Program Description: Since 2005, the BMEidea competition has recognized innovative biomedical engineering design with high commercial potential and social impact. The competition is open to both graduate and undergraduate students (undergraduate-only teams may also enter BMEStart).

Strong BMEidea submissions define a problem and demonstrate the development of a device, product, or technology designed to solve it. Examples include but are not limited to: surgical devices, home health care devices, diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative applications, rehabilitative and assistive technologies, or other innovations that will have a substantial impact on clinical care and patient outcomes.

Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged to apply and may include undergraduate students from diverse fields such as business, nursing, physical therapy, life sciences, physical sciences, or other related disciplines. Inter-institutional collaborations are also encouraged; in these cases we require a faculty advisor from each institution. Each team must include at least one engineering student.

BMEidea awards are presented each year at the MD&M East Medical Device Trade Show and Convention. Competition winners will receive cash awards ($10,000 first place, $5,000 second place, and $2,500 third place) as well as access to resources to be used for further development and commercialization of their products. They will also have the opportunity to present their designs and business plans to representatives of investor organizations. Cash prizes will be disbursed to each of the winning team's departments to be allocated at the discretion of the faculty advisor. In addition, the first place institution will get to display the impressive BMEidea trophy in their winning department for the year.

Team members have rights to all intellectual property, subject to the rules of their home institutions, unless assigned to others in exchange for support, sponsorship, or funding. Teams will be encouraged to retain a significant and motivating interest in their project results.

Competition registration and materials submission take place online via NCIIA’s competition tools. There is a limit of 3 entries per department within an academic institution;it is up to each department to coordinate which entries are submitted.

The BMEidea competition is sponsored by the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA); Boston Scientific; MD&DI (Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry), a publication of Canon Communications LLC; and Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), in partnership with the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and the Council of Chairs of Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering Programs.

Please see the solicitation for complete information.

Graduate and undergraduate student teams at colleges and universities are eligible. Each team must include at least one engineering student. Teams are encouraged to incorporate members from diverse fields such as business, law, medicine, dentistry, nursing, physical therapy, life sciences, physical sciences, or other related disciplines. Projects should focus on a new health-related technology, be invented by students, and address a real clinical need.

Inter-institutional collaborations are also encouraged; we require a faculty advisor from each institution.

NON-STANDARD

Associate Deans or Designates should submit their nominees to limitedsub@austin.utexas.edu by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 25, 2013.

Your College may submit up to three (3) entries.

**Note to Potential Applicants**

Internal review documents do not reflect the application requirements set forth by the sponsor. Please review solicitation carefully