MyAirCoach project reached Final Round of the Innovation Radar Prize 2016, a competition promoted by the European Commission to identify high potential innovations and innovators in EU-funded research and innovation ICT projects. The smart inhaler that will support patients with asthma in the self-management of their disease, was selected by the European Commission for competing with other 39 European top innovators. Participants were grouped in four categories category, namely ICT for Society, Excellent Science, Industrial & Enabling Technologies, Horizon 2020 ICT innovator.
The Commission was impressed in particular by the intelligent adapter for standard asthma inhalers developed by IHP – Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics in collaboration with all other MyAirCoach partners. The adapter monitors whether the patient adheres to the therapy and medication plan, determines the correct medication, and measures time and place where the inhaler is used. In addition, local environmental conditions, including temperature, pressure, and particle concentration are determined. The results are transferred wirelessly through a mobile phone to an online system for further processing. A first prototype has already been tested in a laboratory environment.
After an on-line voting, the MyAirCoach device was qualified for the finals under the category Horizon 2020 ICT innovator. The finals were held in Bratislava on September 26th during the ICT Proposers’ Day, where IHP, supported by Jaakko Salminen, experienced coach and member of the Finnish Business Angels Network, was invited for a pitch presentation in front of a jury. In total 16 participants reached the finals, four per category. “We are convinced that our innovative approach holds the key to a better treatment of asthma patients in the future”, affirmed IHP project leader Dr. Steffen Ortmann. “The results of the online voting make us to feel confident for the final round in Bratislava”, he suggested. Unfortunately MyAirCoach did not get the final prize, but its participation at the finals is already a great result and indicates the project has great potential and is moving in the right direction for improving the quality of life of asthma patients.
The winner of Horizon 2020 ICT Innovator category was Realeyes, an Estonian research-oriented SME measuring people’s emotional response to video content using webcams. The overall Innovation Radar Prize was awarded to Intrinsic-ID, developed within the EU-funded project PUFFIN, an authentication technology based on the electronic fingerprint of devices.