CHF 40,000 for robotic manipulation AI models and topology optimization of patient-specific spinal fusion implants
26.08.2024
mimic robotics and OptimalPSI were selected at Venture Kick's second financial and entrepreneurial support stage. Their projects solve complex manipulation tasks with a humanoid robotic hand, and optimize patient-specific spinal fusion implants and in the end reduce healthcare costs.
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 mimic robotics: left to right, Stefan Weirich, Elvis Nava, Stephan-Daniel Gravert, Robert Katzschmann, and Benedek Forrai
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 OptimalPSI: CEO Thijs Smit and CTO Wolfgang Rubin
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mimic robotics: Scalable AI models for universal robotic manipulation
Conventional robotic grippers are designed for particular, repetitive tasks, and lack versatility. The programming of such robots and adaptation to a slightly changing task requires lots of time and expertise. Both grippers and commercially available programming approaches are unsuitable for applying robots to real-world challenges in environments designed for or shared with humans.
mimic robotics company was incorporated in 2024 as a spin-off from the Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich. Founders include Stefan Weirich, Elvis Nava, Stephan-Daniel Gravert, Benedek Forrai and Prof. Robert Katzschmann. Together with a team of AI researchers and mechanical engineers, they are solving complex manipulation tasks with a humanoid robotic hand that a robotic transformer model drives.
The Venture Kick funds will contribute to developing a prototype that can be applied to real-world manipulation challenges at customer sites.
OptimalPSI: Topology optimization of patient-specific spinal fusion implants
Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent health problems in Switzerland. If conservative treatments of lower back pain fail, spinal fusion surgery using off-the-shelf implants is the state-of-the-art. In approximately 20% of spinal fusion surgeries, the surgical result is lost post-operatively requiring one or more revision surgeries to alleviate the associated pain. The three main reasons for finding innovative solutions to avoid such revision surgeries are first, an unpleasant burden for the patients, then intrinsically high risks for complications and further revision surgeries, and finally increased costs for the health-care system.
OptimalPSI took the following steps to solve the problem. At first, they developed a computational strategy, using topology optimization, to create patient-specific implants to prevent revision surgeries. In the next step, a comparative in-silico medical device testing study showed that the optimized 3D-printed, patient-specific spinal fusion implants significantly reduce the risk of revision surgery. This result opens the door to improve patient care significantly, to increase the predictability of the surgical outcome, and to diminish healthcare costs once the innovation is developed into a commercial product. A patent was filed in November 2023 to protect the innovative computational strategy. The founding team comprises two PhDs from ETH Zurich, CEO Thijs Smit, and CTO Wolfgang Rubin. The potential revenue of their technology in the niche market in the US and Switzerland amounts to CHF 580 M annually. Expanding to other anatomical areas will expand the market size considerably.
Venture Kick funding will be used for further market research and discussions with industry experts and surgeons to ensure product-market fit.
Conventional robotic grippers are designed for particular, repetitive tasks, and lack versatility. The programming of such robots and adaptation to a slightly changing task requires lots of time and expertise. Both grippers and commercially available programming approaches are unsuitable for applying robots to real-world challenges in environments designed for or shared with humans.
mimic robotics company was incorporated in 2024 as a spin-off from the Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich. Founders include Stefan Weirich, Elvis Nava, Stephan-Daniel Gravert, Benedek Forrai and Prof. Robert Katzschmann. Together with a team of AI researchers and mechanical engineers, they are solving complex manipulation tasks with a humanoid robotic hand that a robotic transformer model drives.
The Venture Kick funds will contribute to developing a prototype that can be applied to real-world manipulation challenges at customer sites.
OptimalPSI: Topology optimization of patient-specific spinal fusion implants
Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent health problems in Switzerland. If conservative treatments of lower back pain fail, spinal fusion surgery using off-the-shelf implants is the state-of-the-art. In approximately 20% of spinal fusion surgeries, the surgical result is lost post-operatively requiring one or more revision surgeries to alleviate the associated pain. The three main reasons for finding innovative solutions to avoid such revision surgeries are first, an unpleasant burden for the patients, then intrinsically high risks for complications and further revision surgeries, and finally increased costs for the health-care system.
OptimalPSI took the following steps to solve the problem. At first, they developed a computational strategy, using topology optimization, to create patient-specific implants to prevent revision surgeries. In the next step, a comparative in-silico medical device testing study showed that the optimized 3D-printed, patient-specific spinal fusion implants significantly reduce the risk of revision surgery. This result opens the door to improve patient care significantly, to increase the predictability of the surgical outcome, and to diminish healthcare costs once the innovation is developed into a commercial product. A patent was filed in November 2023 to protect the innovative computational strategy. The founding team comprises two PhDs from ETH Zurich, CEO Thijs Smit, and CTO Wolfgang Rubin. The potential revenue of their technology in the niche market in the US and Switzerland amounts to CHF 580 M annually. Expanding to other anatomical areas will expand the market size considerably.
Venture Kick funding will be used for further market research and discussions with industry experts and surgeons to ensure product-market fit.