Astro-Med
Receives New Research Grant from NIH
WEST WARWICK, R.I., Aug 23, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Astro-Med, Inc.
(NASDAQ:ALOT) announced today it has received a research grant of $799,000
from the National Institutes of Health for the purpose of developing
software for a Trainable Early Warning System for Epileptic Seizures.
The research, to be conducted by the Company's Grass Technologies Product
Group, provides for the continuation of the development and testing
of computer-based techniques to detect and alert for impending epileptic
seizures. This grant follows the successful preliminary grant on which
the Grass Technologies research team demonstrated the feasibility of predicting
a seizure onset by analyzing the patient's EEG (electrical brainwaves)
using electrodes contacting only the patient's scalp (as opposed to
invasive electrodes). The grant covers a two year project commencing
on August 15, 2005, with the objective to develop and test a non-invasive
and clinically useful system for seizure anticipation.
The computer based system will first be used in hospital Epilepsy Monitoring
Centers where epilepsy patients are diagnosed and their epilepsies classified
using video EEG monitoring over long periods of time. The data will
be used to trigger diagnostic tests that must be done promptly at the
start of a seizure episode. Grass Technologies was the pioneer in the
development of video EEG monitoring systems in the epilepsy monitoring
room and remains a major supplier to hospital epilepsy centers.
Commenting on the award, Everett V. Pizzuti, President, stated: "We
are very pleased to receive this recent research grant from NIH. Since
early 2000, Astro-Med has been awarded $1,700,000 in research grants
that have resulted in clinically useful products that are now sold commercially
or are in development."
Astro-Med, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of test and measurement instruments,
high tech specialty printing systems and electronic medical instrumentation
employed around the world in a wide range of industrial, scientific
and medical applications.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements, and actual results
may vary from those expressed or implied herein. Factors that could
affect these results include those mentioned in Astro-Med's FY2005 annual
report and its annual and quarterly filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Contact: Astro-Med, Inc.
Everett V. Pizzuti, 401-828-4000
SOURCE: Astro-Med,
Inc.
