Editor's note: Houston innovators made headlines this month with carbon capture breakthroughs, a cost-effective Parkinson's treatment, and workspace wellness products. Read more about these recent breakthroughs, developments, and launches — and the innovators behind them — below.
Emmie Casey and Tomi Kuye, Rice University
Rice University students Emmie Casey and Tomi Kuye used smartphone motors to develop a vibrotactile glove. Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/ Courtesy Rice University.
Two Rice University undergraduate engineering students have developed a non-invasive vibrotactile glove that aims to alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease through therapeutic vibrations. Emmie Casey and Tomi Kuye developed the project with support from the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK).
Based on research from the Peter Tass Lab at Stanford University, the Rice team set out to replicate the breakthrough technology at a lower cost. They are working to develop a commercial version of the glove priced at $250 and are taking preorders now, with hopes to deliver 500 gloves this fall. Read more.
Jules Lairson, Work&
Houston-based Work& has introduced its new Lactation Pod and Hybrid Pod. Photo courtesy Work&.
Houston-based femtech company Work&, led by co-founder and COO Jules Lairson, has introduced new products aimed at supporting working mothers and the overall health of all employees.
The company's new Lactation Pod and Hybrid Pod serve as dual-use lactation and wellness spaces that feature a fully compliant lactation station while also offering wellness functionalities that can support meditation, mental health, telehealth, and prayer.
“This isn’t about perks,” Lairson said. “It’s about meeting people where they are—with dignity and intentional design. That includes the mother returning to work, the employee managing anxiety, and everyone in between.” Read more.
Mim Rahimi, University of Houston
Professor Mim Rahimi, UH. Courtesy photo
A team of researchers at the University of Houston led by professor Mim Rahimi has made two breakthroughs in addressing climate change and potentially reducing the cost of capturing harmful emissions from power plants.
The first introduces a membraneless electrochemical process that cuts energy requirements and costs for amine-based carbon dioxide capture during the acid gas sweetening process. The second demonstrates a vanadium redox flow system capable of both capturing carbon and storing renewable energy.
“From membraneless systems to scalable flow systems, we’re charting pathways to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and support the transition to a low-carbon economy,” Rahimi said. Read more.