Assistive surgical devices win in biomedical engineering design competition

Editor's Note

This year’s three winners of the Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) challenge included assistive surgical devices:

• First place−$20,000 went to a team from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, for a minimally invasive brain retractor.
• Second place−$15,000 was awarded to a team from Clemson University, South Carolina, for a device to assist in the resection of the tibia during total knee replacement procedures.
• Third place−$10,000 went to a team from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, for a device to facilitate placement of epidural anesthesia during labor and delivery.

The annual contest is supported by a public-private partnership between the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, part of the National Institutes of Health, and VentureWell.

VentureWell also selected two additional winners based on market potential and patentability:

• $15,000 was awarded to another team from Clemson who designed a device to guide surgeons when they place orthopedic screws to set and repair broken bones.
• $5,000 went to a team from the University of California, Riverside, for a magnetic ankle brace that provides personalized support.

The winners were chosen from 36 entries received from 25 universities in 15 states.