Project Leads: Axel Krieger, Kevin Aroom
Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Maryland Robotics Center

Researchers are working in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University and the Baltimore City Health Department to develop a low-cost, rapidly deployable mobile testing booth – similar to a traditional phone booth in both size and shape. The booth, made primarily of acrylic and aluminum, uses a HEPA filter blower to create a positive pressure system, whereby the air pressure inside the booth is higher than outside the booth. This protects the personnel administering the test by preventing virus particles and other germs from entering the booth. 

Project Leads:  Don DeVoe, Ian White 
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Researchers are working to develop an exceptionally cost-effective and rapid diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The team’s approach relies on a small plastic chip that incorporates microfluidics technology. With an array of microwells containing different chemical reagents, the chip could detect multiple COVID-19 nucleic acid targets.

Project Leads: William E. Bentley, Lex Schultheis, Kevin Aroom
Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices

Clark School engineers are working in partnership with clinicians and industry to use specialized scanning techniques, 3D printing, and thermoforming processes to create options that would provide caregivers with form-fitted, customized masks.

Project Leads: Lei Zhang, Michael Pack
Maryland Transportation Institute, CATT Lab

Using big data from mobile devices such as smartphones, GPS devices, and sensors located along highways and roads, researchers are providing a real-time picture of where people are traveling, how their behaviors can affect the spread of COVID-19, and how the pandemic is impacting the economy. UMD researchers have made their data and findings, which are updated daily, available to the public in order to help officials make informed decisions.

Project Lead: Jeffrey W. Herrmann 
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Systems Research

As federal, state and local officials scramble to set up emergency medical clinics to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, a University of Maryland researcher is offering free software tools and other resources to help model and design these clinics for more efficient and effective processing under high demand.

Project Leads: Nathanael Carriere, Andrew Gregory, David Kriesberg, Nathan Young, Derek Paley, Huan Xu
Terrapin Works, Maryland Robotics Center

As PPE shortages continue to worsen in many areas across the country, the demand for face shields and alternative protective equipment continues to rise. Recognizing the need for immediate action, a team of UMD faculty and staff have tapped into on-campus 3D printing resources to supply area hospitals with face shields. Using an NIH-recommended blueprint, the UMD team solicited feedback from area hospital workers to modify the design to allow for the shields to be reused, and to maximize comfort for the wearer.

Project Leads: Peter Kofinas, Anthony Sandler
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Children’s National Hospital

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering researchers have teamed up with Children's National Hospital to address the urgent need for surgical masks at area hospitals.

Project Leads: Dongxia Liu, Chen Zhang, Peter Kofinas 
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Engineering faculty and students are using their lab capabilities to produce hand sanitizer for area first responders as well as UMD staff and students who remain on campus.

Project Leads: Lex Schultheis, Kevin Aroom, Richard Dalby, Ru-ching Hsia

Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, School of Pharmacy, School of Dentistry, UMD Radiation Facilities

University of Maryland, College Park and Baltimore researchers are working with area clinicians to determine if a gamma irradiation sterilization process could be used to effectively prolong the lifetime of N95 respirators in order to tamp down the impact of supply shortages on hospitals and care facilities. 

Project Leads: David Kriesberg, Jim Zahniser, Rich Blanton
Terrapin Works

Terrapin Works engineers have developed and installed 3D-printed door latches to enable individuals remaining on campus to safely open doors without use of their hands. Using Terrapin Works' rapid prototyping, advanced manufacturing, and digital design resources, the team designed the door latches as a quick and efficient way to ramp up safety, particularly across engineering labs and locations on campus in which critical COVID-19-related work continues.

Project Leads: Kevin Aroom, William E. Bentley, Lex Schultheis
Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices

In collaboration with Children's National Hospital, Fischell Institute researchers have developed a rapid deployment face mask (RDM) for use in health and senior care facilities. The RDMs are designed to be made of sterilization wrap material typically used in hospital settings, often to wrap surgical instruments before a procedure. 

Project Lead: Gregg Duncan
Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Fischell Department of Bioengineering Assistant Professor Gregg Duncan and members of his lab are working to develop a bio-inspired hydrogel filtration media that mimics how the body’s own mucus “catches” inhaled virus particles and other pathogens in efforts to prevent infection. One of the group’s main objectives is to develop wearable bioaerosol sampler devices that can efficiently capture airborne COVID-19 particles. 

Project Lead: Lei Zhang
Maryland Transportation Institute

The Society and Economy Reopening Assessment (SERA) provides state and county-level data on social distancing, testing capacity, hospital bed and ICU utilization, contact tracing, COVID case trends, and the number of COVID cases being brought in by travel across state lines, among other factors. 

Project Leads: Jeffery Klauda, Mahdi Ghorbani Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Researchers are investigating the mechanism of the novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019) upon binding to its target location in the human body. The coronavirus acts by first attaching to human cells through a protein known as the angiotensin converter enzyme (ACE2). The ability of nCoV-2019 to attach to ACE2 is among the most important determinants of viral infectivity in coronaviruses and therefore is also a major target for vaccination and antiviral strategies.