Award Abstract # 2414896
PFI-TT: An Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enabled Multi-sensing Instrument for Parathyroid Detection

NSF Org: TI
Translational Impacts
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Initial Amendment Date: August 30, 2024
Latest Amendment Date: August 30, 2024
Award Number: 2414896
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Samir M. Iqbal
smiqbal@nsf.gov
 (703)292-7529
TI
 Translational Impacts
TIP
 Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships
Start Date: October 1, 2024
End Date: September 30, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $550,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $550,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2024 = $550,000.00
History of Investigator:
  • Blake Hannaford (Principal Investigator)
    blake@ee.washington.edu
  • Eli Shlizerman (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Jason Germany (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Washington
4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE
SEATTLE
WA  US  98195-1016
(206)543-4043
Sponsor Congressional District: 07
Primary Place of Performance: University of Washington
4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE
SEATTLE
WA  US  98195-1016
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
07
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): HD1WMN6945W6
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): PFI-Partnrships for Innovation
Primary Program Source: 01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 066E
Program Element Code(s): 166200
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.084

ABSTRACT

The broader impact of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is in addressing a prominent complication (5-7%) in the ~93,000 Thyroidectomy procedures each year in the United States. This complication is accidental damage or destruction of the tiny parathyroid glands causing hypoparathyroidism. Complications can be severe and include extended hospitalization, cardiac arrhythmias, and a lifetime of medication and medical follow up exams. The project aims to eliminate complications of thyroid surgery by commercializing an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven, multi-sensor, tissue identification/confirmation instrument. The project will also support and train graduate and undergraduate students working in an interdisciplinary team (engineering, industrial design, and medicine).

This project addresses applied and pre-commercialization engineering research in medical technology. Research questions that will be addressed include: Which sensing modalities contribute to accurate thyroid/parathyroid (TPT) discrimination? What is an effective design for a low-cost, compact, efficient sensing system for the parathyroid?s known autofluorescence characteristics? What would be the architecture of a multimodal artificial intelligence model able to make multiple measurements at widely varying data rates and fuse them for a more accurate and robust detection of the thyroid gland and similar classification tasks? These questions must be answered under the practical limits on the size of training datasets that are feasible to collect from surgically realistic settings. Research methods include electronic circuit design fabrication, calibration and testing, experimental data collection under medically realistic conditions, and training and validation of machine learning models.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

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