2023 MedTech Innovation Challenge Concludes with Quantum OPM MEG System Winning Top Prize; Digital-Intelligent Innovation Accelerates

On December 23, the "Digital Intelligence Future, Unleashing Brilliance" 2023 Medical Technology Innovation Challenge, jointly hosted by the Changzhou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone Management Committee and Medtronic Kanghui, successfully concluded in Changzhou, Jiangsu. The Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park Innovation Incubation Center was also officially inaugurated on the same day. The competition was guided by the Artificial Intelligence Professional Committee of the China Computer Industry Association and the Office of the Changzhou Innovation Committee, with academic guidance provided by the Basic and Clinical Branch of Neurosurgery of the Chinese Neuroscience Society.

Liang Lin, Standing Committee Member of the Changzhou Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor; Zhou Qing, Secretary of the Xinbei District Committee of Changzhou; Shi Xuyong, Deputy Secretary of the District Working Committee (District Party Committee) and District Governor; Ren Hongxing, Chairman of the Changzhou Association for Science and Technology; Wu Yin, Member of the High-tech Zone Working Committee, Standing Committee Member of the District Party Committee, and Minister of Organization; Zhang Yuanyuan, Deputy District Governor and Leader of the Technology Town Delegation; Zhang Jun, Deputy District Governor; Pan Xiaoyang, Deputy Secretary of the "Two New" Working Committee of the Municipal Party Committee; Mao Ying, Chairman of the Basic and Clinical Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Neuroscience Society and President of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University; Yu Jing, Vice President of Medtronic and General Manager of China Orthopedics, Neurosurgery and Surgical Business; Wang Peilin, Deputy Secretary General of the Artificial Intelligence Special Committee of the China Computer Industry Association, also attended the event to witness the unveiling of the Medtronic Changzhou Science and Technology Park Innovation Incubation Center and the birth of the champion of the 2023 Medical Technology Innovation Challenge.

Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park Innovation Incubation Center Inauguration Ceremony

Changzhou Standing Committee Member and Executive Vice Mayor, Li Lin, stated at the unveiling of the Innovation Incubation Center: "Currently, Changzhou is closely adhering to its city positioning as an 'international hub for intelligent manufacturing and a central axis in the Yangtze River Delta,' focusing on building the 1028 industrial cluster. The biotechnology and new medical device industries are also important components of this initiative. The Medtronic Changzhou Science and Technology Park Innovation Incubation Center, unveiled today, is a landmark outcome following the strategic cooperation reached between Medtronic and Changzhou National High-Tech Zone last year. It is hoped that both parties will take this as a new starting point to deepen all-round cooperation. At the same time, we welcome aspiring individuals to seize the opportunity presented by this competition to join hands with Changzhou and Medtronic in co-creating a promising future for digital innovation in neuroscience."

Li Lin, Standing Committee Member of the Changzhou Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor, delivered a speech.

2023 Medical Technology Innovation Challenge Focuses on Innovative Medical Devices, Smart Devices, Digital Health, and Medical Services in Neuroscience and Brain Science Fields

Through intense on-site roadshows and expert Q&A sessions, and under the strict evaluation by a judging panel led by Professor Mao Ying, Director of the Basic and Clinical Branch of Neurosurgery of the Chinese Neuroscience Society and President of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, comprising more than ten representatives from clinical, academic, fund, and renowned enterprises such as West China Hospital of Sichuan University, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, School of Medicine of Tsinghua University, Institute of Biomedical Engineering of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Sequoia China, Boyuan Capital, Medtronic China Fund, and Medtronic China Orthopedics and Neurosurgery Business, the list of winners of the 2023 Medical Technology Innovation Challenge has been officially announced.

Ultimately, Kunmai Medical's "Next-Generation Liquid-Helium-Free Quantum Magnetoencephalography System" project stood out and won the championship of the 2023 Medical Technology Innovation Challenge.

Award Ceremony of the 2023 Medical Technology Innovation Challenge

Shi Xuyong, District Chief of Xinbei District, Changzhou; Mao Ying, President of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University; and Yu Jing, General Manager of Medtronic China Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, and Surgical Business, presented awards to the winning projects.

Kunmai Medical's "Next-Generation Liquid-Helium-Free Quantum Magnetoencephalography System" uses quantum precision weak magnetic sensing as its core technology, detecting magnetic fields through the interaction of light and quantum at room temperature. It requires no liquid helium and the detector can be positioned close to the scalp, enabling the capture of stronger brain magnetic signals. Currently, Kunmai Medical's "Next-Generation Liquid-Helium-Free Quantum Magnetoencephalography System" has been successfully installed for research purposes, marking the first installation of an OPM magnetoencephalography system in China. In the future, with ongoing advancements in related research, Kunmai Medical's "Next-Generation Liquid-Helium-Free Quantum Magnetoencephalography System" is expected to have broad applications in cutting-edge fields such as clinical brain disease diagnosis, brain science research, and brain-computer interfaces, helping to break the import monopoly on high-end bio-magnetic imaging equipment.

The theme of this competition is "Digital Intelligence Future, Focusing on Neuroscience," with two key phrases highlighting the event's main priorities: emphasis on digital intelligence and a focus on the field of neuroscience. Currently, "digital intelligence" has become a mainstream trend in the innovative development of neuroscience. The heavy burden of diseases and numerous unmet clinical needs are driving continuous exploration by all parties in the industry, making cutting-edge technologies such as brain-computer interfaces, surgical robots, 3D imaging, and AI-assisted tools popular areas for technological innovation.

This competition focuses on the digital and intelligent development of neuroscience, also stemming from Medtronic's precise grasp of industry development trends as the organizer. To adapt to industry development trends and promote local innovation in China's medical field, Medtronic China Orthopedics and Neurovascular Business Group officially released "AiBLE" this year.^TM"Intelligent Innovation Ecosystem". This ecosystem organically integrates implants and surgical robots, surgical navigation systems, intraoperative imaging systems, surgical power systems, and other intelligent devices. At its core is a data-intelligent integrated platform powered by big data connectivity and AI. By consolidating industrial chain capabilities, digitalization, and artificial intelligence technologies with an open, inclusive, and co-building mindset, it actively establishes a collaborative platform for industry, academia, research, and medicine. Working alongside clinical experts, medical institutions, and industry partners, it jointly develops cutting-edge technologies such as intelligent operating room collaboration, specialized disease big data analysis, AI-assisted diagnosis, and medical informatization. It comprehensively empowers orthopedics to advance towards digitization and intelligence, promotes industrial upgrading, and provides patients with higher-quality medical services.

Previously, Medtronic China's Orthopedics and Neurosurgery Business Group has successively established strategic partnerships with industry innovators such as WaterWood Tianpeng, WellMed Orthopedics, Esaote, and RosenBolt. In terms of industry-medical cooperation, Medtronic China's Orthopedics and Neurosurgery Business Group has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University. Both parties will take clinical needs as the starting point for innovation and jointly build the "Neuroscience Industry-Medicine Integration Innovation Platform" to lead the high-quality development of neuroscience in China. Additionally, in mid-October this year, Medtronic Kanghui signed a cooperation agreement with Beijing Jishuitan Hospital on the "Commercialization of Tibial Plateau Technology Achievements." Based on the previously collaborated posterior lateral tibial plateau plating and screw system, both parties will continue to promote its industrial implementation. The hosting of this competition also marks an important exploration by Medtronic Kanghui to deepen and broaden its digital and intelligent innovation ecosystem partnerships.

In June 2022, Medtronic signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the High-Tech Zone of Changzhou City, officially upgrading the Changzhou production base to the Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park. It has become a regional benchmark production base and multifunctional park that integrates smart manufacturing, excellent R&D, innovative incubation, and customer experience.

Among them, the Innovation Incubation Center mainly focuses on sub-track projects in the fields of orthopedics and neurosurgery treatment, including innovative material implants, intelligent devices, artificial intelligence applications, digital therapies, and innovative services. It provides these projects with one-stop incubation services, including policy support, ecosystem resource linkage, R&D support, and capital assistance.

On December 23, at the finals venue, the Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park Innovation Incubation Center was officially inaugurated, welcoming its first company—Beijing Rosenbert Technology Co., Ltd.—to move in.

With the official launch of the Innovation Incubation Center, Medtronic Kanghui will utilize this platform to undertake the results of industry-university-research-medical collaborative innovation. At the same time, it will extensively engage with various innovative projects and teams within the industry, identify high-potential projects, and accelerate the transformation and implementation of innovative technologies, completing the innovation closed loop of the ecosystem. Additionally, through the successful transformation of these innovative technologies, AiBLE will be further enhanced.^TMIntegrated Solutions for Digital Orthopedics and Digital Neurosurgery, Expanding AiBLE^TMInnovative Ecosystem, Promoting Industrial Innovation and Upgrade, Driving High-Quality Development in the Industry.

Rosengold's Inauguration Ceremony at Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park Innovation Incubation Center

"The Innovation Incubation Center of the Medtronic Kanghui Changzhou Science and Technology Park, unveiled today, aims to become an innovation accelerator in the fields of orthopedics and neurosurgery. This is another significant initiative by Medtronic Kanghui to promote the upgrading of China's medical innovation. We will fully leverage Medtronic's industry experience and global resources to comprehensively empower the innovative development in China's orthopedics and neuroscience sectors," said Yu Jing, Vice President of Medtronic and General Manager of China Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, and Surgical Business. "At the same time, we will continue to use the Changzhou Science and Technology Park as a platform to collaborate with more industry partners, creating an innovative ecosystem for the future of orthopedics and neurosurgery, and promoting the upgrading and development of China’s innovative capabilities within the global innovation chain."