ClearCount Wins Popular Science "Best Of What's New" Award for SmartSponge System

PITTSBURGH - (BUSINESS WIRE) - ClearCount Medical Solutions, an innovator of patient safety solutions for the operating room, announced today that the editors of Popular Science have named the SmartSponge System one of the top technology innovations of 2009. As a winner off a "Best of What's New" award in the health category, the SmartSponge System stands out as the first and only system to incorporate the efficiency of counting with the safety of detection for the prevention of left-behind sponges during surgery.

"We are honored to be recognized by Popular Science Magazine as a company that is making revolutionary strides in the improvement of patient safety and productivity in the operating room," said David Palmer, ClearCount's President and CEO. "This award is a reflection of our entire team's passion and commitment in making a positive impact on the lives of patients, surgeons and OR nurses worldwide."

Each year, the editors of Popular Science review thousands of products in search of the top 100 tech innovations of the year; breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their categories. The winners - the Best of What's New - are awarded inclusion in the much-anticipated December issue of Popular Science, the most widely read issue of the year since the debut of Best of What's New in 1987.

"For 22 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us - those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our views of what's possible in the future," said Mark Jannot, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. "The Best of What's New Award is the magazine's top honor, and the 100 winners - chosen from among thousands of entrants - represent the highest level of achievement in their fields."

The SmartSponge System is the first and only system to incorporate the efficiency of counting with the safety of detection for the purpose of preventing a retained object during surgery. The SmartSponge System is the only system to provide continuous vs. episodic counting. Providing an average of 80,000 counts per procedure, this continuous counting benefit makes the difference in complex surgeries where shift changes and delays often occur, as well as providing valuable assurance in every surgical case.

About Popular Science

Founded in 1872, Popular Science (www.popsci.com) is the world's largest science and technology magazine, with a circulation of 1.3 million and 7.1 million readers. Each month, Popular Science delivers "The Future Now," reporting on the intersection of science and everyday life with an eye toward what's new and why it matters. Popular Science is published by the Bonnier Corporation (www.bonniercorp.com), one of the largest consumer publishing groups in America and the leading media company serving passionate, highly engaged audiences through more than 40 special-interest magazines and related multimedia projects and events.

About ClearCount Medical Solutions

ClearCount Medical Solutions is a medical device company focused on patient safety solutions. ClearCount has assembled an extendable RFID-based platform that provides a comprehensive solution to drive efficiency while preventing medical errors. ClearCount's SmartSponge System is the only FDA-cleared RFID enabled system for counting and detecting surgical sponges. The SmartSponge System is a reconciliation and detection solution that improves patient and O.R. safety, enhances operational efficiency, and reduces cost. To learn more, visit www.clearcount.com.

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Jennifer Bannan, 412-580-3675