How to enter the Student Challenge

Students from all Queensland Universities are invited to form teams and submit early stage plans for a new/improved bionic device, treatment or implant to this exciting Challenge.

At Bionics Gamechangers Australia, we are interested in ‘new to the world ideas’ that change the status quo plus projects that markedly improve the design, usability and end-user benefits of an existing device, implant or treatment.

Bionic innovations that underpin Student Challenge entries should align with our definition of bionics (see below) and one or more innovation domains promoted by Bionics Gamechangers Australia (bionic mobility, bionic senses, brain-computer-interfaces and neurobionic treatments, and/or bionic implants and organs).

Definition of Medical Bionics

“Genuine bionic solutions include electrical, mechanical and bio-fabricated interfaces, interventions and implants that deliver full or partial restoration or enhancement of a human function or treatment of trauma/injury, disease, disabilities and complex health conditions”.

Importantly, all student teams entering the MAIC QLD Student Bionics Innovation Challenge 2023 must demonstrate the relevance of their idea or project to the needs of individuals impacted by road accident injuries and/or road accident-related trauma, disability and disease.

Bionics devices and treatments typically include: prostheses, implants, devices, electrical stimulation, artificial organs and AI-enabled devices that replace or improve human functionality and/or stimulate the brain, nerves, muscle or tissue regeneration. Advances in sensors, sensing and control systems, soft robotics, tissue engineering and biofabrication, smart wearables and digital health contribute to the overall functionality and ease-of-use of these bionic innovations.

All Students intending to compete in the MAIC QLD Student Bionics Challenge must register their intent to enter the competition by Tuesday, 14th November 2023. Final project submissions from each team must then be submitted online by Tuesday, 21st November 2023.

Guidelines for the preparation of your Final Submission (an 8-10-page proposal with Appendices) are shown below.

At the ‘front end’ of their Final Submission, all teams should introduce their medical bionics innovation and clearly define the ‘unmet market need’ it will address. Here, it is important to evaluate any existing solutions or ways of ‘solving the problem’ that exist or are currently being developed. Your brief outline of any existing devices, treatments or implants (or components of these) that seek to solve the same problem should be linked to the specific type(s) of accident-related trauma, injury or related disease of interest to your team.

Next, you should provide a full explanation of your proposed innovation (key elements plus overall design and development). Be sure to summarise all of the relevant standards to be met (e.g., medical, scientific, engineering, quality management requirements) alongside your explanation of its unique features and benefits. The importance of the idea or innovation (what is unique about it that will ensure it solves the market need) should be referenced in detailing your design and standards to be met.

With your bionic innovation fully outlined, your team should return to your team’s core driver…the unmet market need. A comprehensive discussion of the market rationale for your innovation should leave the judges in no doubt that it will truly ‘change the game’ for clinicians and/or allied health service providers and end -users.

Take the time to outline why your team believes the new or improved device, treatment or implant will enjoy success in the marketplace and steps that have been taken (or will be taken) to engage key opinion leaders (KOLs) and end-users/consumers in testing your early-stage concept or prototype.

Finally, you should summarise all key prongs in your Umbrella Plan (broad streams of work and activities needed to deliver the solution) and provide a simple budget. Some key elements (examples) of the contents of the team’s early-stage Design Journal or Project Portfolio might be expected in the appendices e.g., illustrations, images and/or list of brief interviews with opinion leaders, technical advisors and/or end-users.

Provide a brief, but powerful conclusion on the main features, benefits, impacts and indicators of success the team will employ. Final project submissions should definitely include the key steps your team will take to involve end users or key stakeholders in the design. In addition, you should outline the steps that will need to be taken in the medium-long term to achieve regulatory approval, manage intellectual property and move the device, implant or treatment from initial design and basic prototyping to market testing and commercialisation.

At the end of your Submission, include a final ‘boxed’ summary of all project components, key activities to be undertaken and the funds your team will need to complete the early stages of the project – include broad, ballpark estimates only.

NOTE: All teams should attach a written reference or letter of recommendation from a university, industry or clinical leader with their Final Submission. Informal mentoring and/or interaction with a program, course or unit coordinator/lecturer or a clinical opinion leader should be detailed (this is a desirable inclusion for all Student Bionics Challenge projects).

Click here to Check All Terms and Conditions for Entry to the Student Bionics Challenge.