Coffee Conversation with Steven Plymale and Milos Popovic at Toronto Rehabweek 2019
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
Release Date: 09/05/2023
Evan Coopersmith on how software is just as important as hardware in neurotech machine learning
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
is the galactic head of admonishment and also executive vice president of data science at . There they do contract work for machine learning in neuroscience and neurotech. ***This podcast is sponsored by Iris Biomedical, check out their Neurotech Startup Services Top 3 Takeaways: "One of the arguments I've often made is that it isn't only the hardware that holds us back. It is the software. When the software reaches a level of sophistication, suddenly the hardware is orders of magnitude more impactful." "Clearly we have learned how to understand patterns. We call these latent...
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Kirill Korotaev on accessible eye tracking for neuroscience research- Purple Gaze
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
is the CEO and founder of which is an AI Platform for collecting data from the brain using eye movements. ***This podcast is sponsored by Iris Biomedical, check out their Neurotech Startup Services Top 3 Takeaways: "There wasn't any significant innovation in the eye tracking technology for the last 15 years. And we thought that if we use modern computer vision and image processing techniques, we could make it much more accessible and easy to use, which in turn would open up new applications and create whole new industries." "We've just launched in the United States. The Communication...
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E.J. Chichilnisky on what it takes to reproduce the neural code of the retina
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Ophthalmology at Stanford University. His research has focused on understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of electrical activity in the retina that convey visual information to the brain, and their origins in retinal circuitry, using large-scale multi-electrode recordings. His ongoing work now focuses on using basic science knowledge along with electrical stimulation to develop a novel high-fidelity artificial retina for treating incurable blindness. ***This podcast is sponsored by Ripple Neuro, check out their Neuroscience Research Tools Top 3 Takeaways:...
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Duane Mancini on the Project Medtech and Medtech Money Podcasts
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
is the host of the which talks about Medtech Device industry. They talk about the success storiies, advice, pitfalls, trends and more. Duane also helps run which accelerates medical technology to improve patient lives. Finally, Duane and Giovanni Lauricella have started the about how to raise money for medtech companies. Top 3 Takeways: "Actually defining the problem too is a big issue. And it's something that I didn't really realize was an issue. They're asking questions that are going to validate their problem rather than actually going out and doing some in-depth research. Is this...
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Jack Gelman and Brock Lindsey on targeted muscle reinnervation for amputees
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
Brock Lindsey and Jack Gelman are researchers at West Virginia University. Brock is an orthopedic oncologist who deals with bone and muscle tumors. Jack is a plastic surgeon interested in peripheral nerve surgery. Together they work on targeted muscle reinnervation in osseoimplants to bring back control for amputees. Top 3 Takeaways: Integrating prosthetics into the bone allows for better bone health since the bones are then under load Neuromas are transected nerves that continue to grow and cause pain. They've removed some that are the size of golf balls WVU has done 28 of these...
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Neuralink's animal abuse, what you need to know
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
A few weeks ago the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) based on a Freedom of Information request to look at the records of animals involved in trials at Elon Musk's Neuralink company. PCRM alleges that 15/23 monkeys used in the experiments have died and that they have been treated poorly. In a rare move from a Musk company, Neuralink published a explaining their position explaining some of the nuances of what happened. In this episode, I go over some of the facts of this case, my experience with animal studies, and then play a good which goes into more detail. ...
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Karandeep Singh Badwal on building quality and regulatory at the start of your neurotech idea
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
is a Quality and Regulatory Affairs Consultant in the field of Medical Devices. He is also the host of the MedTech Podcast where he talks to leaders in the field of Medical Technologies Top 3 Takeaways: "Once you understand your product, who's going to be using it, you can then build a risk assessment around that. But if you do not know what your product is, and you do not know the modes of failure, you really are going to struggle with this process." "So the UK is relatively easy for software devices. The EU has now become more difficult. Whereas previously the EU was considered to be...
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Radhika Gupta and Adam Sefler on Neurotech Consulting from NeurotechX Services
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
Adam Sefler and Radhika Gupta head up which is a distinct for-profit entity affiliated with the non-profit NeuroTechX. They offer consulting and recruitment services with the vision to aid in the commercialization of neurotechnology at a global scale. Top 3 Takeaways: "Our projects range from [client] projects coming right out of labs, to setting up a whole new division for a larger company, to describing and setting the marketing strategy for an [international] startup, to doing C-level executive search[es] on the recruiting side, but […], that's by no means a complete list of...
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Mark Domyahn on marketing, regulatory, and reimbursement strategies for neurotech companies
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
Mark Domyahn is a partner at JD Lymon where they help companies develop healthcare strategies. They help companies understand their unique value proposition and optimize their market potential. Top 3 Takeaways: "the FDA writes zero checks. They give you a license to hunt, but they don't guarantee you kill anything" "What I'm hearing more and more is the first question out of investor's mouth isn't what's your FDA pathway, it's what's your reimbursement strategy. Because FDA is at least a somewhat known entity. And they're the last entity that will tell you as a company "if you do this...
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Tim Marjenin on helping neurotech companies do better storytelling for the FDA
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
is the Vice President of Neurology Regulatory Affairs at MCRA where he helps neurotech companies get through the challenges of being approved by the FDA. Tim has had over 16 years in the regulatory side of things before now advising the companies. Top 3 Takeaways: "A big part of what I'm doing right now. It's trying to help them figure out, okay. What are you trying to do? How can I help you put that in FDA's language and language that FDA is going to understand?" "I think probably the biggest success is that Applied VR got their Denovo granted just a few weeks ago. We supported them...
info_outlineSteven Plymale is the CEO of MyndTec. He joined the firm in late 2017 and has more than 25 years of experience in the medical device industry. Previously, he was CEO of Profound Medical, bringing the company from a small six-person team to going public in 2015 in an IPO that raised $60 million. Plymale was also with Xltek, now a division of Natus Medical, and Claron Technologies.
Milos Popovic is the Director of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (KITE) and professor in the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. He is also the co-founder and director of the MyndTec. Popovic’s decade of research and randomized clinical trials with stroke and spinal cord injury populations led to the development of the MyndMove device.
Takeaways:
Multidisciplinary teams help to build a successful rehabilitation institute.
Translation of rehabilitation technology is not easy but it can be fun.
It is important to harness neuroplasticity in the body and the brain to achieve successful long-lasting outcomes in rehabilitation.
[0:00] Steven Plymale and Milos Popovic introduced themselves to kick off the conversation with Jen French from Neurotech Reports and Ladan.
[0:35] Milos Popovic describes how RehabWeek 2019 ended up being hosted in Toronto, the first time the event was held in North America, and the plan his team put together
[1:32] Popovic describes his career journey from a nuclear engineer to director of an innovative rehabilitation research center and entrepreneur.
[3:33] Discussion of the building of the rehabilitation institute in Toronto Health Network with a team of 90 people and the importance of working directly with patients.
[4:58] Popovic describes the translation of technology from lab to the marketplace particularly in functional electrical stimulation and human clinical trials to a start-up company.
[6:24] Steven Plymale describes how he was introduced to MyndTec and his initiation into a small, struggling start-up company. Hear how he was convinced that electrical stimulation is not voodoo science
[7:50] Plymale and Popovic describe the MyndMove device.. Discussion ensues about the impact on upper extremity rehabilitation and the involvement of the brain, the melody of the neural activity, and how this therapy capitalizes on the neuroplasticity in the brain.
[12:02] Plymale discusses the current stage of MyndMove in the project development spectrum including regulatory approvals, raising capital investment, and pricing model.
[15:26] What is the target market for the MyndTec neural re-education device? Plymale also talks about their pursuit for clinical partners, their strategic focus and the economics of the medical device as an early stage venture.
[18:06] Steven Plymale talks about his career journey in the medical device industry and how he enjoys start-up ventures.
[19:25] Popovic concludes talking about what excites him at RehabWeek and the potential relationships building from this meeting.