Biophan and New Scale Announce Newly Allowed
Fundamental Patent on Tiny, Nano-Precise MRI-Compatible SQUIGGLE® Motor
Proprietary SQUIGGLE Motor Can Drive Wearable and Implantable
Drug-Delivery Pumps, Other Applications
April 12, 2005 - Rochester, NY - Biophan Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:
BIPH),
a developer of next-generation biomedical technology, and New Scale
Technologies, Inc., a developer of miniature ceramic motors, have
announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has allowed the
fundamental patent for the revolutionary SQUIGGLE motor, a linear
motor made of piezoelectric ceramics and other non-magnetic
materials, which achieves nanometer precision. The Companies expect
the patent will issue in the near future.
The SQUIGGLE motor’s unique design enables advanced applications, such as the
multi-billion-dollar market for implantable and wearable
drug-delivery pumps. It is also safe and imageable for use in
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems and other vacuum and ultra
cold environments. Biophan holds the exclusive worldwide
distribution rights to all medical applications using SQUIGGLE
motors, produced by New Scale Technologies.
“This is great news for both Biophan and New Scale,” said Michael Weiner, Biophan
CEO. “The SQUIGGLE technology offers a number of unique features and capabilities that we believe
will allow the development of significantly improved solutions for
existing markets, as well as the development of applications for
promising new markets in health care and medical technology.”
The SQUIGGLE motor is constructed completely of non-magnetic ceramics and other
advanced materials and is both totally safe and accurately imageable
within Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems. MRI compatibility
enables the development of remote-controlled robotic surgical
devices for MRI-guided procedures that require the highly precise
positioning under real-time visual control, such as intra-cranial
procedures to inject medicines into brain tumors.
The piezo electric ceramic SQUIGGLE motor occupies a unique and critical niche
in the world of small motors for biomedical and other industry
sectors. Using ultrasonic vibrations, it delivers significantly
superior precision and electrical efficiency compared to
older-generation electromagnetic motors, enabling longer battery
life and reduced concerns with unwanted device heating. SQUIGGLE
linear motors are five times more efficient and ten times more
precise compared to electromagnetic motors.
The SQUIGGLE is constructed from only four parts—about 90% fewer than comparable
electromagnetic medical device motors with gears. Because they
require no gear reduction, a significant source of failure and
malfunction is eliminated, increasing the SQUIGGLE's dependability.
New Scale is producing a variety of SQUIGGLE models, ranging in size
from 4 mm in diameter to 12 mm in diameter, with a variety of ranges
of motion. The newest SQUIGGLE model, the SQ-306, is 50% smaller
than the Company’s previous models. A photo of the SQ-306 can be
viewed at
http://www.biophan.com/NewScale.jpg. It is 10 mm in length and
4 mm in diameter, and achieves precision levels in the nanometer-range.
The SQUIGGLE motor is also being developed for a number of important potential
applications in sectors other than medicine, where its
ultra-precise, silent and relatively powerful motorized movement is
an advantage, such as automatic camera zoom lenses for cell phones
and other active optical markets. In addition to its license of New
Scale’s SQUIGGLE for all medical applications, Biophan is also a
minority equity owner in New Scale Technologies. New Scale
currently sells a range of miniature motors and precision
positioning systems that are powerful, and efficient, for emerging
applications in nanotechnology, microelectronics, optics, lasers,
biotechnology, medical devices, aerospace and defense, fluid
control, and office/consumer products. (View the "Biophan
and New Scale Present Ceramic Motor for Medical Devices” video at
http://www.biophan.com/ceramicvideo.php.)
About New Scale Technologies
New Scale Technologies makes miniature ceramic motors that
enable our customers to create smaller products. Our patent-pending
SQUIGGLE motors
are bigger than MEMS devices but smaller than conventional motors.
We generate precise movement using ultrasonic vibrations, which
makes the motors powerful, simple, and compatible with extreme
environments. Our Squiggle motor uses piezoelectric actuators to
vibrate a nut and directly rotate a mating screw in a tiny assembly,
with an order of magnitude fewer parts than conventional motors.
About Biophan Technologies
Biophan develops and markets cutting-edge technologies designed to make biomedical
devices safe and compatible with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
environment. The Company develops enabling technologies for
implanted medical systems such as pacemakers and interventional
surgical devices such as catheters, guidewires, stents, and other
implants to allow them to be safely and effectively imaged under MRI.
For more information, please visit
www.biophan.com, or contact Carolyn Hotchkiss at
585-214-2407 or Jennifer Gould at 212-843-8037 (Press Interviews).
For more information contact:
Fred Haas, Sales Manager
New Scale Technologies, Inc.
Phone (585) 924-4450
fhaas@newscaletech.com
www.newscaletech.com
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