without using heat, by using electrochemistry. The study was led by Anne McNeil, a professor of chemistry at UM and the principal investigator of the project.

Big land deal in Raleigh could play role in The Triangle’s economy

RALEIGH, NC–North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park is the largest research park in the United States. Now a big, new land deal could play a big role in the economy of the Triangle. Helix Ventures out of Raleigh purchased a 266-acre parcel in Lee County for $1.5 million. Helix Ventures managing partner Jonathon Keener says that the land purchase is a “huge step towards creating a megasite for Lee County to pursue some of the game changing economic development projects.”

OSU researchers develop app that can ‘eavesdrop’ on satellite signals

COLUMBUS, OH—From transportation to communication systems to the power grid and emergency services, nearly every aspect of modern society relies on positioning and navigation. But GPS system signals are weak and susceptible to interference and can pose serious security risks in safety-critical applications, such as aviation. Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed an algorithm that can “eavesdrop” on any signal from a satellite and use it to locate any point on Earth. The algorithm is the first to be able to exploit signals broadcast by multi-constellation low Earth orbit satellite (LEO) satellites.

Fast Company honors Clean Earth Rovers

CINCINNATI, OH–A University of Cincinnati Venture Lab-backed startup has been honored in Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards. Clean Earth Rovers, which is developing a Roomba-like device to clean plastic and pollution out of waterways, earned an honorable mention in the water category. The rovers are built in the Makerspace in the UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub, which also is home to the Venture Lab. (Fast Future interviewed CEO Michael Arens when the tech was first being developed.)