New concepts from Aalto Health Factory

Raimo Sepponen, Professor Electronics Department

Matti Linnavuo, Lab. mgr Health Factory

What is Health Factory

True Health Impact through Applied Research and Networking

ARE YOU SOLVING THE RIGHT PROBLEM?

We cannot disguise the fact that the delivery of health care is broken and is not sustainable in its present form That's because the current system of health care delivery is inherently wasteful and driven more by tradition than by Scientific principles The best hope for breaking this impasse is to incorporate Scientific advances into new models of health care delivery - models that can serve the dual goals of improving outcomes while controlling costs We need more powerful methods to identify individuals at the highest risk for the major chronic diseases - atherosclerosis, heart failure, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorder --- That account for the bulk of heath care expenditures

Personalized Health Planning SCIENCE Vol. 300, 25 April 2003, p.549

Health care delivery is broken

…and so is the innovation system around it

•  The innovation process from science to business is ineffective

•  Research and high education is not fostering new innovative spin-off companies, nor is it creating enough new opportunities for existing health care players

Health Factory fosters well-defined problem-driven innovation projects over the gaps to the

point where they can be commercialized

Concept/technical  demonstra2on  

Clinical    Benefit  

“proof-­‐of-­‐concept”  

  Time  

1  

3  

5  

New    Product  

C  x  M€  

Marke2ng,    sales  

Basic  research  

TEKES  

Customer  benefit  

 

Gaps for health tech development

Investors  

•  Limited funding, especially at the ”proof-of concept” stage

•  Proven clinical benefits crucial for attracting venture capital

•  Finding partners for piloting often difficult •  Thus, solutions based on technology push

rather than solving specified problems

An  idea  of  a  new  Product  or  service  

Health Factory: Bridging the Gap from Research to Innovations

•  Effective collaboration is the key for overcoming even the biggest obstacles!

•  Highly innovative and networked Applied Research is absolutely critical for our society

Health Factory in practice 1)  Identifying problems worth solving through networking with

industry, startups, and health care providers, and insurance industry.

2)  Funding new innovative solutions and enabling pilot programs 3)  Managing, supporting, mentoring and networking the teams 4)  Spinning out new companies 5)  Disseminating research results 6)  Creating a hub for the health care innovation ecosystem 7)  Providing innovation management education for students and

industry

(1) Innovation projects: Evaluation of idea – Case ELE Must: Targeting major health issues (A: Social Impact) M: Non-invasive M: Low costs of research M: Low costs of introduction M: Short implementation perioid M: Potential for new business (A: Social Impact) M: Includes high scientific impact (A: Research) Desirable: Rather to keep people healthy D: Includes service aspect D: Proprietary by some way D: Enables one or more doctoral thesis (A: Education) Beneficial: Compatible with existing Finnish industry B: Potential for home care

(3) Innovation projects: Customer Focus

SCIENCE

IDEA

ENGINEERING

CONCEPT

ENTERPREUNERSHIP

INNOVATION

CUSTOMER PROBLEM

A P P L I ED R E S E A R C H

Technology

Busi-ness

Design

Mar-ket

PROOF-OF-CONCEPT

(1) Initial selection

(2) Project development

(2) Final selection

(3) HF Innovation

projects

HEALTH FACTORY ADVISORY

BOARD

HF STAFF

Mentoring Group A

Mentoring Group B

Mentoring Group C

Framework for current projects

“We need more powerful methods to identify individuals at the highest risk for the major chronic diseases- atherosclerosis, heart failure,

cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorder – That account for the bulk of heath care expenditures”

Metabolic Syndrome

Diabetes

Artheroscletrosis

Heart Failure

Neurologic disorders

Psychiatric disorders

Cancer

Current case project: Visceral fat detector

•  Visceral fat is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome

•  Fat underneath the skin (visible fat) doesn’t reflect the ammount of visceral fat

•  MRI and x-ray tomography technologies too expensive for routine checks

•  Need for an affordable device that can detect people in risk groups

•  Prototype finished at Aalto, preliminary results promising

•  Pilots starting at HUS radiology department to verify the accuracy of the device (comparison with MRI)

Current case project: Brain Rehabilitation Space

•  A space for diagnosis and rehabilitation of post-stroke cognitive disorders

•  Cognitive skills are analysed by games and tests that require processing simultaneous multimodal stimuli

•  Analyses based on movement and response of the patient during tests

•  More sensitive diagnosis of neglect syndrome, personalized rehabilitation program for faster recovery

•  Pilot started at HYKS •  The potential for a new startup company is

being assessed

Example: Brain Rehabilitation Space

Earlier studies show that neglect is more likely to appear under multimodal stimuli

Multimodal rehabilitation space, where tests are conducted and patient’s response to stimuli and strategy to pass the tests is documented and used for diagnostics and evaluating the progress of rehabilitation

Physical space and software (tests and result analysis). Prototypes of the space built based on earlier technology, Elsi safety floor, commercial lights etc. Software programmed by Aalto students.

Installation at HYKS. Customer tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the software and identify futher development needs. Doctoral students in major role.

TEKES TUTL-funding for preparation of commercialization and finishing the ”proof-of-concept” study. Building a team for commercialization.

SCIENCE

IDEA

ENGINEERING

CONCEPT

ENTERPREUNERSHIP

INNOVATION

A P P L I E D R E S E A R C H

PROOF-OF-CONCEPT

Problem: Need for new, more sensitive methods for diagnosis of post-stroke neglect syndrome

Example: Brain Rehabilitation Space •  Idea benchmarked with experts from

Helsinki University

•  School of Arts involved in the first prototype design, department of electronics realized the first prototype

•  After demonstration with TAIK, HYKS committed for piloting, ”proof of concept”

•  Dedicated resourses for pilot study also at HYKS (doctoral student)

•  Team strengthened with business expertise (HEMA institute).

•  Focus on mentoring on business development

CUSTOMER PROBLEM

Technology

Design Market

IDEA

CONCEPT

INNOVATION

Busi ness

MENTORING EXPERTISE

Markku Kaste, MD, professor, Head of

Clinical Stroke Research Group

Heikki Hurri, MD, Chief

physician (Orton)

Marja Hietanen, MD, Head, Unit of

neuropsychology

Vesa Kämäräinen (PhD), CEO of Nordic

Healthcare Group ltd.

PROOF OF CONCEPT

•  Integrates six health monitoring devices into one solution

•  Measurements done in 2 minutes •  No need to connect sensors or wires, data stored

automatically. •  Time savings, quality of care, systemic health

monitoring •  ”Proof of concept” pilots starting in 4 care homes, •  Multidisciplinary team planning a startup company.

ECG

WEIGHT

BLOOD PRESSURE

PULSE OXIMETER

BIO IMPEDANCE

HEART RATE/ HR

VARIABILITY

Current case project: Health Chair

Success stories: Distraction-Osteogenesis Device

•  An Implantable leg lengthening device based on smart materials

•  Lengtherning controlled wirelessly by magnetinc fields

•  Development partner, Orton Invalid Foundation

•  Elongation controlled at home, low risk of infections

•  A startup called Synoste Ltd is being established

•  The company is currently preparing for clinical trials.

Success Stories: Elsi Safety Floor •  An underfloor motion tracking system •  Developed to detect fall cases in care homes •  New features during piloting; personal

alarms; wc time, leaving the bed, exiting room

•  From fall detection to proactive care – making sure assistance is always where it is needed

•  A startup founded in 2005, exit in 2009. •  Elsi has become one of most effective safety

systems in care homes in Finland, Currently owned by Marimils Oy, over 1000 rooms covered

Success Stories: Beddit Sleep

•  Original idea, vitals monitoring in hospital beds

•  Finsor Ltd. founded in 2006 •  Venture Cup winner in 2007 •  Development process turned the

solution into a wellness service, Beddit ltd.

•  Smart sensor and online service for sleep quality analysis

•  Detecting lifestyle issues that affect sleep quality

•  Applications also for sports, elderly care

Sensing Opportunities for Diagnostics in Healthcare and Wellbeing -seminar

Joint seminar of VTT and Aalto promoting Health Factory concept Over 110 participants, industry strongly present

Health Forum –lecture series

Studia generalia lecture series organised by Health Factory. Average number of participants between 30-60.