Dartmouth Ranks as a Top 100 Patent-Producing University

(Image courtesy of The National Academy of Inventors (NAI))

The report, published by the National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property Owners Association, uses data on utility patents issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office to highlight the important role patents play in university research and innovation. 

Dartmouth inventions resulted in 52 issued patents (PDF) last year for a ranking at number 75 in the top 100 list. 

"I am proud of our innovative faculty at Dartmouth, especially considering our relatively small size," says Eric Fossum, professor of engineering, vice provost for entrepreneurship and technology transfer, and director of the PhD Innovation Program. "Unlocking the full potential of Dartmouth technology for societal impact will come from the next challenging steps of translation and commercialization of these inventions."

In his role as vice provost, Fossum oversees the Technology Transfer Office, which is tasked with helping researchers analyze which patents have the greatest potential for commercialization, suggesting outside funding sources for those projects, and negotiating and monitoring licensing agreements.

John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies, Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer, and Director of the PhD Innovation Program, Eric Fossum (Photo by John Sherman)

Fossum, a pioneer in the field of digital imaging sensors for smartphones, earlier this year was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation at the White House, the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement.

A small sampling of patents issued to Dartmouth researchers last year illustrates the scope of ongoing development and commercialization work.

One of the patents from 2024 that is in the process of commercialization is BandPass, a remote-sensing, Bluetooth-enabled resistance exercise band that can accurately gauge force with the goal of monitoring functional decline in order adults. 

Invented by Dartmouth Engineering alumni Suehayla Mohieldin '19 Th'20, and Colin Minor '18 Th'20, along with Curtis Peterson, a public health masters student, and John Batsis, an adjunct associate professor at Geisel School of Medicine’s Dartmouth Centers for Health and Aging, BandPass adds internet connectivity for resistance training with the goal of improving at-home physical therapy and rehabilitation. Mohieldin has begun a startup based on the technology, SynchroHealth, LLC.

The National Academy of Inventors underlined the critical role colleges and universities play in the nation's innovation ecosystem. 

"Academic institutions shape the experts, innovators, and decision-makers who drive progress across every sector. Higher education doesn't just prepare leaders; it creates them," the NAI said in a news release this month announcing the top 100 list.