CHT2021 – Day Four
Friday 05 March 2021
Today marked the final day of CHT2021! The conference concluded with keynotes on artificial intelligence and funding, seminars on virtual reality and the NIHR MICs, oral abstract presentations on the latest research, and a technology demonstration from the Alder Hey Innovation Hub. Catch up on the day’s events below.
Day four kicked off with a great lunchtime seminar from ALYNnovation. Arie Melamed-Yekel and Professor Patrice (Tamar) Weiss outlined some of the barriers that prevent the development and uptake of technology in clinical settings, and discussed the setup of ALYNnovation and how they have blended multiple stakeholder design partnerships in order to create effective rehabilitation solutions for children and young people.
David Cole (IBM) delivered the first keynote of the day, focusing on how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to help solve real problems and add value in child healthcare. David also spoke about Thinking of Oscar, a charity that he set up with his wife in memory of their son. Later in the day, Karen Livingstone (Newham Health Co-operative) spoke on the UK technology funding landscape, focusing on the drivers for change as well as the organisations that can support the develop of medtech in the NHS, including the AHSNs, NIHR, SBRI Healthcare, and the Innovation Exchange. The final keynote of CHT2021 was delivered by Gareth Presch (World Health Innovation Summit). Gareth shared the challenges they faced as a family when their daughter was undergoing treatment for cancer, and discussed how we can create a better world using UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.
We were delighted that three NIHR Medtech and In vitro diagnostics Co-operatives (MICs) joined us for a seminar to share their journeys so far. Nathaniel Mills (NIHR Children and Young People MIC), Liz Pryde (NIHR Devices for Dignity MIC), Dr Chris Bird (NIHR Community Health MIC) outlined the importance of developing health technology specifically for children and young people, and discussed some of their key collaborative projects and research priorities. Ivan Phelan (Sheffield Hallam University) delivered the final CHT2021 seminar on how virtual reality is transforming child healthcare. Ivan is developing and trialling virtual reality to support rehabilitation in children and young people.
Day four of the conference included our final four oral abstract presentations. Talks were given on monitoring cystic fibrosis at home, custom made NIV masks, using technology to deepen phenotypes in hyperinsulinism, and home based visual acuity tests.
Mr Iain Hennessey also joined us to showcase some of the cutting edge technology being developed by Alder Hey Innovation Hub. Iain covered a range of innovative and exciting projects, including thermoformed visors and a door opening device for use in the pandemic, using telemedicine during ward rounds, and using virtual and augmented reality to enhance surgery.
We are so thankful to our sponsors, speakers, delegates, and partners for making this conference a possibility. The conference portal will remain open for a few weeks to enable delegates to watch back any content streamed across the four days.
Professor Paul Dimitri, Founder of CHT2021, reflects on the UK’s first Child Health Technology conference:
“The Child Health Technology conference has been a great success. We have experienced excellent keynote presentations, seminars, and technology demonstrations on a diverse range of child health technology subjects. I have really enjoyed speaking with colleagues from across the country and other parts of the world sharing their knowledge, expertise, and experience. Some key messages have resonated throughout the conference including the need to include children and young people in the development of technology that they will ultimately use, the importance of addressing digital inclusion, and the need to work collaboratively to ensure that we develop the best technology for children and young people and to support rapid spread and adoption. CHT2021 has been about building a child heath technology community to do this, and I have been inspired by the 238 delegates that have joined us at the UK’s first child health technology conference to build that community.
“CHT2021 would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our Sheffield, UK teams – the core team at NIHR CYP MedTech, Marketing Sheffield, Events Management Direct, and Technative solutions – well done and congratulations on the success of CHT2021!
“Thank you to all our delegates for joining us at CHT2021 – your support has inspired us to bring CHT2022 to you next year.
“I look forward to seeing you all at Child Health Technology 2022!”
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