Local Podiatrists Win NASA Award
FRASER (WWJ) - Drs. Steven Glickman and Michael Schey are local podiatrists, experts in feet -- whether they were given at birth or mechanically designed.
The two career podiatrists are also the principal owners of College Park Industries in Fraser. The company designs and manufactures high quality, anatomically correct prosthetic foot and ankle systems with a superior range of motion.
Since early 2010, the doctors, along with their engineering team, have been developing and perfecting a revolutionary research device – iPecs. IPecs gives researchers the ability to accurately measure human locomotion or gait parameters on users of lower limb prostheses. Information is transmitted wirelessly in real time.
"We are always looking to expand our knowledge and gain insight into what a prosthesis user experiences and a daily basis," said Schey, co-owner of College Park Industries. "The data we can now collect with iPec will help us to move forward with the development of additional support systems for amputees."
In June of this year, College Park engineer, Michael Leydet entered iPec in the Create the Future Design Contest, hosted by the publishers of NASA Tech Briefs magazine. This fall, Glickman, Schey and the team were awarded first place in the electronics category.
"We are honored to receive this recognition from the research community," said Glickman, co-owner College Park Industries. "We are hopeful that the research made possible by iPec will bring us positive, game changing products."
The Create the Future Design Contest was introduced in 2002 by the publishers of NASA Tech Briefs magazine to help stimulate and reward engineering innovation. The annual event has attracted more than 7,000 product design ideas from engineers, entrepreneurs, and students worldwide. Entries are submitted in one of seven categories: consumer products; electronics; machinery and equipment; medical products; safety and security; sustainable technologies; and transportation. Winners are selected by a team of 24 judges from NASA Tech Briefs magazine's editorial board of readers and sponsors.
In addition to their role at College Park Industries, Glickman and Schey are on staff at Beaumont Hospitals treat patients' foot and ankle needs at their private offices. Glickman is a podiatrist at Troy Podiatrist PC in Troy and Schey practices at NorthPointe Foot & Ankle in Berkley.
