OREANDA-NEWS. March 29, 2011. The nomination for the prize in the category of scientific research was awarded to Professor of the Thomas Johann Seebeck Department of Electronics Mart Min for creating a new method for measuring of electrical bio-impedance and its implementation in medicine and engineering, reported the press-centre of TUT.

Mart Min’s candidacy (one of the three) was nominated by the Jury of the European Inventor Award, including Erno Rubik, the inventor of Rubik’s Cube, Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, Michel Bernier, the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, and several recognized experts in the field.

Prof Mart Min and his colleagues, scientists of the Tallinn University of Technology (TUT), Toomas Parve, Raul Land, Olev Martens, Paul Annus, and PhD student, and medical doctor (MD) Andres Kink have numerous granted inventions including four European patents.

The inventions have been implemented by the St. Jude Medical (USA / Sweden), a company developing medical technology and producing implantable cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, in the TUT and its spin-off company Smartimplant and in ELIKO Competence Centre in Electronics-, Info- and Communication Technologies. The inventions are being used as the bases for developing devices for Euro-coin validation and metal quality testing in the production line. In addition to the rapid identification of metals, the method is perfectly suitable for diagnosing longevity of electrical batteries, and for developing mobile medical diagnostic equipment and tiny devices implantable into the human body thanks to using bio-MEMS (bio-micro-electro-mechanical systems) technology. We could also speak about monitors, which enable early detection of myocardial ischemia, assessment of its severity and prevention, as well as monitoring the vitality and adaptability of transplanted tissues and organs.

European Inventor Prize is awarded to inventors for significant contributions to innovation, economic and social development in Europe. This year for the first time the prize will be awarded separately in industry and scientific research cathegories. In addition to Prof Mart Min the other nominees are Christine Van Broeckhoven, Vlaams Interuniversitair Instituut voor Biotechnologie (Belgium) and Joshua Silver from the University of Oxford (United Kingdom). Christine Van Broeckhoven’s pioneering technology for identifying disease genes in Alzheimer's sufferers paved the way to the development of modern drugs and treatments to combat Alzheimer's disease. Joshua Silver invented self-adjustable eyeglasses.

The Inventor Award was launched in 2006. The prize was established by the European Patent Office, the European Commission and the EU Council Presidency. This year the prize winners will be announced in Budapest on 19th of May. The award is very prestigious in Europe as well as in the world.