OAU Researchers Awarded Patent In Collaborative Research Work

According to a statement by Obafemi Awolowo University, a design of a Medical Electronic Percussion Appliance (MEPA) has resulted in the award of a patent No. NG/PT/NC/2016/1957.

This is a joint collaborative research between researchers in the department of Electronic Engineering and a researcher in the Department of Physiological Science. The Instrument research group in this design is headed by Prof. L.O. Kehinde and the other members of this design team are Mr. Joseph UTULU and Miss Ogheneuriri ODERHOWO. The researcher from the Physiological Science is Dr.Oludaren Ogunlade.

The Medical Electronic Percussion Appliance hereby described and referred to as MEPA consist of an elctromechanical assembly that perturbs a patient’s body (in this case, the human chest or abdomen) and a sound signal monitoring section that tells the kind of percussion note (sound) received based on the properties of the sound that is generated from the percussed area. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) Library is employed to get the frequency components of the analysed signal. This received frequency is displayed on a Liquid Crystal Display as well as represented by brightly coloured LEDs.

This new MEPA device brings with it the advantage of performing percussion, frequency analysis and display of percussion note (sound) in real time, thereby aiding fast and reliable diagnosis which had been absent in earlier designs.

The patent was processed through the OAU’s IPTTO Office. The Office is always ready to assist researchers/inventors process their Intellectual Property Right (IPRS) resulting from research activities. IPRS are intellectual Assets that enhance the value of invention for commercialization. It is more relevant for wealth creation through university-industry linkage, technology transfer and licensing in this knowledge-driven age.

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