Medtronic Surgical Research Areas of Interest:
Medtronic has interest in many areas of technology development across many clinical practice areas. Medtronic's Surgical Research Committee has identified the following research areas as particularly compelling, in the belief that improvements here may relate to improvements in patient outcomes. However, while the following list is provided as a source of guidance for potential researchers, the list is not exhaustive and novel research outside this list will also be eligible for a grant.
Localization, navigation, and guidance technologies that can provide human and/or computer guidance in surgical and diagnostic procedures.
Augmented, virtual and extended reality concepts that improve user situational awareness and/or reduce cognitive burden associated with diagnostic and surgical interventions, particularly for intra-operative use cases.
Novel sensors and electronics that provide information not currently available in clinical/diagnostic and surgical interventions today to unlock more precise surgical resection.
Articulation technologies that enable greater range of motion for surgical instruments – robotic and non-robotic alike.
Imaging modalities that enable superhuman powers to see beyond what the human eye is capable of today.
Therapies that may improve outcomes for patients and may even alter the traditional definition of surgery.
Biomaterials that support healing and improve the body’s ability to return to normal function.
Sustainability technologies that may reduce the impact of product packaging, disposable instruments, batteries and/or similar technologies.
Actuation and motion control that improves workflow, the precision of access instrumentation, biopsy or resection, and visualization or evaluation of tissues.
Haptics and sensing technologies that can help clinicians learn more about the tissues they’re working with.
Cordless technologies to include novel communication methods or battery and energy technologies that improve or solve existing unmet needs within the operating room environment.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms and techniques that address unmet needs in patient management, diagnostics, surgical planning, intra-operative guidance, surgical resection, or similar areas.