To uncover the top innovations for 2022, we dived into our matchmaking platform,Connectto find the innovations in development at universities around the world that the R&D community is most interested in. Here we present the twenty-two most watched research innovations poised (based on industry opinion) to have the biggest impact on science, technology and healthcare in 2022.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continued to impact the research ecosystem into 2021, sustainability innovation has been at the top of industry priorities. The categories for our top innovations for 2022 have been chosen to reflect the research topics of the most watched technologies on our platform.
Each of the featured top innovations for 2022 has been published on IN-PART's online matchmaking platform for university-industry collaboration, Connect, by a university with the aim of finding industry teams to collaborate with in further development, commercialization and deployment can work together.
A full, non-confidential summary of each project can be viewed on Connect using the links below each summary. Access to the platform is free for companiesthrough quick and easy registrationand there are no downstream fees when you use it to connect to any of the 7,000 innovations presented by over 250 subscribed institutes.
IN-PART's industry community consists of R&D and external innovation leaders in over 6,000 companies, including 42/50 of the top R&D spenders worldwide, who use our matchmaking platforms to identify commercialization and development opportunities from academia.
Biodegradable packaging made from food waste
Inventors, represented by North by Northwest Partners (a consortium of eight universities in the north of the UK), have found an alternative to petroleum-derived plastics by using agricultural food waste. Their biodegradable packaging material is PLA-free and compatible with existing production and composting facilities.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Simple and effective carbon removal with silicon-based sorbents
Carbon capture and use is an essential part of the fight to offset carbon emissions and reduce the environmental impact of industrial processes. Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly method for CO2Separation with a silicon-based solid sorbent, avoiding the challenges associated with other more complicated carbon separation methods.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A faster and easier approach to monitoring microplastic pollution
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have developed a new fluorescent staining method to identify and monitor tiny fragments of plastic in the marine environment. This new development allows scientists to selectively stain microplastics that commonly deposit on beaches, river beds and oceans, which subsequently accumulate in marine organisms and potentially have adverse health effects throughout the ecosystem.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A solution to the problem of hydrogen storage and transportation
The use of ammonia (NH3) as a hydrogen carrier offers a promising solution to the current storage and transport challenges of hydrogen as a viable clean energy source.
This new technology, developed by researchers at the UK's Science & Technology Facilities Council, is an instrument design that uses a well-known process to produce hydrogen from ammonia (ammonia cracking) combined with a novel lithium imide catalyst technology that promises to be a to enable a decentralized energy model where hydrogen can be generated at the point of consumption.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Prevent chronic wound infections
Pathogen-associated molecular pattern molecules (PAMPs) enhance the immune system's inflammatory response and impair wound healing. Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have found a novel active ingredient that neutralizes PAMPs while also having anti-inflammatory and infection-preventing effects.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A new biodegradable antimicrobial coating inspired by natural products
Antimicrobial coatings on surfaces remain a key public health measure in 2022, and these biodegradable, eco-friendly coatings developed by Durham University researchers will help reduce disease transmission without harming the environment .
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Personalized drug design with microbiome-based AI
The use of AI in healthcare continues to conquer the sector as it can interpret massive amounts of personal health data, allowing the industry to develop tailored treatments for patients. Researchers at the Science & Technology Facilities Council have developed a new AI platform that can link the human microbiome to specific conditions, providing new insights for personalized drug design and development.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A first class treatment for inhibiting tumor growth
A team of researchers from the University of Strathclyde is working on a first-in-class compound that targets a much-studied pathway in cancer - the NF-κβ pathway - which shows evidence of tumor growth inhibition in prostate and pancreatic cancer.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A new antimicrobial and antibiofilm treatment inspired by Komodo dragons
Scientists at George Mason University have developed a novel synthetic peptide inspired by molecules discovered in Komodo dragons. Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm treatment based on this peptide promotes rapid wound healing and provides an alternative treatment for infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains such asStaphylococcus aureus.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Active and intelligent packaging
Scientists at the Ca' Foscari University in Venice have developed a bio-based packaging material with irreversibly attached additives to extend the shelf life of food, absorb odors and release antimicrobial substances.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
New processes for the production of self-cleaning, photoactive cotton fibers
Researchers at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley have developed functional cotton fibers that are self-cleaning, antimicrobial and protect against UV radiation. These photoactive textiles are coated with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) using a novel process with fewer steps and greater efficiency, making them easier to manufacture than before for personal, commercial and military applications.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
The strongest sustainable self-healing adhesive known to date
Recognizing the global drive for sustainability and waste reduction, scientists at Mississippi State University have created the strongest self-healing bio-based adhesive known to help extend the life of materials, with applications ranging from aerospace to construction and building development.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Natural, biodegradable coatings to reduce water pollution from fertilizers
Fertilizers are an essential part of the agricultural industry, but they often quickly break down, leach out and run off into waterways, resulting in waste, increased costs and serious environmental problems from water pollution. To address this issue, a University of Minnesota team developed a naturally derived and biodegradable microporous coating material to facilitate the slow and sustained release of nutrients through a simple spray coating.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Boosting plant immunity for sustainable agriculture
Researchers at TLB GmbH (representing a number of universities and research institutes in Germany) have developed a unique method to identify compounds that boost the immune system of plants and offer a more sustainable way to increase crop yields.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A super cool way to preserve food and biological materials
Refrigeration as a preservation method has been used for centuries and is currently an essential element in our supply chains. However, many of the methods compromise the quality, texture, and freshness of the product, or its longevity in storage. With a vision to improve current chilled preservation methods, researchers at the University of Hawaii have developed supercooling technology that preserves product longevity without compromising quality or freshness.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Odorless natural alternative to preserving liquid foods
To meet the increasing demand for food additives of natural origin, researchers at the Universitat Politècnica de Valencia have developed a natural antimicrobial system for preserving liquids such as wine, milk and water, overcoming the odor and taste problems associated with the few alternatives currently available.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A new standard for high-resolution color images
A Western University researcher has developed a computational process that provides a method for color imaging that does not rely on absorptive color filter arrays, which are currently the industry standard for coloring images for applications such as biological imaging. However, these filters block two-thirds of the reflected light, resulting in lower resolution and intensity. This new technology improves capture efficiency by up to four times, resulting in increased color sensitivity and image resolution.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Meeting industry demand for disease detection
The pharmaceutical and biotech industries have expanded rapidly in response to the increasing importance of diseases such as cancer, HIV and Alzheimer's, and as a result there is a growing need for advanced cell sorting techniques to identify diseases. To address this problem, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have invented a chip-based droplet sorting method that uses electromagnetic fields to better identify microbial organisms and easily target disease without the high cost of more traditional techniques.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Locating your mobile device underground using magnetic fields
Scientists at Oxford University Innovation have developed an innovative method for locating devices such as smartphones, using the spatial variation of magnetic fields to allow a mobile device to identify its location. This invention overcomes deficiencies associated with GPS positioning, including limited reliability in large indoor spaces or underground, while requiring no additional user equipment once integrated into the mobile device.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
A micro-scale spectrometer in the palm of your hand
Lancaster University researchers have developed an optical sensor array to measure light in specific ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. These micro-scale sensor chips essentially function as spectrometers, but unlike their traditional counterparts, they do not require large components to operate, and therefore can be integrated into small, portable devices such as smartphones or wearable devices.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Upcycling plastic from waste water
It's no secret that plastic waste is one of the biggest threats to the environment today, as large amounts of commonly used plastics are nearly impossible to dispose of due to their chemical resistance. A team at UCL has developed a sustainable, efficient and non-hazardous way to upcycle PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) into valuable metal halides with applications in water treatment, optical lens manufacturing and metallurgy.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Stroke rehabilitation from home
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the UK, but fortunately vital upper extremity rehabilitation has been accelerated by researchers at the University of Sheffield who have created a smart tele-rehabilitation platform that can be carried out in the comfort of one's home.
Read the full project summaryto learn more about these top innovations for 2022.
Technologies written by Frances Wilkinson (1, 5, 10), Ella Cliff (2, 13, 18, 19, 20, 22), Anabel Bennett (3, 4, 11, 17), Steph Faulkner (6, 9, 14) , Mireia Baizan-Urgell (7, 8, 15) and Daisy Gillot (12, 16, 21).
Edited by Anabel Bennett and Alex Stockham. Formatting by Anabel Bennett.
Copyright reserved unless otherwise agreed - IN-PART Publishing Ltd., 2022: "Top 22 Innovations for 2022"
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