New INO Ontario office announces first contract
Quantum Dental Technologies selects INO to ready innovative new caries detection technology for market
HAMILTON, ON, April 22 /CNW Telbec/ - INO (Institut national d'optique) has announced a first contract for its new Hamilton office, a $670,000 partnership deal with Quantum Dental Technologies of Ontario to help guide QDT's innovative new early caries detection system through to market-readiness. As Canada's largest centre for industrial optics and photonics expertise, INO is ideally positioned to assist the young company as it takes its product to the next phase of development.
INO has been tasked with producing a market-ready version of QDT's Canary Dental Caries Detection System. Drawing on a unique blend of luminescence and infrared (IR) technologies (PTR-LUM), this powerful tool will provide dental practitioners, numbering over 180,000 in North America alone, with a sophisticated new instrument for early detection of tooth decay. INO's proven combination of scientific expertise and applications development and engineering know-how were exactly what QDT was looking for to ready its technology for further testing and regulatory approval.
For QDT CEO Dr. Stephen Abrams, INO was a natural fit. "We chose INO for four reasons. First, they have an extensive base in optics and infrared and a thorough understanding of engineering. Second, they have a track record developing applications in medicine and dentistry. Third, they've got a top-notch team of seasoned professionals, based in Canada. And fourth--as I like to tell my investors--if they can produce infrared gunsights for the Canadian military, you can bet they'll do the job for us, too."
INO's Ontario office is equally enthusiastic about the project. "As a technology accelerator, INO specializes in helping visionary companies like QDT bring their innovations to market," says INO Ontario spokesperson Marci Vernon. "Our solutions-oriented expertise is custom tailored to QDT's requirements. What's more, we're delighted to contribute to a project that will create jobs in our region once The Canary System goes into production."
Working in close collaboration with QDT, the INO project team has been quick to make its mark. Dr. Abrams notes that they have already incorporated significant improvements into The Canary System, including a handpiece-mounted visible-range camera and data acquisition technology that converts combined PTR-LUM measurement data into visual output that dental staff can easily interpret.
INO has built its reputation on delivering technology solutions that enhance the competitiveness of Canadian companies. As optical and photonics technologies increasingly make their way into industrial and consumer applications, INO is filling the technology gap and acting as a catalyst for innovation. Today, INO solutions are found in process control, inspection, medical screening, remote sensing, quality control, and other applications in fields as diverse as agrifood, biomedicine, defense, the environment, space, IT and telecommunications, natural resources, transportation, and many more.
About Quantum Dental Technologies and The Canary System
Quantum Dental Technologies is an Ontario-based medical device start-up commercializing The Canary Dental Caries Detection System, a device for the early detection and monitoring of tooth decay. The Canary System uses a hand-held, low-power, pulsating laser to scan teeth. It then measures radiant heat and light signatures emitted by teeth to identify early signs of demineralization well before they are visible by X-ray, allowing dentists to take remedial action before fillings are required. The technology is fast, safe, non-invasive, and completely painless. Commercial potential for the product is significant, with a prospective market that includes between 180,000 and 190,000 dentists in North America alone.
About INO
A leading technology designer and developer, INO is Canada's largest centre for industrial optics and photonics expertise. It is an international leader in its field, having completed over 4,000 R&D contracts to date for Canadian companies in a variety of fields. INO has performed 42 technology transfers, and created 26 new high-tech startups. It boasts more than 220 employees, most of them researchers, scientists, and technicians who contribute to INO's international reputation. In 2007, INO was one of seven organizations recognized by the Canadian government as a research and marketing centre of excellence.
For further information: Dr. Marcia Vernon, Regional Manager, INO-Ontario, (905) 529-7016, [email protected]; Dr. Stephen Abrams, CEO, Quantum Dental Technologies, (416) 265-1400, [email protected]
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