Reflo

SBIR PHASE II: A NOVEL, LOW-COST, NONINVASIVE DEVICE TO DETECT AND CHARACTERIZE THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF A BOLUS IN THE UPPER ESOPHAGUS. -THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE II PROJECT SEEKS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL NONINVASIVE DEVICE FOR DETECTING AND DIAGNOSING GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX. REFLUX OCCURS WHEN A BOLUS OF GASTRIC CONTENTS FLOWS FROM THE STOMACH INTO THE ESOPHAGUS. SYMPTOMS OF REFLUX CAN INCLUDE CHRONIC COUGH, CHOKING, DIFFICULTY BREATHING OR SWALLOWING, UPPER AIRWAY INFECTIONS, AND CHEST PAIN. THESE SYMPTOMS CAN ALSO BE ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THE PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY WILL AID CLINICIANS IN QUICKLY BEING ABLE TO ASSESS THEIR PATIENTS? SYMPTOMS AND DETERMINE IF REFLUX IS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE. A NONINVASIVE DIAGNOSTIC MODALITY FOR ASSESSING REFLUX COULD SAVE THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM $10 BILLION ANNUALLY, ALLOW CLINICIANS TO PROVIDE IMPROVED CARE TO THEIR PATIENTS, AND REDUCE THE OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS OF THE 80 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY REFLUX-RELATED SYMPTOMS. THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE II PROJECT WILL CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PATENTED TECHNOLOGY WHICH USES PULSE-ECHO ULTRASOUND AND PROPRIETARY ALGORITHMS IN A NON-CONVENTIONAL WAY TO CREATE AN ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE. THE ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE CAN DETECT AND DIFFERENTIATE A BOLUS IN THE ESOPHAGUS. THE ESOPHAGUS DISTENDS IN RESPONSE TO A BOLUS OF MATERIAL, ELICITING THE ESOPHAGEAL LAYERS TO CHANGE IN RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER. THESE CHANGES CAN BE OBSERVED WITH ULTRASOUND SENSORS PLACED EXTERNALLY ON THE SKIN. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND VALIDATE ELECTRONIC HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND CUSTOM ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS. 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.

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO REFLO, INC. THE RECIPIENT WILL UTILIZE ITS COLLABORATIVE EJ (ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE) ALLIANCE AMONG LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFITS TO SUPPORT AND CREATE ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH INTERNSHIPS. YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY YOUTH OF COLOR, WILL BE INTRODUCED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR AND EDUCATION, IN A CONTEXT THAT MINIMIZES CONFOUNDING COMPETITION AND MAXIMIZES PROGRAMMATIC SYNERGIES BETWEEN MILWAUKEE ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFITS. THE ENVISIONED RESULT WOULD BE THAT YOUTH OF COLOR IN MILWAUKEE WILL LEARN ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND BE EFFECTIVELY SUPPORTED TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION AND OCCUPATIONS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR, WHERE THEY WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AS, USUALLY, MANY YOUTH OF COLOR ARE MEMBERS OF HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE A RETREAT AMONGST REFLO AND ITS PARTNERS TO DEVELOP CURRICULA, DISCUSS BEST PRACTICES, DEFINE AND MEASURE SUCCESS, DETERMINE HOW BEST TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE IN MILWAUKEE IN JOINING THE PROGRAM; YOUTH RECRUITMENT; YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN INTERNSHIPS IN A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFITS AROUND MILWAUKEE; EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL DELIVERED TO YOUTH PARTICIPANTS ON FUNDAMENTALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY; FIELD TRIPS TO SITES TANGIBLY PRACTICING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY FOR FIRST HAND EXPOSURE TO SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES; CREATING NEW PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN REFLO AND OTHER NONPROFITS TO EXPAND EDUCATIONAL AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS; HAVING YOUTH PARTICIPANTS ATTEND AND PRESENT THEIR SUCCESSES AND KNOWLEDGE GAINED AT THE GREEN AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS CONFERENCE IN MILWAUKEE. SUBRECIPIENT:GREAT LAKES COMMUNITY CONSERVATION CORPS: COMMITS TO HAVING THEIR YOUTH PARTICIPATE IN COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMMING, PARTICIPATING IN THE GREEN AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS CONFERENCE, AND FURTHER DEVELOPING THE COLLABORATIVE'S GOVERNANCE. THEIR YOUTH PROGRAMMING CURRENTLY CONSISTS OF SUPPORTING NEIGHBORHOOD BEAUTIFICATION, LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLATION. GROUNDWORK MILWAUKEE: COMMITS TO SHARED INTERN RECRUITMENT EFFORTS; CO-DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES; AND LEVERAGING ITS MILWAUKEE FLOOD AND HEALTH VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT TO USE GIS DATA TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED ADVOCACY AND FUTURE PLANNING TO MITIGATE POTENTIAL FLOOD AND HEALTH RISKS. MENOMONEE VALLEY PARTNERS: COMMITS TO INVOLVING ITS STEM INTERNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SHARED PROGRAMMING AND COORDINATING A DAY TRIP TO WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES' VALLEY HEADQUARTERS TO CONNECT ALL THE CBO INTERNS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND VALLEY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. NEARBY NATURE MILWAUKEE: COMMITS TO INVOLVING ITS SUMMER YOUTH INTERNSHIP IN SHARED PROGRAMMING; SHARING ITS SCIENCE-BASED CURRICULUM THAT GIVES STUDENTS AN INTRODUCTION TO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, LAND STEWARDSHIP, WATER SAFETY, WILDLIFE HABITAT RESTORATION, AND FORESTRY; AND COLLABORATING BEYOND CBO SILOS TO SUPPORT APPLICANTS OF COLOR FOR GREEN JOBS AND CAREERS IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. RIVER REVITALIZATION FOUNDATION: COMMITS TO THE PARTICIPATION OF THEIR RIVERINE-TERNS PROGRAM, HOSTING THE PROPOSED PARTNER RETREAT AT THEIR RIVERSIDE LOCATION, SHARING PLANT IDENTIFICATION RESOURCES, AND LEVERAGING THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH SECUREFUTURES FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING. RIVEREDGE: COMMITS TO SHARING, LEARNING, AND BUILDING THE MILWAUKEE SUMMER ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH INTERNSHIPS COLLABORATIVE FOR THE LONG-TERM. SIXTEENTH STREET COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS: OFFERS ITS EXPERTISE IN UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS THE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH WITHIN AND BEYOND CLINIC WALLS-IN ADDITION TO PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS IN THEIR KINNICKINTERNSHIP PROGRAM. TEENS GROW GREENS: COMMITS THE PARTICIPATION OF ITS TWO SUMMER INTERNSHI

STTR PHASE I: SONDEFLUX, A NOVEL, LOW-COST, NONINVASIVE DEVICE TO DETECT AND CHARACTERIZE THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF A BOLUS IN THE UPPER ESOPHAGUS.

SBIR PHASE I: NOVEL DEVICE FOR DETECTING CHANGES IN THE ESOPHAGEAL LUMEN USING SINGLE POINT ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS