Pulse waveform controller that suppresses H-FIRE arc discharge
This technology refines how electrical pulses are delivered during a minimally invasive tissue ablation procedure called high-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE), which is used to destroy unwanted tissue such as tumors without heat damage. The core innovation is precise control over the timing gaps between pulses — the delays within and between individual electrical bursts — to reduce dangerous side effects. Specifically, optimizing these delays suppresses the formation of gas bubbles at the electrode tips, which can cause arcing (dangerous electrical discharges) and muscle contractions that complicate the procedure. The result is a safer, more controllable ablation waveform that can be dialed in for different clinical scenarios.
What you could build
A next-generation pulse generator or software-defined waveform controller for electroporation ablation systems, sold to interventional oncology device makers or integrated into existing H-FIRE capital equipment for hospitals and cancer treatment centers.
Who in Virginia should care
Medical device companies and university hospital systems in Virginia — including those affiliated with Virginia Tech's biomedical engineering programs where H-FIRE research originates — would be natural partners or licensees.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Kenneth N. Aycock, Rafael V. Davalos
- Filed
- Patent pending — filed October 24, 2025
- Status
- Application
- Publication number
- US20260108730A1
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.