A message from iSMART:
Through iSMART at the University of Alberta, businesses have access to more than $40 million worth of specialized equipment to bring their health and rehabilitation ideas to life.
The tools available for rent or use through the Institute for Smart, Augmentative and Restorative Technologies and Health Innovations, are far beyond what any startup or small to medium-sized company would be able to own themselves. But through iSMART, innovators can not only get their hands on advanced hardware but also benefit from the expertise to make the most of it.
"It enables a wide range of advancements for innovations anywhere from concept to validation," says Dr. Vivian Mushahwar, who oversees iSMART and ST Innovations, the industry-facing gateway to iSMART's resources. "We're able to cover all of that."
The process starts by contacting ST Innovations, which works with each innovator to understand their needs and advise on next steps. Innovators can be trained on the equipment and do the work themselves, or they can ask iSMART to carry out the project with regular check-in points. Either way, Dr. Mushahwar describes the relationship as a partnership built on continuous contact and collaboration.
ST Innovations also handles contracts and logistics, simplifying the experience of working with a university. "Often universities are seen as Fort Knox," Dr. Mushahwar says. "People don't know how to get there, where to go … And the outside innovators may not be able to understand how to penetrate through that." ST Innovations acts as a concierge service. "We remove the barriers that are in the innovation journey. We demystify the university."
Behind the equipment stands a vast network of professors, support staff, and trainees across dozens of labs, along with an industry advisory board that helps innovators achieve product-market fit and enhance their rate of success.
The track record backs that up. Fringe Fields Technologies came to iSMART with an idea for a non-invasive glucose-monitoring device and developed a watch-sized prototype that helped it access more than $13 million in investment. Davey Textiles won awards after developing a minimum viable product with iSMART's help. And Health Gauge used iSMART to validate its health-intelligence technology, leading to its acquisition by AI/ML Innovations Inc.
The equipment at iSMART — including robotic limbs, human-interface devices like pupil trackers, virtual reality sets, microfabrication tools, and much more — is a critical resource for supporting the health-tech ecosystem in Edmonton and beyond, Dr. Mushahwar says. "It's kind of a one-stop place for massive innovation."
Looking ahead, iSMART is purchasing an industrial knitting machine that will expand iSMART's activities in smart textiles and wearables. And Dr. Mushahwar sees more room to grow.
"Innovations in health technology … are not happening somewhere else," she says. "They're happening here, and they're happening now."