Two Dayton companies win Third Frontier backing

Two companies with Dayton connections recently won Ohio Third Frontier grants.

Endo Guidance Technologies LLC, of Dayton, was awarded $150,000 for the development and commercialization of a radiation-free alternative to X-ray imaging during surgery.

And Strong Plastics LLC, also of Dayton, was awarded $100,000 for the development and commercialization of a strong load-bearing plastic to replace aluminum.

Endo was started by a Wright State University professor Caroline Cao, a professor of biomedical, industrial and human factors engineering in the university’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.

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The company pursued an alternative to X-rays during endovascular surgery, eliminating the need for radiation-emitting X-rays during an invasive procedure.

Cao is working on the prototype of a lightweight sensor and display that would help guide surgeons — similar to GPS tracking — without exposing themselves or their patients to radiation, Wright State said in a release.

It is the first technology Cao has worked to commercialize, according to the university.

“Things we invent in the lab don’t usually get to this point,” she said in Wright State’s statement. “But this is both innovative and useful. It will change the way surgeons do work and will be a great benefit to the patients. And we’ll all become patients someday.”

Seth Hummel, of Strong Plastics LLC, also received a Third Frontier grant.

Hummel runs Dayton’s IQC, which helps companies navigate ISO system certification and auditing.

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