Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium (APDC) hosted a Pediatric Device Workshop and Innovation Competition on November 12 where many innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists, and spectators gathered at Georgia Tech to watch the next innovative pediatric medical device emerge.

There were 15 projects presented at the event, ranging from cranial deformation restructuring, heart valves, medicine administering kazoo to a handy eye-chart. The review committee was composed of entrepreneurs, clinicians, scientists, industry representatives who selected the eight projects that will be passed to round two. The selected projects will be submitting a 5 page proposal and having a one-on-one interview with the review committee. The event ended successfully with over 70 in attendance and many interesting, innovative proposals introduced.

The purpose of the Pediatric Device Competition is to target project ideas that can benefit from the product development pathway of the APDC to design, to develop, and to commercialize new devices for the pediatric population in hopes of enhancing the lives of children through the development of novel pediatric medical devices, which are both safe and effective

Awards from $25,000 to $50,000 will be made depending on the complexity of the device and its development stage.  APDC expects to make 3 to 5 project awards in 2012.

APDC was launched this September with a two-year, $1.8 million grant from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to encourage the development of medical devices tailored to the needs of children, with the plan of taking the devices from conception to commercialization.

The Pediatric Device Competition will provide a competitive opportunity for the Atlanta scientific and business community to develop a pediatric medical device concept benefitting from the expertise and infrastructure of the APDC. With institutions like the APDC, innovators and more, the future of pediatric medical devices looks bright.

Round 2 Finalists:

Handy Eye Chart, Amy Hutchinson

Bedside Diagnosis of Pneumonia in Children, David Ku

Biosorb, Jack Merritt

Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device, Kevin Maher

Hand Sanitizer, Christopher Hermann

Buzzy, Amy Baxter

Wireless Signaling Device to Treat Invontinence in Children, Greg Durgin

Prosthetic Trileaflet Valve, Anna Fallon