USU researchers look to save energy, solve problems

Some of the world's most complex problems are being solved right in Utah's backyard.

Teams at both Utah State University and the University of Utah have been hard at work seeking ways to help doctors diagnose diseases in farm animals before they spread and how to reduce the amount of energy spent to light, heat and maintain buildings across the state. Other scientists are studying ways emergency responders can make better decisions following a natural disaster,

Three new teams at USU, as part of the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative, are looking to put their studies to work for the general public.

Funding advancements for USTAR, the state's long-term investment to strengthen Utah's knowledge economy and generate high-paying jobs, have allowed the projects to become a reality for companies such as Interactive Design for Instructional Applications and Simulations (IDIAS), which is developing instructional materials for emergency response teams; Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Disease (VDID), which is looking for better ways to screen animals; and new energy-saving construction technology from the Institute for Intuitive Buildings (I2B).

"These teams, in addition to the existing USU USTAR teams, bring great commercialization potential to Utah State," said Ned Weinshenker, vice president for strategic ventures and economic development. "This expansion supports the university's and the USTAR initiative's missions to commercialize technology for economic development throughout the state of Utah."

The IDIAS Institute, a result of departmental partnerships at USU, builds on the school's strengths in design and simulation, to develop commercially viable and innovative products to train security, fire fighters, medical and other emergency response teams.

VDID research plans to tap into the huge veterinary services market, totaling more than $1 billion each year in the United States for animal disease screening and diagnostics, by providing a "web of innovation by encouraging collaboration" between researchers at USU, according to VDID team members and head of animal, dairy and veterinary science at USU.

"The future livelihood of agriculture is dependent on the success of VDID efforts from a production agriculture standpoint, and from a bio-security and human-health perspective," said Bruce King, veterinarian for the state of Utah.