News & Events
Josh Smith Appointed 2015 CoMotion Innovation Fellow
Professor Josh Smith, who holds a joint appointment in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering, has been appointed a UW CoMotion Presidential Innovation Fellow in recognition of the impact of his innovations and entrepreneurial success.
The nomination materials highlight how Smith is committed to encouraging entrepreneurial activities across campus through collaboration with faculty and students. Smith is the cofounder of two new companies: WiBotic Corp, which will manufacture adaptive wireless power systems for robots, and Jeeva Wireless, which will produce battery-free wireless sensing devices.
A few excerpts from the nomination materials are included below:
“Prof. Smith’s research and entrepreneurship has been exploring all forms of wireless power in recent years: both high power short range, and low power longer range power transfer. He has been applying the high power technology to implantable medical devices, including heart pumps, brain sensor-stimulator systems, brain-controlled spinal interfaces, and most recently peripheral nerves. His long range, low power sensing work has resulted in the world’s first RF-powered and read camera, as well as a completely battery-free microphone.”
“Prof. Smith is helping spread the culture of entrepreneurship by example and mentoring. For example, Prof. Smith, together with Sam Brown and CSE undergraduate Griffin Nicoll recently filed a joint patent, as part of a CGF-funded project. He has been meeting with investors together with his students and faculty collaborators, and they have all been learning via this process. Recently the W Fund decided to invest $500K in Wibotic, the company founded by Smith and graduate student Waters. Indeed, Prof. Smith’s lab is becoming a hothouse for entrepreneurship.”
