The Healthtech Times is a weekly newsletter covering healthtech news from Canada and around the globe.
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Calgary hospital first in Canada to use virtual reality to treat pain (BETAKIT)
Rockeyview General Hospital in Calgary, Alberta is the first hospital in Canada to use virtual reality as part of its treatment process, according to a report from the CBC.
Nima launches food sensor to detect peanuts (TECHCRUNCH)
The sensor is able to detect even the tiniest trace (10 parts per million) of peanut protein.
A recipe to save lives: Geoffrey Hinton and David Naylor call on physicians to embrace AI (UTORONTO)
Deep learning “godfather” Geoffrey Hinton, who knows all too well the limitations of our health-care system, has joined forces with University of Toronto President Emeritus Dr. David Naylor to communicate the life-saving potential of artificial intelligence to physicians – an effort literally hashed out over the kitchen table.
The head of healthcare investing at Qualcomm Ventures explains why it’s so hard to get doctors to adopt new technology (BUSINESSINSIDER)
What’s keeping healthtech applications from taking off in doctor’s offices is the unpredictability of internet service, according to Qualcomm Ventures’ head of healthcare Thomas Kluz.
A 22-year Apple veteran explains why Silicon Valley’s ‘fast fail’ approach won’t work with health tech (CNBC)
“This is the mindset Silicon Valley has brought to every space it enters: a bad product or poor user experience doesn’t have any ramifications beyond that particular product or experience, and they can always wipe the slate clean and start again. In the world of digital health this is a big problem,” says Robin Goldstein.
Kevin Rose’s fasting app Zero beefs up with new CEO, $1.2M funding (TECHCRUNCH)
How fasting helped Mike Maser beat cancer and get back to startups.
Theranos is shutting down for good (CNN)
Biotech company Theranos, the Silicon Valley startup whose founder faces fraud charges, is preparing to wind down its business, according to reports.
Telus to launch digital healthcare app through partnership with Babylon Health (MOBILESYRUP)
The two companies will work together to roll out a Canadian-specific mobile app in English and French.
Kry expands its telehealth service to France — under new brand, Livi (TECHCRUNCH)
Kry’s boast for its service is it lets patients ‘see’ a healthcare professional within 15 minutes — i.e. via a remote video consultation on their smartphone or tablet. It recruits doctors locally, in each market where it operates.
BioNova announces healthtech finalists for $25,000 pitch competition (BETAKIT)
The competition will be held in Halifax on November 7 during BioPort 2018 at the Halifax Convention Centre.
What incubators and tech ecosystems can offer health startups (TECHCRUNCH)
Young healthcare companies need reliable sources of ecosystem knowledge as they enter crowded markets with powerful incumbents. That’s why the need for more specialized incubators to develop capabilities, talent, and opportunities for deeply technical field will persist.
Hospitals centralize network management to support connected devices (HEALTHTECHMAGAZINE)
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles tapped central management to manage its proliferation of IoT devices effectively.
Medical education startup Nexus Labs closes seed funding (FINSMES)
Nexus Labs, which has developed a platform to enhance the learning experiences of students and doctors from around the world, received the funding from the GM&C Life Sciences Fund and Alderley Park Ventures.
Mira launches a device for more accurate fertility testing in the home (TECHCRUNCH)
The Mira Fertility system offers personalized cycle prediction by measuring fertility hormone concentrations in urine samples, telling women which days they’re fertile.
LATEST HEALTHTECH GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
3iOntario Digest presents a list of ongoing funding opportunities and other resources to accelerate health innovation.
CAD – Canadian Health Technologies for Space Exploration (read more)
CAD – Formulation and Implementation of a Solution to Perform Medical Services (read more)
CAD – Artificial Intelligence Pilot Project for Surveillance of Suicide-Related Behaviours using Social Media (read more)