Advanced Image Enhancement founder wins National IEEE award

AIE Press Release
Cutler and Company (Andy Cutler)

February 12, 2008

Advanced Image Enhancement (AIE), a provider of optimized image enhancement solutions for digital radiology, today announced that its founder and CEO, Michael Duarte, was named the winner of the prestigious Electrotechnology Transfer Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the professional association for the advancement of technology.

The award honors the contributions of civilians who have led efforts to effectively transfer/apply federal-sponsored developments in advanced electrical, electronic and computer technologies to a successful commercial sector.

Duarte developed a wavelet-based digital image enhancement method from sonar algorithms used in the detection of undersea mines while working at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Utilizing this mine detection software as a baseline, Duarte adapted and modified the algorithms to create proprietary image enhancement software that enables physicians to extract more information from medical images. He successfully demonstrated proof of concept of the technology through his collaborations with world class physicians from Boston-area hospitals. In 2000, Duarte founded the Providence, R.I.-based AIE to commercialize the technology.

This award-winning patented technology has been transferred to the private sector and should soon be commonly available for use by mammography specialists to help identify cancer at an earlier stage than previously possible. The novel use of this technology for digital mammograms and other radiological applications positively impacts the quality of life for Americans and is a significant technology transfer achievement.

Duarte will be honored with the 2007 Electrotechnology Transfer Award at an award ceremony in April 2008 at the IEEE-USA Awards Ceremony in Indianapolis, Indiana, in conjunction with the IEEE-USA Annual Meeting.