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A Clinical Test of the
Award-Winning Electrode
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THE RONALD THROPE AND MICHAEL HOLLANDER DESIGN PRIZE HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO BME GRADUATE STUDENTS ANDREW CORNWELL AND KATIE POLASEK
The first annual Innovative Medical Solutions Competition concluded last semester with the presentation of awards at the Case School of Engineering holiday party in December. The competition awarded the Ronald Thrope and Michael Hollander Design Prize, with generous support by local medical device company NDI Medical. A panel of industry leaders and Case faculty judged the entries on the severity of the medical need, technical feasibility, market potential, and technological innovation.
Ten entries competed for the $1000 first prize award, and the right to represent Case at the Biomedical Engineering Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship Award (BME-IDEA) national student design competition. Case BME graduate students Andrew Cornwell and Katie Polasek won first place, with their design of a stimulating and recording electrode for use in nerve surgeries. This project is continuing to develop the commercial potential of the device. Students interested in being involved with this exciting project are encouraged to contact the team leader, Andrew Cornwell (andrew.cornwell@case.edu).
Case BME undergraduates Chad Tang and Jed Jeng won the second prize for an appliance to relieve obstructive sleep apnea. The undergraduate team of Devang Patel, Noor Almenhali, Gina Gill, and Sudarti Supramin were the third place winners with a wheelchair modification to simplify computer usage for spinal cord injured individuals. The third place entry was the result of a project in the BME Senior design class.
The Thrope-Hollander prize, sponsored by local device company NDI Medical, is intended to be given annually to encourage and reward student teams for innovation and creativity in solving medical problems. Winning teams will be supported for further product development with the goal of developing a viable commercial enterprise.
The competition is part of Case's Advanced Real-life Environment for Experience Research (CAREER), a new initiative at Case dedicated to creating real-world design experiences for students to better prepare them for future careers in industry. The CAREER initiative was conceived and is lead by BME professor Dr. Dustin Tyler (CSE '99), who has joined the Case BME faculty following several years in industry. The objective is to create an environment that mimics the challenges and rewards of the medical device industry.
The goal for the organization is to create the opportunity for students to design and create marketable products from start to finish over multiple semesters and multiple years. Students work in inter-disciplinary teams to research market needs, design solutions, and eventually market the resulting product. A board of directors, consisting of Case faculty, administration, and local technology business leaders, oversees the group's direction and resources. The initiative is supported by funds from the Medtronic Foundation. While the initial focus is on medical solutions, the CAREER initiative is not limited to the medical industry. CAREER is seeking and encourages entrepreneurial and innovative development from all areas of engineering.
Related links:
NDI Medical
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