Annual Aedeas Medical Product Design Competition Announced

San Francisco-based Aedeas Medical announced today the commencement of its annual international product design contest. This year’s theme is “surgeon fatigue” and challenges entrants to identify and design solutions to prevent fatigue related injuries and discomfort faced by practicing surgeons. The contest begins November 8, 2005 and will be accepting submissions through December 1, 2005. The judging panel features an all-star cast of bio-technology and medical experts including Dr. Doogan, Senior Vice President, Medical and Development Science at
Pfizer Global Research, Mike Forrest, former CEO of Cellegy Pharmaceuticals, Douglas Sheldon of IndoChina Pharmaceuticals, and a host of other medical doctors and product designers.

“From vascular to plastics, from dentistry to general surgery, surgeons face excruciating hours on their feet; straining core muscles in the upper and lower extremities resulting in loss of dexterity and precision, potential patient harm, and professional dissatisfaction” explains Ken Ota, chief surgical advisor to the project, “I’m excited by the lineup of products Aedeas Medical has in development and am interested to see what other non-associated designers, industrialists, and engineers can add to the mix.”

Aedeas Medical invites innovative and ambitious solutions to limit the effects of fatigue on surgical practice and challenges entrants to design applicable and suited products that can meet the practical realities and demanding conditions of the operating theatre. Entrants are required to address elements of surgery and the demand for flexibility in movement and associated stability. Mechanisms and product designs must also not crowd operating rooms and integrate well with surgical teams.

Suhail Arastu, medical researcher at John Hopkins and judging panelist offers, “We’ve left the design contest fairly open in theme to encourage creativity and understand new solutions for common challenges facing surgeons. Whether entrants offer new ergonomic hand designs for common tools, or revolutionary assistive robotic technology, we’re excited to see what individuals will bring.”

Adds Robert Antón Patterson, of Aedeas Medical, “By leaving the entry requirements open, we hope to attract designs from a variety of disciplines to meet the interdisciplinary nature of surgery and medicine.”

The Aedeas Medical Product Design contest is the only program of its kind to challenge product designers, students, corporations, engineers, surgeons and individuals interested in medical technologies to aim for innovative and practical medical product design, and is part of firm’s commitment to an industry that continues to advance the art and science of medical product development. Group projects are also eligible to compete.

A panel of seasoned professionals from medical, surgical, and business settings will judge entries will include, but are not limited to:

- Dr. Declan Doogan (Senior VP Senior Vice President, Medical and Development Science, 
Pfizer Global Research and Development)
- Michael Forrest (Retired CEO Cellegy Pharmaceuticals)
- Leslie R. Patterson (Former Country Manager, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Japan)
- Douglas Sheldon (Partner , ESP Equity Partners & IndoChina Pharmaceuticals)
- Ken Ota (Medical Surgical Advisor, Western University of Health Sciences)
- Chris Seta (Partner, Aedeas Group)
- Suhail Arastu (Medical Surgical Advisor – John Hopkins University – Medical School)
- Kevin Forrest (Associate, 5amVenture Capital)
- Wakako Mikami (Independent Product Designer, Kobe, Japan)

The judging panel will screen finalists, and a monetary grand prize will be offered along with the possibility of partnership in product development to the selected finalist.

Further entry/contest information is available @

http://www.aedeas.com/medical/contest.html

About Aedeas Medical

Aedeas Medical is the bio-pharmaceutical and medical technologies division of the Aedeas Group.

The division is engaged actively in the following research and product development

- Development, testing and production of commercial medical products, compounds, and technologies that intersect art and medicine.
- Development of devices and procedures to assist surgical teams in improving safety and efficiency.
- Development of Emergency Response System Support Tools and Personal Emergency Identification Technologies

Contact Information

Robert Patterson

Joint Managing Partner

Aedeas Group

Contact via E-mail