Tanvas (originally Tangible Haptics LLC) was founded in 2011 to bring a compelling sense of haptic reality to interfaces on glass touch screens. Intellectual property resulted from lab developments in Surface Haptics.
How We Collaborate
The center works with external companies in three major ways:
Gaining Experience
Develop experiential projects for robotics studentsForging Connections
Connect hiring managers with up-and-coming roboticistsOur Success Stories
Commercializing Our Work
Center faculty have started several companies to commercialize their research.
Cobots
Cobots, collaborative robots for direct interaction with a human operator, were a lab invention. Cobots were brought to commercial utility by Cobotics LLC. Cobotics was purchased in 2002 by Stanley Assembly Technology (Cleveland).
Cobots are covered by numerous patents, starting with 5923139 "Passive robotic constraint devices using non-holonomic transmission elements (cobots)".
Kinea Design LLC
Kinea Design LLC was formed in 2001 to apply human/machine interaction research and rigorous design principles to the needs of physical therapists and their patients who are regaining the ability to walk. The KineAssist gait and balance device was the result of that effort. The KineAssist program is now owned by the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago).
The design team went on to many other endeavors in robotics, prosthetics, and human interface. Kinea Design became part of HDT Global in 2011.
MAKO Surgical Corp.
Mako Surgical Corp. (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) began as Z-KAT, a lab spinoff founded to commercialize developments in image guided surgery. Mako Surgical was acquired by Stryker Corp. in 2013 for $1.65B.
US Patent 5799055 "Apparatus and method for planning a stereotactic surgical procedure using coordinated fluoroscopy" was foundational intellectual property.
