Jonathan Valvano
Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Phone: (512) 471-5141
Email: valvano@mail.utexas.edu
Dr. Valvano's Web site
Jonathan Valvano received his S.B. and S.M. degrees in computer science and electrical engineering from MIT in 1977. He received his Ph.D. in medical engineering from Harvard-MIT, Division of Health Science and Technology in 1981. He joined the faculty at The University of Texas at Austin in 1981 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1986, and full professor in 1994..
Dr. Valvano holds an Engineering Foundation Centennial Teaching Fellowship in Electrical Engineering. He has received several teaching awards and authored two widely used textbooks on embedded microcomputer systems. One research project involves the measurement of ventricular volume using admittance. We are building a real-time instrument to measure cardiac volume using an admittance catheter system. Research currently involves FEM numerical studies, instrumentation development, real-time measurements, in vitro studies and in vivo experimental verification in mice, dogs and humans. Another project is the assessment of vulnerable plaque using thermal properties. In particular, we combine sophisticated thermal modeling with precision instrumentation to develop and evaluate a direct contact probe to scan the arterial wall to detect vulnerable plaque. If successful, this d evice will provide a low-cost tool to assess the vulnerability of plaque, as well as determine the response of the vulnerable plaque to therapy directed towards improving plaque stability. A third project is the development of a hardware/software simulator for real time systems. Components include an instruction/port simulator for the 9S12, digital and analog circuit simulator for the interfaces, and a mechanical simulator for keypads, switches, sensors, motors, lights and displays built into the embedded system.
Research Interests:
- Biomedical instrumentation
- Finite element analysis of thermal and electrical systems
- Electrical, mechanical, and thermal measurements
- Hardware/software co-simulation of real-time embedded systems.