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Ascension's microBIRD
Wins Prestigious R&D 100
Award
BURLINGTON, VERMONT; JULY
15, 2004: Ascension
Technology Corporation
is proud to announce it has
received the prestigious R
& D Magazine R
& D 100 Award
for development of the microBIRD™
position and orientation tracking
device. This award recognizes
microBIRD as one of the 100
most technologically significant
products for 2004. The microBIRD
tracker instantly measures
the six degrees-of-freedom
location of one or more sensors
-- just 1.8 mm wide -- for
applications in medicine,
biomechanics, robotics and
research and design.
In addition to its breakthrough
sensor miniaturization, microBIRD
offers metal tolerant tracking
without line-of-sight limitations.
It is particularly adept at
locating objects and instruments
in confined spaces, especially
the human body. Among many
others, uses include locating
instrument tips in 3D space,
guiding flexible tools such
as scopes to internal targets
and controlling catheters
in computer-assisted procedures
and robotics.
In medical imaging and minimally
invasive procedures, microBIRD
allows clinicians to combine
imaging modalities such as
CT, MRI or ultrasound scans
with exact knowledge of an
instrument's location referenced
to visual images. With microBIRD
and advanced imaging systems,
clinicians can "see"
inside the human body.
microBIRD was developed by
a team of Ascension engineers
and technicians including
Westley Ashe, Senior Design
Engineer; Charles Robertson,
Senior Software Engineer;
Joseph Durfee, Calibration
Engineer; and Crystal LaPlant,
Process Technician.
R & D Magazine’s R&D
100 Awards have served as
a mark of excellence known
to industry, government, and
academia for decades, proving
the awarded product is one
of the most innovative ideas
of the year. Accepting the
award this fall on behalf
of the Ascension team will
be Westley Ashe.
“Ascension is pleased to
receive this award from our
peers in the high tech industry,”
said Ashe. “microBIRD’s selection
underscores its critical medical
importance in the development
of minimally invasive surgeries
and procedures.”
Ascension Technology Corporation,
based in Burlington, Vermont,
USA, is a world leader in
magnetic motion tracking solutions
for medical applications.
More information about Ascension
trackers is available at www.ascension-tech.com.
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