Environmental Energy
Research Collaboration

Joseph Seale

Education

Harvard College, B.A., Physics, 1968

College concentration: classical physics, physical chemistry, fluid dynamics, applied mathematics, computer simulation.

Most significant accomplishments
(from recent past to present):

• Co-founder of FluidSense Corporation , which contracts to provide, operate, and maintain hospital-wide medical intravenous infusion systems. A patented (U.S., 5,624,409) control approach by Seale gives a single pump an infusion rate range from 0.1 to 1000 milliliters/hour, replacing several specialty pumps. Three disposable designs, fitting the same pump, are for neonatal, PCA, and general purpose infusions. The small, lightweight pump operates entirely from a rechargeable battery pack. With each recharging, this “smart” battery receives patient data and drug data for the coming infusion, including allowable dosage rates and contraindications for adverse drug combinations. The programmed battery pack is reliably matched with the drug container and the patient. Infrared communications among pumps assure that unsafe dosages or drug combinations do not reach a patient. The nurse-friendly, patient-friendly design keeps noise and “nuisance” alarms to a minimum.
• Developer (in progress) of a comprehensive computational model of dissipative, temperature-dependent stress/strain/creep in solid materials, including metals, polymer plastics, and rubbers. One pending patent. Rooted in statistical mechanics and generalizing from existing specialized theories, the model prescribes a set of mechanical tests, whereby mechanical properties of a material sample can be reduced to about six parameters, characterizing temperature- and time-dependent properties within failure limits. The macroscopic parameters imply microscopic statistical properties of the material: the strengths and groupings of molecular bonds that are broken and rearranged (reversibly and irreversibly) by the combined effects of thermal agitation and stress. The model in its early form was applied to the simulation and subsequent design (1992) of an elastomer-driven intravenous infusion system for IMED Corporation. Expected applications are in materials testing and characterization, and improving on existing finite element analysis models.
• Co-inventor and developer, (with Gary Bergstrom, SBE, LLC), of three significant technologies for engine valve solenoids, leading to Magnesense LLC, 7 pending patents:
  1. Solenoid controller that will cause most conventional solenoids, without modification, to close without impact, using minimum energy both to close and to stay latched. All control information is obtained by interpretation of current/voltage characteristics measurable in the two wires that power the solenoid.
  2. Engine valve solenoid design with superior electrical conversion efficiency in small package, overcoming large energy losses especially in exhaust valves.
  3. New automotive valve spring, fabrication by Peterson Spring, offering improved ratio of stored energy/mass at infinite endurance, using spring with no preload bias.

Areas of professional concentration
(from past to present):

• Aircraft aeromechanics (computer simulation team, Bell Helicopter, 1966)
• Video systems & visual perception (projection TV color receiver, Advent Corp.)
• Audio systems & aural perception (noise reduction, DBX Corp.; 1 U.S. Patent)
• Aerodynamics (wind energy conversion systems, hang gliders, race cars)
• Hydraulics (hydraulic wind energy conversion system, New Alchemy Inst.)
• Wind energy system simulation (New Alchemy Inst. & U.S. Dept. of Energy)
• Dynamic thermal performance in solar architecture (New Alchemy Inst.)
• Wind powered refrigeration system (New Alchemy Inst., 1 U.S. Patent)
• Fluid dynamics (modeling arterial dynamics; medical infusion device design)
• Ultrasound acoustics (monitoring arterial dynamics)
• Vibrations in mechanical systems coupled to fluids (arteries, the eye)
  (Above 3 items used in research to monitor blood pressure under Critikon, Inc., & to monitor intraocular pressure under a U.S. SBIR grant; 2 U.S. Patents)
• Acoustic measurement of fluid volume (DEKA R&D Corp.; 4 U.S. Patents)
• Fluid pumping using audio frequency vibrations (P.D. Coop, 1 U.S. Patent)
• Fluid volume measurement using fluid-coupled resonant disk (P.D. Coop. & FluidSense Corp., 1 U.S. Patent)
• Dynamic fluid flow control (P.D. Coop & FluidSense Corp., 1 U.S. Patent)
• Magnetic levitating ultrasound rotor (P.D. Coop, Nicolet/EME, 2 U.S. Patents)
• Servo control in solenoids & maglev (P.D. Coop, 2 patents pending)
• High performance automotive valve spring (1 patent pending)
• Statistical mechanics model of stress relaxation in polymers, rubber (applied in elastomer infusion pump for IMED Corp; software in progress, patent pending)
• Electromagnetic engine valve actuator designs (4 patents pending)
• Developed & tested new automotive valve spring design (1 patent pending)