Manning Foundation Ontario Chapter Weblog

Manning Awards 2009 Nominee Dr. Yuri Sokolov, Inventor of the Vivisonic Integrity

Adriana Ieraci — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Vivisonic Integrity

The Vivosonic Integrity is an ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response), OAE (Otoacoustic Emissions) and Non-Invasive ECochG hearing diagnostic system that is used to detect hearing loss in patients of all ages. Vivosonic’s patented algorithm (Kalman Weighted Filtering) can ‘tune out’ additional muscular activity while optimizing digital signal processing, which dramatically reduces artifacts resulting from muscular and ocular electrical activity.

The Vivosonic Integrity is changing the standard of hearing health care by allowing for quality ABR diagnostics. It largely eliminates the need for patient sedation and anesthesia as well as the associated patient risks and healthcare costs. The Vivisonic Integrity enables superior overall performance and clinical results in patient care and economic efficiency.

Yuri Sokolov, Inventor of the Vivisonic

Dr. Yuri Sokolov, PhD, MBA & CEO of Vivosonic Inc., is a researcher, educator, and entrepreneur with over 30 years experience in various sectors of the hearing health care industry.

Following an extensive career in the Ukraine in both hearing research and clinical practice, Dr. Sokolov was invited by Dr. Hans Kunov and Prof. Poul Madsen to the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. While there, Dr. Sokolov was named the first G.R.Hefernan Co-Steel Innovation Scholar and co-developed Vivography™ (a patented method for analyzing physiological signals which is faster and more accurate than its predecessors.)

In 1999, Vivosonic was born out of a desire to commercialize this technology. Today, Vivosonic Inc. manufactures and distributes award winning medical devices, whose patented technologies allow for superior overall performance in clinical results, patient care and economic efficiency.

Posted in Uncategorized

Manning Awards 2009 Nominee George Nesbitt, Inventor of the Hay Dryer

manningontario — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:00:31 +0000

This year one of Ontario’s Manning Award nominees is George Nesbitt, inventor of the Hay Dryer. The Hay Dryer was designed and manufactured to extract the moisture from hay and preserve its nutritional value even when the sun doesn’t shine.

The dryer is long and narrow in shape, built on a heavy-duty truck trailer chassis and can be moved on the highway. It holds up to 42 large 1000 pound rectangular bales of high moisture hay and dries it efficiently to the desired moisture content. There are air channels above and below the layers of bales. At one end of the dryer, an oil burner heats air and large centrifugal fans powered by electric motors blow the warm air through a heat exchanger/dehumidifier to the air channels. A hydraulically operated roof is raised to fill and then lowered onto the bales to provide an air seal so that the warm air can exit only through the hay. The dryer is rugged and user friendly.

George Nesbitt, of Renfrew, Ontario has over 40 years experience in farming and aggregate production. Nesbitt’s design and production of specialty equipment for use in both fields has significantly contributed to the success of both of his family businesses and made them unique int heir respective industries.

Nesbitt has expanded his farms to over 1000 acres and for some years concentrated on producing quality hay for export. He recognized early that to make hay with a high nutrient level he could not depend on nature to provide the appropriate weather and that a machine to dry hay was necessary.

Although his formal education is not extensive, Nesbitt is a forward thinker and loves a practical challenge. His ability to assess a situation, know what is needed and know how to go about designing and producing equipment that fits a specialty need has made him an industry leader. Being innovative and striving for the best rather than being satisfied with the accepted norm has led to new products and equipment such as the Hay Dryer that resolve real industry challenges.

Posted in Nominees and Nominations Tagged: Ontario Nominees

Wayd McNally, President and CEO of Sensor Wireless Salutes the Manning Awards 2008 Nominees

manningontario — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:00:22 +0000

Wayd McNally, President and CEO of Sensor Wireless and 2005 Award of Distinction Winner sent his congratulations to our 2008 nominees. McNally could not join us for our recognition event in Toronto on May 12, 2008 but Scott Tanner, Chair, Ontario Chapter of the Manning Innovation Awards, welcomed the Ontario nominees and shared McNally’s thoughts. Here is what he had to say to the Ontario nominees:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, past award winners, Nominees and future innovators:

When I won the Award in 2005, I was honored to be associated with a long list of innovative Canadians. I was truly impressed by the Foundations history and the remarkable accomplishments of those honored.

Manning provided me a tremendous opportunity to showcase my technology and gave me a much needed sense of accomplishment. The recognition in the press through Global TV and almost every regional newspaper in the Country, led to additional promotion with Discovery Channel, Time Magazine and Readers Digest. Soon after receiving the Manning Award, we also signed a deal for a first round financing of almost $2MM dollars which helped us reach our business goals at that time. This is some of what I believe Manning has done for me, but more importantly what can the Manning Foundation due help promote innovation in Canada?

I believe that Manning is about demonstrating thought provocative ideas that due to hours of hard work and sacrifice have led to some of the most innovative products ever developed in this Country. Manning provides recognition to those who have the art of ‘creating’. Innovation is more than invention, it is the power of putting thoughts and ideas into practice. It’s believing so very strongly in your vision that you make it possible for others to actually experience it in their everyday lives. As innovators we create; we create to empower change, we create to simplify life and we create to save lives.

We as Manning form a very powerful group of individuals from all corners of this nation. We form a group of enthusiastic and experienced energetic professionals that continue to seek new vision and new opportunities where no opportunity ever existed.

I believe that Manning can be an organization from which Canadian innovators can seek support, mentorship and learning from a network of well credited experienced entrepreneurs and well established business leaders. Manning can strengthen its foundation by continuing to pursue the vision set forth by its Founders and it’s up to us as Executive, Friends and Laureates to support the mandate of the Manning Awards Foundation and to ensure that for many years to come, Canada’s innovative landscape and those responsible are promoted to the highest regard. Let’s start to celebrate success !

There are many great people, great ideas and great opportunities in Canada; together with the Manning Award Foundation we can demonstrate what real innovation is all about.

Many thanks and I wish the Nominees all the best. Congratulations!”