Opioid addiction often begins innocently enough, with a doctor’s prescription for chronic pain.
One of the most common culprits is low back pain, which affects 80 percent of Americans during their lifetimes. Of the roughly 30 percent of these patients who are prescribed opioids, studies show that 8 to 12 percent become addicted — making low back pain a key player in the nation’s opioid crisis.
To combat this trend, Rebecca Wachs, assistant professor of biological systems engineering, is using a five-year, $510,400 award from the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program to develop a targeted, biomaterials-based treatment for low back pain. Rather than simply masking pain with a pill that passes through the bloodstream, as is the strategy with opioids, Wachs’ approach tackles the pain at its source, focusing on the lower back’s nerves and spinal discs that trigger discomfort.
https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/nsf-award-supports-first-of-its-kind-back-pain-study/
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The IGNIS, a complete fire control system that embeds to drones and carries a payload of ping-pong size chemical spheres deployed remotely with precise accuracy, was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Interior as one of 12 “Made in America” innovations. IGNIS is a product developed by Drone Amplified, a local start-up company founded by two computer science and engineering faculty. Carrick Detwiler, professor of computer science and engineering, is the Drone Amplified CEO.
https://journalstar.com/business/local/lincoln-based-drone-company-getting-accolades-investment/article_4453aad1-9ca2-51a4-8f76-c169b8ea8365.html
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Jiong Hu, assistant professor of civil engineering, was featured on a WOWT News report discussing the formation and repair of potholes.
https://www.wowt.com/content/news/Expert-Pothole-situation-worse-the-longer-fixes-wait-506578001.html