Veterans Health Wireless Innovation Challenge

About the Challenge

The submission theme must be in keeping with our mission of decreasing health care costs through the application of wireless health technology.

Bright ideaers and technovators will be expected to create an original app or hardware device for either Android or Apple OS cellular phone technology in any combination of one or more M2M technology; such as physiological or environmental sensors, gyroscopes/accelerometers, cellular based cameras, video teleconferencing, Bluetooth, GPS, or a medical device.

Project Details
Projects must employ an app that wirelessly connects hardware with cell phone (or some type of wireless technology), and target one or more of the following identified Veterans health problems.
Trauma related injuries such as:
• Movement disorders
• PTSD
• Hearing loss
• Visual losses
• Healing or aging in place (technology to allow Veterans to live independently)

Diseases such as:
• Hypertension
• Congestive Heart Patients
• Renal patients (either CKD or End Stage Renal disease)

Project Parameters

1. Projects must employ an original app or M2M hardware design capable of wirelessly connecting hardware to a cell phone (or some type of wireless transmission) that will connect both patient and clinician for sharing clinical or other data pertinent to a patients’ care.

2. The app cannot have been previously published in any app store.

3. If the project features a hardware (M2M) solution, the device must not have been previously marketed or sold for usage. It must be of an original, innovative design, or configuration and observe the following design criteria typical of remote patient monitoring including:

a. Low-power design. The system is expected to require infrequent battery charge/replacement.
b. High wearability. Form factor is essential to allow nonintrusive use of the device.
c. High impact. Significance of the project for veterans health.

Examples of M2M solutions include:

• Video, camera, or some type of image technology transmitted through wireless means connecting patient and clinician via a mobile device
• Sensor technology that is applied to an individual, environment or both, to obtain data utilized as part of the app and transmitted and shared with patient and clinician

4. The app or device must be designed to also push data (wirelessly) about the user or device in order to gauge the effectiveness of the app/device or sensor technology. Data derived from the app will become part of a larger data base project to improve health outcomes in the United States.

5. Competition is open to any individuals, companies (both profit and non-profit), students, and university teams based in the United States. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to win the prize.

6. Judging is conducted by a panel of experts to be selected by VAi2 and WWHI. All selections are final.

7. The Winner shall receive a cash prize of $10,000.00 and may have the opportunity to pilot the winning technology within a Veterans Affairs clinical setting.

Submission Guidelines
1. The West Wireless Health Institute will accept challenge submissions from November 1, 2010 to March 15, 2011.
2. Projects must adhere to all Project Parameters outlined above to be considered for the prize.
3. Narrative applications will be accepted via email (challenge@gmwhi.org) and may only be submitted as a Microsoft Word document, not to exceed 8 pages, 12‐point font, 1.5 spacing.
4. Applications must include the following narrative information: 
   
• Name of all applicants/developer team members, institution or company affiliation (or if individual, please indicate), titles, e‐mail address, and phone number
• Descriptive project title
• Project summary which details the following:
    o Describes how the project targets a specific VA health problem
    o Describes the functions, inter-connections, and patient use requirements for the project
• Indicate in your project summary the status of intellectual property protection (and or copyright) for the relevant technology(s)
• Please indicate if you have a video or prototype for demonstration. Selected projects may be invited for an onsite demonstration of project functionality

5. Judging criteria:

a. Uniqueness of the engineered solution (hardware, sensors, app, or overall project design)
b. Potential for implementation in a VA clinical setting as a health technology solution
c. Ability to accurately, concisely and securely gather and transmit health related data for use by a clinician

6. All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. PT on March 15, 2011. Applications will be accepted by email only at challenge@gmwhi.org.

7. For questions about submitting the application, email challenge@gmwhi.org.

8. The winner of the Veterans Health Wireless Innovation Challenge will be announced on April 1, 2011.