The Digital Innovation Hubs in Healthcare Robotics (DIH-HERO) project started at the beginning of this year. Within the project, pan-European hubs will be set up to stimulate the development of robots and innovative solutions for the healthcare sector. The hubs do this by bringing together parties with different expertise.
DIH-HERO is a European project that has received a grant of almost €16 million from the European Commission. Seventeen universities and research centres from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Switzerland have joined the project as partners. From the Netherlands, the University of Twente is involved in DIH-HERO.
Connecting shareholders
DIH-HERO aims to promote efficient development of innovative robots for the healthcare sector. The consortium wants to set up an independent platform connecting companies, knowledge institutes, investors and other shareholders. The platform will help these parties cooperate and support each other in the development of new products and services in the field of robotics.
The University of Twente plays a leading role in the project and coordinates DIH-HERO's activities. Stefano Stamigiola, professor of robotics at the University of Twente and coordinator of DIH-HERO: "The route for embedding medical innovation in clinical practice is laborious, time-consuming and requires substantial investment. The process includes conducting clinical trials, developing efficient production methods, reaching out to investors, setting up a company and taking care of distribution, to name just a few steps. In addition, several parties are working on different innovations in robotics. Within DIH-HERO, we can ensure that these parties strengthen each other and complement each other where possible."
Digital innovation hubs
As part of DIH-HERO, digital innovation hubs will be established across Europe. These innovation hubs are in fact networks of partners, each contributing their own expertise within the DIH-HERO project. Both parties with technical expertise and parties with medical expertise are affiliated to the hubs. These partners each have their own network, from which they can also benefit.
The project officially started on 1 January 2019. The parties involved aim to build the DIH-HERO platform in four years. Of the €16 million grant the project received from the European Commission, €8 million has been set aside as funding for companies developing healthcare robots. Companies wishing to claim this funding can apply for it between summer 2019 and spring 2021. The project will run until 31 December 2022.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: European Commission
Source: University of Twente
Source photo: Pixabay / alan9187
