Technology

High tech firms Quantum Signal, Reactor Zero move into Saline classrooms

Who's to say that the ziggurats of a bygone era can't be remade into high-tech operations? Last November, R&D player Quantum Signal, together with its gaming and simulation division Reactor Zero, moved their joint headquarters into the circa-1930 Union School building at 200 N Ann Arbor St in Saline. Quantum Signal purchased the the 43,000-square-foot brick facility, complete with the original gymnasium and corridors of lockers.In addition to sporting ample desk space for about 35 employees, the rooms have been deployed as vehicle and robotics labs. An SUV, truck, car, and a mule (a small vehicle for robotic controls) are housed in spacious former art classrooms. "We were looking for a place that could handle all those different uses, and this building certainly gives us a lot of flexibility," explains Matt Toschlog, president of Reactor Zero.The facility was in decent shape at move-in, he says; only small renovations, consisting of roof and other mechanical repairs, have been done. In the game plan is a new entrance way and reception area.The companies were formerly housed in the Airport Plaza business park in Ann Arbor. "It is nice to be in something that's a little bit distinctive instead of being in something that was entirely generic previously," Toschlog adds.Source: Matt Toschlog, president of Reactor ZeroWriter: Tanya Muzumdar

ElectroDynamic Applications launches product, looks to spin off new company

The Ann Arbor-based firm, 11 years in the making, got its start from two engineering professors at the University of Michigan. The company focuses on technologies for space and aerospace, such as electric, plasma diagnostics, and plasma interaction and remediation. It recently showcased its first technology at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. That technology synthesizes saline gas, a process that normally incorporates toxic materials while making things like semi-conductors. This product does the same job but is far more environmentally friendly."The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition represented the first chance for us to show one of our technologies (the saline-gas synthesizer) that we took from first stage to commercialization," says Jonathan Zagel, business manager of ElectroDynamic Applications.ElectroDynamic Applications has grown from the two professors (Alec Gallimore and Brian Gilchrist) in 1999 to 10 people and an intern today. The number of interns increases during the summer, hitting four last year. The company recently made one hire and plans to do so again in 2011 as it looks at the possibility of spinning off its into saline-gas synthesizer into its own company.Source: Jonathan Zagel, business manager of ElectroDynamic ApplicationsWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Astonishing Tales Of Real Scientists!

Thrill to their discoveries! Gasp at their genius! Ann Arbor writer/librarian Jim Ottaviani reveals the amazing stories behind science's greatest masterminds. In a comic book! But don't take our word for it, click the link, fearless reader, to learn the incredible truth!

U-M biz engagement, tech transfer offices move to NCRC; Venture Accelerator opens

At EMU’s new planetarium, the sky is the limit

It's Cassiopeia on the ceiling and Aries overhead as Eastern Michigan University as astronomy students take seats under the stars in the university's new planetarium.The planetarium classroom, opened last week, is part of the $90 million Mark Jefferson Science Complex -- the largest single construction project in EMU's history, according to the university. The capital project includes renovation of the 180,000-square-foot Mark Jefferson building, together with an 80,000-square-foot, five-story, LEED Silver-certified addition that will house the psychology, biology, chemistry, geography and geology, and physics and astronomy departments. That addition is topped by the planetarium, viewable from a ground-floor atrium. The planetarium is 30 feet in diameter with a 25-foot high dome, and seating for 37, says Dr. Jim Carroll, head of the physics and astronomy department at EMU. The facility will serve as an astronomy classroom Monday through Thursday, be open to K-12 students on Fridays, and offer shows for the community on weekends. Carroll expects the planetarium portion will be up and running by February after installation of the projector and the purchase of some shows. The space's most unique feature is its spherical shape, Carroll says. The seats are arranged in arcs all pointing towards the front of the room; in a typical planetarium, seats are arranged in concentric circles. The department raised over $60,000 from alumni and friends to fund a full digital projector, which will enable complete rotation of sky views. "Whereas in a traditional planetarium, the orientation of the sky is fixed based on how the projector was oriented," he explains.As EMU is a teaching center, one major purpose for the facility is to educate the next generation of science instructors. "...It turns out there are a lot of schools in the area that have planetariums but nobody knows how to use them," Carroll observes. "We thought this will be a great opportunity for us to take future science teachers and train them to use a facility like this one so that if they go out into their high school and there's [a planetarium], it doesn't have to sit mothballed. They can jump right into it and start using it." No word yet as to whether there will be Pink Floyd laser rock shows.Source: Dr. Jim Carroll, head of the physics and astronomy department at EMUWriter: Tanya Muzumdar

Mayaterials turns ag byproducts into fridge insulation, plans for hires in ’11

Mayaterials hopes to become a player in higher-end refrigerators by making them more energy efficient. That sounds easy enough on the surface, but the Ann Arbor-based company specializes in the not-so-easy details of making that happen, with terms like vacuum panels and nano silica.The 9-year-old firm specializes in nano silica products, taking agricultural byproduct and turning it into vacuum insulation panels. These panels have a rigid core encapsulated in a gas-tight envelope, creating a thin layer that holds heat into a space. The bottom line lies in creating organic insulation that makes refrigerators much more energy efficient."We're taking other people's waste and turning it into gold," says Richard Laine, CEO and CTO of Mayaterials. "The end cost to the consumer is a few hundred dollars."Mayaterials recently made the semifinals of the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. It's also in the process of moving to a new facility on the south side of Ann Arbor so it can begin filling a $1.3 million backlog of orders. Right now the seven-person firm is filing for the rest of its patents and plans to fill out its staff in 2011.Source: Richard Laine, CEO and CTO of MayaterialsWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

A2’s Discera adds 9 positions, quintuples revenue

Discera is ramping up its business model through customer service rather than product improvement, although both are playing key roles in their growth strategy.The California-based business that specializes in semi-conductor technology maintains its research & development operations in Ann Arbor. It changed its sales strategy about a year ago, adding system maintenance service for customers. That change allowed the company to grow its sales every quarter since, quintupling its revenue in one year."We really see this sales strategy working for us," says Wan-Thai Hsu, CTO for Discera. "At the same time we're expanding to a higher-end market where there is better pricing."Discera added nine jobs in 2010, expanding its staff to 42 people. That includes five people in the Ann Arbor office. The company expects its revenue to continue growing at that pace, and in turn to add another 5-10 positions in 2011. Discera is also a semi-finalist for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition, where it is not only showing off its product but looking for the next innovations it can capitalize on.Discera develops and markets a micro-electrical mechanical system that can replace traditional quartz crystals and oscillators. This product has the size, cost, and reliability typically associated with integrated circuits but offers more features, such as shorter lead-times and operation over a wider temperature range. The company spun this technology out of the University of Michigan nine years ago and moved to California a few years ago to be closer to its investors. It also became a campaign issue in Michigan's gubernatorial campaign because Gov.-elect Rick Snyder was an early investor.Source: Wan-Thai Hsu, CTO for DisceraWriter: Jon Zemke

NanoBio scores $6M grant from Gates Foundation, adds 10 positions

NanoBio just got a little bigger, thanks to a big investment ($6 million) from a big name, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.The foundation controlled by the founder of Microsoft and his wife awarded the seven-figure grant to NanoBio for vaccine development. The money will help support the development of the Ann Arbor-based company's intranasal vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, a common causes of bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Most children contract the virus early and it's particularly dangerous for premature babies, children with other health conditions and the elderly.NanoBio is receiving the grant on the heels of some significant growth in 2010. It went from 20 employees at the beginning of the year to 30 and three interns today. Most of those hires brought in people to help develop NanoBio's vaccine portfolio. "We expect the same type of growth or better," says John Coffey, vice president of business development for NanoBio.NanoBio spun out from the University of Michigan's Center for Biological Nanotechnology a decade ago. The biopharmaceutical company develops dermatological products, anti-infective treatments and intranasal vaccines from its NanoStar platform. Its products treat herpes labialis, onychomycosis, acne, cystic fibrosis and it offers a number of intranasal vaccines.Source: John Coffey, vice president of business development for NanoBioWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Advanced Battery Control developing prototype for longer lasting energy source

Does it come with batteries? It's a required question for most electronics purchases, however, buyers of the new electric-hybrid vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt have a different version of that question. How long will the batteries last?A number of startups are working to improve the answer to the question, including Advanced Battery Control. The University of Michigan spinout is developing a battery management technology that extends the life of the newer and bigger lithium-ion batteries in these vehicles. "Battery management is the key to making the whole battery pack operate long enough, say 15 years," says Hahnsang Kim, co-founder of Advanced Battery Control. "Current technology barely lasts for a 10-15 year warranty."Advanced Battery Control, started in May in Ann Arbor, is in the early stages of developing this technology and creating a prototype. It recently placed in the Clean Energy Prize contest and is a semifinalist with the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. The five-person team is now fundraising so it can finish building its prototype within six months. Source: Hahnsang Kim, co-founder of Advanced Battery ControlWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.