UTEC professor earns international acclaim from the University of New Mexico

For the 11th consecutive year, the University of New Mexico (UNM, USA) held their annual "STC.UMN Innovation Awards," which recognizes teachers and students who have issued patents or registered copyrights in 2013. This year, Víctor Murray, Ph.D., a professor at the Universidad de Ingeniería & Tecnología (UTEC), was recognized for his patent, "System and Methods of Amplitude-Modulation Frequency-Modulation (AM-FM) Demodulation for Image and Video Processing" (US 8515201).The "STC.UMN Innovation Awards" recognized 51 inventors who have registered 69 patents. Murray's patent is for a new technology that can be used for early screening of diabetic retinopathy. It is estimated to start operations in the market by 2015, after passing all of the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) requirements. "Peru must develop proprietary technology that goes abroad, because that is how Peru grows intellectually and economically (product licenses), and how higher education is improved. I am happy to receive this recognition from UNM, because it is a good example of how basic research can be developed and reflected in a patent abroad. What is interesting about this patented method is that it can be used for different medical applications. For example, it was adapted for the operation of an upcoming machine that uses digital image processing for the early screening of diabetic retinopathy, one of the major causes of blindness in the United States," said Víctor Murray.There are currently many challenges associated with providing emergency medical care to elderly populations living in urban and remote rural areas. This patent is a clear example of the direction telemedicine is taking because it uses technology to exchange valuable information in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases all around the world. In Peru, the Universidad de Ingeniería & Tecnología (UTEC) has already organized a course in "Telemedicina, m-Health y Big Data en medicina," to be held on May 29.More about Murray's researchVictor Murray is a specialist in image processing and digital videos, as well as design and implementation of reconfigurable hardware. Murray's patent consists in creating new methods for extracting characteristic information and patterns for different problems in the recognition and classification of images, especially in the area of medicine.These methods are the main component of the operation of a high-performance machine (EYESTAR™ by VisionQuest Biomedical) that will allow early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes caused by the deterioration of blood vessels in the retina. Diabetic retinopathy is considered one of the leading causes of blindness in the world, especially in the USA. This machine will optimize the doctors' time, and allow them to focus on cases with a positive diagnosis.  Working together, VisionQuest Biomedical (Albuquerque, USA) and the University of New Mexico made this machine possible.