The new ‘TechMed’ test bench of the University of Twente enables high tech companies in the health sector to test their products or services in a simulated and realistic environment. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supports the new initiative.
By testing medical technology in a high-quality simulated hospital environment, faster market introduction will be possible: prior to clinical trials and approval procedures, valuable knowledge and experience can be collected. Product tests will take place in UT’s Experimental Centre for Technical Medicine (ECTM), with a fully-equipped Operation Room and an Intensive Care Unit – including patient simulators. ECTM is used for education, within the Technical Medicine program, and for research.
Within the TechMed test bench, ECTM’s facilities and knowledge come within reach of start-up companies in medical technology and services. Medical imaging & diagnostics and medical sensing & stimulation will be the first two domains TechMed is focusing on. Experimental projects already started in breast tumor detection using magnetic fields and in the development of a personalized MRI drilling template for scoliosis operations.
The first partners within the new initiative are the Holland Innovative Twente, DKMS and Pantheon companies. Hospitals in the region participate, as well as academic medical centres in The Netherlands. The TechMed initiatieve was granted 200 k€ from the European Regional Development Fund ERDF (Dutch: Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling EFRO).
More info on the ECTM: https://www.utwente.nl/tg/ectm/
