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Next Generation of Medical Simulation Hackathon

Group of logos, Experience Ventures, UP360, Queen's, Canada, and Ingenuity Labs. Included is a small graphic image of a skeleton in the palm of a hand, and hexagons with medical symbols

By Pegah Nomanfar

Last weekend Ingenuity Labs and UP360 hosted the “Next Generation of Medical Simulation Hackathon.” Students from diverse backgrounds, in 16 teams, presented their ideas using a technical and scientific approach to solve the challenge: “Advanced fidelity of medical simulators or task trainers in a way that will allow learners in healthcare to optimize their skills before they are needed at the bedside.”   

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The students finalized the team members on Friday night during the opening ceremony, which was held online on Zoom. The next day, the organizers provided the supplies required for their proposed project at the Ingenuity labs, and then fun part began! 

On Sunday, the teams presented their ideas and approachs to find a solution to the challenge, to the  judging committee. There was one first place team and two second place teams. It was a difficult decision since the quality, uniqueness, and creativity of the ideas from all the groups were very impressive.  

Picture of a hands typing on a laptop.

The first-place team introduced the Project titled: “HYGIEIA – Quality Education in a Shoe Box.” Shashank Ojha, Thavish Perera, Ramy Eid, Joshua Gonzales introduced their idea that medical students can practice more surgical skills on a virtual reality (VR) simulator equipped with low-cost supplies. This provides students with the opportunity to improve their competencies outside the classroom.

The second-place team presented their Project called “DentiTrain.” Matt Maceachern, Lucas Krayacich, Wade Goren, Will Quigley, explained their idea for dental training using an augmented reality (AR) environment on a low-cost prototype for the human mouth that contains sensory-laden false teeth and the teeth and dental tools can be found as an AR object.

Sophia Ewaniuk ​, Eva Kokojka​, Emily Peetsma​ and Sylvia Chamberlain​, another second-place team, presented: “High-Stress Trauma Simulation (HSTS)for Medical Students.” A simulator that prepares medical students to work in stressful situations and sensors help measure students’ stress levels.

It was great to see so many great ideas from all the participants.