From a medical device that can create a biological sealant using a surgical patient's own blood to a mobile studio for editing and broadcasting, the innovative products developed by four Capital Region firms have won them awards in a contest administered by the University of California, Davis.

UC Davis CONNECT, which aids in the creation and success of local technology businesses, announced the winners of its second annual Most Innovative New Product Awards for regional companies at a Sacramento banquet Thursday night.

"These award winners, the finalists -- in fact the whole pool of nominees -- demonstrate that research-based innovation is thriving in the Sacramento region," said Nora Moore Jimenez, director of UC Davis CONNECT.

ThermoGenesis Corp. of Rancho Cordova took the award in the biotechnology, life-science and medical-device category for its CryoSeal FS System. In about an hour, the system can harvest and concentrate components from a patient's own blood to produce a biological glue used in surgery to stop bleeding and seal tissues.

Among the two finalists in the category was Special Devices Inc. of Grass Valley for its SD-ALLEN Bone Biopsy Set, consisting of a set of surgical instruments used to extract large and intact bone specimens through small skin incisions. The other finalist was Hayes Medical Inc. of El Dorado Hills for its Unisyn Modular Hip Implant System, which enables surgeons to build a custom-fitting device while the patient is in the operating room.

Amalgamated Video International of McClellan won in the hardware and physical device category for its AVI Apprentice, a mobile and fully-featured broadcast studio.

JK microsystems Inc. of Davis was a finalist for its Dual-E embedded microcomputer, which can function as a bridge between separate networks, serve as a miniature firewall and router, and provide ethernet and serial connectivity. Also a finalist was Tremaine & Associates of Dixon for EM3, a mobile instrument that can rapidly map structures lying up to 10 meters below the soil.

Compass A.I. of El Dorado Hills was named winner of the software category for its IntelliBot, a plug-and-play alternative that automates the complex tasks associated with integrating software applications. The two finalists were DynaTech Engineering Inc. of Roseville for FEMRDYN, a software tool used to analyze rotor-bearing systems, and Dorado Software of Folsom for the Redcell Management Center, used by telecommunications companies to manage the components of their networks.

Capturing the telecommunications and wireless category was 5by5 Networks of Roseville for its Voice over IP Solution, which enables service providers to quickly and cost effectively deploy new networks integrating voice and data traffic.

In the same category, Delta Business Solutions of Sacramento was a finalist for its Velocity Network, which makes it as easy to buy prepaid wireless airtime as it is to use an automatic teller machine. Winning its second finalist award in this category was Dorado Software for its Redcell Virtual Private Network Service Center, which helps telecommunications companies quickly and inexpensively deploy virtual private networks.

The awards celebrate the innovation and hard work of companies in the Sacramento region. They are based primarily on the product's degree of innovation and its market potential. To be considered for an award, the product must have been first sold or introduced no earlier than April 2001 and substantially designed or manufactured within the Capital Region.

A committee of nine UC Davis deans and technology experts reviewed more than 40 entries to select three finalists in each category. A nine-judge panel, composed of Sacramento business leaders and academic experts, selected the winner in each category.

About 175 people attended the awards dinner, held at the Sacramento Hyatt. Guest speakers included Dan Kennedy, publisher of the Sacramento Business Journal, and Robert Smiley, dean of the Graduate School of Management at UC Davis.

The 2002 Most Innovative New Products Awards are supported by Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Sproul, SAIC, the Sacramento Business Journal and Anderson Solone.

UC Davis CONNECT focuses the existing resources of the campus and the business community on the development of new business ventures in the Capital Region. It provides programs and services to support the early stages of entrepreneurship and helps link entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success. UC Davis CONNECT is a partner in the Emerging Technologies Institute, which recently won designation as a Regional Technology Alliance for Sacramento, Yolo and five surrounding counties.