91ֿ College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) faculty members Jill Kawalec, Ph.D. and Larry Osher, DPM, along with Sr. Associate Dean Vince Hetherington, DPM have been awarded a patent for the innovative technology used in their thermochromic liquid crystal research.
The patent, titled “Thermochromic Fabrics Utilizing Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Material,” was issued on May 26, 2020. In addition to Kawalec, Osher and Hetherington, inventors on the patent also include John L. West, Ph.D. (Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute), Yijing Chen, Ph.D. (Dept. of Biological Sciences, Trumbull campus) and Peter Palffy-Muhoray, Ph.D. (Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute).
The fabrics were developed in the course of researching the potential for using liquid crystal socks as an in-home, early warning system for changes in foot temperature that could indicate the onset of serious foot complications in people at increased risk (e.g. diabetics).