MedTechSouthEast winners shortlisted in the AXA Awards

Design Council MedTechSouthEast winners have been shortlisted in this year's AXA PPP Health Tech & You Awards 

AXA PPP Health Tech & You has announced the shortlist for its 2016 Awards. Three of the finalists in Design Council’s MedTechSouthEast programme have been chosen in the Independent Living category, which seeks out health tech innovations or solutions that support quality of life management.

MedTechSouthEast was a new competition from Design Council and MedCity, designed to identify and develop the next generation of user-centred, non-invasive medical technology from the south-east of England. There were 10 finalists, all of whom are currently being mentored and taking steps to take their products to market.

The AXA PPP Health Tech & You Awards, now in its second year, is a joint initiative led by AXA PPP healthcare, the think tank 2020health and the Design Museum. It aims to guide and grow the conversation about health tech, empowering people everywhere to use technology to lead healthier lives and be more in control of their health and wellbeing. 

They are real life examples of how design can help to improve people’s lives. I look forward to seeing more at the Awards ceremony and virtual exhibition.

John Mathers, Chief Executive, Design Council

The awards celebrate innovative entries across seven categories from individuals, designers, developers, entrepreneurs and healthcare professionals from the UK and around the world.

The three selected ventures are:

GyroGear (SteadyGlove)

An unobtrusive glove which assists people with debilitating hand tremors. The glove uses gyroscopic engineering principles mixed with hi-tech sensors to counteract the tremors and stabilise the hand, taking the form of a minimalistic harness about the size of a watch on the back of the hand.

The product will primarily be used by older people with hand tremors linked to clinical conditions such as Parkinson’s. The glove provides the simple dignity of being able to eat a bowl of soup or hold a cup of tea without spilling. Research has been carried out in part with the Neurological Centre at Charing Cross Hospital, with more than 100 people of Parkinson’s disease and their families to see whether they would be interested in the glove as a solution.

Walk with Path (Path Finder)

Lisa Pape’s assistive aid to facilitate gait in vulnerable groups; primarily the elderly and people with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Path Finder helps prevent gait disturbances that cause falls; such as freezing of gait (FoG), described as feet remaining ‘glued to the floor’, by providing visual cues designed to circumvent the issues related to existing cueing devices.

Walk with Path’s solution is a pair of shoes mounted with lasers which project green lines ahead as the person walks, activated by a sensor in each heel that monitors the user’s walking pattern and pace. The concept is currently being clinically tested in collaboration with a university in Holland, as well as research completed with patients, their carers and scientific experts.

You can read more about the invention and Lise’s experience on MedTechSouthEast programme in her blogs.

AAN Medical (Dermaspray)

Dermaspray aims to enhance the quality of life for arthritis sufferers and other patients with painful joints and limited dexterity.

This innovative device has an automated, no-touch design that sprays medication onto a target joint. Even users with severely limited dexterity will be able use the device, as there is no need to open packaging or apply medication by hand. Topical delivery directly to the affected joints avoids exposure of the gastrointestinal tract and consequently reduces the potential side effects for the prolonged treatment necessary for arthritis.

It will improve adherence to medication regimes and reduce the number of patients requiring hospital or clinic visits for therapy.

Our Chief Executive, John Mathers, has said of the news: “We heartily congratulate the three MedTechSouthEast finalists who have won this important award. They are some of the south-east of England’s most outstanding innovators, and we hope the knowledge, skills and experience that Design Council, MedCity and AXA have been able to give them through the programme will help them to  successfully progress their ideas and push them towards the market. They are real life examples of how design can help to improve people’s lives.  I look forward to seeing more at the Awards ceremony and virtual exhibition.”

James Freeston, Marketing Director, AXA PPP healthcare, has said: “After such a successful inaugural year, we are delighted with the response to the second AXA PPP Health Tech & You Awards. The sheer increase in volume from last year and the high quality of entries really is a true testament to the innovative projects currently being developed and launched by so many individuals and companies in the health tech space. On behalf of our partners, we would like to thank everyone who took the time to enter. We congratulate those who have been shortlisted on this great achievement and look forward to applauding the winners at the Awards ceremony in April.”

The winners of the AXA PPP Health Tech & You Awards will be announced on April 25, 2016. For more information on this year’s finalists, judges and activities, visit www.healthtechandyou.com