A Peterborough Based Startup Has Launched A Device That Could Revolutionize Laboratory Systems

A Made in Peterborough device is set to become an essential component in medical laboratories around the world. Trent University-based Lab Improvements is launching the CapTrack, an innovative, benchtop medical specimen capping and archiving device into the U.S. market.

CapTrack is the brainchild of local entrepreneurs Alex Bushell, 28, and Steve Wright, 56, who have more than two decades of combined experience in the design, installation and servicing of lab automation systems around the world. 

From left: Peterborough Innovation Cluster's Rosalea Terry & Mike Skinner; Lab Improvement founders Alex Bushell & Steve Wright

Bushell and Wright saw a need for a compact, affordable solution for labs that could not justify a full-scale automation system.

“While small labs face many of the same issues as larger ones, the traditional automation systems used by high volume labs are not practical for smaller facilities, such as those found in hospitals," says Bushell.

The CapTrack is a portable device that manages refrigerated inventory and caps specimen tubes for medical laboratories. "Our patented technology uses a combination of robotics, process control and software that saves time and money while reducing risk and increasing the quality of laboratory results," says Wright.

Adds Bushell: "Our device allows for smaller labs to process samples automatically, reducing the risk of sample contamination and decreasing staff exposure to blood borne pathogens and repetitive strain injuries. We like to refer to the CapTrack as a ‘co-bot’, meaning a machine that works collaboratively with lab technicians to make their jobs easier, safer and more efficient. It does not replace them."

Bushell and Wright have been working out of the Innovation Cluster's incubator The Cube at Trent University for the past two years. Along with their team of five employees, the duo have taken the CapTrack from a bright idea to market readiness.

"Alex and Steve have had access to our incubation space located at Trent University as well as our knowledge partners and business experts who provided networking, patent application help and strategic planning," says Rosalea Terry, Entrepreneurship & Marketing Coordinator at the Innovation Cluster.

Members of the Lab Improvements team pictured at Trent University's The Cube

Here Is How CapTrack Works...

-> Once lab technicians have loaded the samples into the CapTrack, the device robotically caps the filled tubes before rotating them through a scanner, reading their bar codes and inputting the information into a database.

-> The samples are then placed into racks for storing. During this process, the device will illuminate any faulty sample that needs a closer look by surrounding it with red light, immediately notifying the lab staff of a problem.

-> Samples that require further testing are normal in any lab, says Bushell: “The CapTrack allows staff to look up a sample on the device and find where it is located within the fridge, versus the current method that could take a lab tech managing the cold in the fridge up to two hours at a time to locate just one sample."

Bushell and Wright recently inked an agreement with Holland, Michigan-based M2 Scientifics to market and distribute the CapTrack to the lucrative American health sciences sector. They plan to market to Canada’s 1,300 hospitals and the broader global market in subsequent phases of development.

"Lab Improvements will manufacture and service every CapTrack in Peterborough," says Wright, adding that the company currently has the capacity to build four devices a week. While traditional large-scale automation systems can cost upward of $3 million, the CapTrack retails for under $50,000 U.S., making it affordable for laboratories of all sizes.

You can watch a video to learn more about how it works here...

Lab Improvements has developed a portable, benchtop-sized device that manages refrigerated inventory and recaps specimen tubes for small-to-medium medical laboratories. Traditional, large-scale automation systems used by high volume laboratories are not practical for smaller facilities, such as those found in hospitals. As a result, laboratories of this size are forced to process samples manually, significantly increasing the risk of sample contamination, and exposing staff to bloodborne pathogens and repetitive strain injury. Our patented technology uses a combination of robotics, process control and software that saves time and money while reducing risk and increasing the quality of laboratory results.

"The invention of this device is a huge step forward for the medical industry and it is very exciting that the manufacturing of this product will continue to remain in Peterborough, which will help strengthen our local economy," says Michael Skinner, President & CEO at the Innovation Cluster.

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This Video Of A Peterborough Father Telling His Kids He's Cancer Free Will Melt Your Heart

Peterborough's Ashley Bartosh-Smith shared a heart-warming Facebook video of the moment her husband Mike "Superman" Smith revealed to his children that he is cancer free after a 15 month battle with the disease.

"All tears in this video are happy tears," Ashley says in her Facebook post. "You can see all our kids worries just float away and relief set in when they found out daddy Mike Smith is cancer free right now."

Watch the video below, which was picked up by the popular "Love What Matters" Facebook page...

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Norwood's Jack "J.J." Stewart Passes Away At Age 102

Jack "J.J." Stewart, owner of J.J. Stewart Motors in Norwood for 80 years, passed away peacefully at the Campbellford Memorial Hospital on Friday, September 23, 2016.

Jack, a well respected community man, remained a fixture at the office right up until the end. Just recently, CBC was at the dealership filming him for a series Still Standing.

Photo via JJ Stewart Motors Facebook page

The dealership recently celebrated his 102nd birthday on August 23rd and shared this photo below on their Facebook page of Jack in his office...

Photo via JJ Stewart Motors Facebook page

At a 100th anniversary celebration of the dealership earlier this summer, Jack was honoured for his years of service.

JJ (with his grandsons Dave and Mark) gives a speech thanking the community for a century of business. (Photo via JJ Stewart Motors Facebook page)

Jeff Leal, MPP (Peterborough), presenting a certificate to J.J. (Photo via JJ Stewart Motors Facebook page)

A funeral service will be held on Monday September 26th, 2016, and the dealership will be closed that day so the staff can attend the funeral of this remarkable man.

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Here Is The Full Statement From Maryam Monsef Regarding Globe & Mail Article

On Thursday (September 22nd), the Globe and Mail published this front page story on Maryam Monsef called "Heralded as Canada's first Afghan-born MP, Maryam Monsef shocked to discover truth of roots". Below is her full statement regarding the article...

Photograph of Maryam with her family. The photograph was taken at her swearing-in ceremony as the Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha, which occurred at the House of Commons on November 24, 2016. Clockwise starting on the left: the family are Mehrangiz Monsef, Mina Monsef, Mehdi Taheri (Mina’s husband), Soriya Basir-Monsef, Maryam Monsef, Leila Taheri (Mina & Mehdi’s daughter).

“Today, The Globe and Mail published an article outlining that I was in fact born in Mashhad, Iran and not in Herat, Afghanistan – as I was led to believe for my whole life.
 
Because I know my story has resonated with many Canadians, I wanted to take the time today to clear any misconceptions this may have unintentionally caused.
 
In recent days, my mother told me for the first time that my sisters and I were in fact born in Mashhad, Iran, approximately 200 kilometers from the Afghan border.
 
Following my parents’ wedding in Herat, the local security situation became untenable. The town was severely damaged by war and thousands were killed.  No longer safe in their home town, my parents decided not to take risks and went to Mashhad, Iran, where they could be safe – with the hope of soon returning to the place their families called home for generations. While we were technically safe in Iran, we did not hold any status there and like the thousands of other Afghan refugees, we were not afforded all of the same rights and privileges given to Iranian citizens. After my father’s death, we travelled back and forth between Afghanistan and Iran when the security situation permitted it.
 
My sisters and I asked my mother why she never told us we were born in Iran. She told us she did not think it mattered. We were Afghan citizens, as we were born to Afghan parents, and under Iranian law, we would not be considered Iranian citizens despite being born in that country.
 
Some survivors believe healing comes from telling their story; others cannot fathom revisiting the past. My mother never talked about the unspeakable pain that conflict and terror inflicted on her. This week my sisters and I asked her to re-live that pain.
 
Conflict has robbed me of a father and it has scarred my family and I for life. We thankfully found a welcoming home in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, where we began the challenging and difficult process of resettlement.
 
Coming to Canada as a refugee - twenty years strong - and now a member of Cabinet in the 42nd Parliament – I feel a tremendous deal of responsibility in upholding all that this great country has allowed me to become. This includes accountability to the public and transparency.
 
Canada has played an important role in allowing me to become who I am today. It’s the only place I’ve ever truly felt I belonged, and I couldn’t be more proud to be Canadian.”

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Kiefer Sutherland Told This Amazing Story About Reuniting With His Best Friend In Peterborough On "LIVE With Kelly"

Actor-musician Kiefer Sutherland was on LIVE With Kelly on Wednesday morning (September 21st) and mentioned this beautiful story about reuniting with his best friend from his childhood, Steve Barker, at a show Kiefer played at Peterborough Musicfest this summer. 

Kiefer was told backstage Barker might be there, and between songs Kiefer asked if there was a Steve Barker in the crowd. Sure enough, Barker stood up at the back and the crowd applauded. This was the first time Kiefer had seen Barker in 15 years.

You can listen to the clip here beginning at 3:48 mark...

Uploaded by The Entertainment Spot on 2016-09-21.

"It’s pretty special as our vision is to create a memorable guest experience for our audience and here it happens for our celebrity artist," Peterborough Musicfest General Manager Tracey Randal says.

Thanks @RealKiefer for the Peterborough shout out on @LiveKelly! We were thrilled to have you on our stage! #ptbo #musicfest30 pic.twitter.com/5aOFZbuoqt

— Ptbo Musicfest (@PtboMusicfest) September 21, 2016

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