Join us at DeviceTalks West, the World’s Fair of Medtech

October’s DeviceTalks West conference is focused on the future.

The best-seller “Devil in the White City” may have darkened the perception of world’s fairs, but these international convocations have long presented visitors with an optimistic and hopeful view of the future, thanks in no small part to new technology. (The next one is scheduled for 2025 in Osaka, Japan, by the way.)

I like to think we’ll be following similar guidelines at the upcoming DeviceTalks West conference, which will be held on Oct. 19-20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

This event will bring together executives from Abbott, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Intuitive, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Outset Medical, Penumbra, Shockwave, Zimmer Biomet and many others.

VIDEO: On the show floor at DeviceTalks Boston 2022

We built this year’s DeviceTalks West conference with the future in mind.

The medical device industry is crossing the chasm into novel technologies that will accelerate new product development and manufacturing. Let’s walk through some of those opportunities we’ll be addressing at the conference.

Artificial intelligence at DeviceTalks West

AI promises to turn medical devices into an even more essential part of patient care, delivering vital data to clinicians and assessing treatment for patients. Over those two days, we’ll have several conversations centered around AI.

Medical device makers working to understand the power of AI will learn how Boston Scientific and IBM Research used custom AI and a cloud-based platform to discover new biomarkers that do a more effective job of assessing pain.

Medtronic will reveal the role AI plays in its gastrointestinal tools.

Finally, in a DeviceTalks West presentation delivered by Goodwin Procter attorneys, entrepreneurs entering the space will get essential legal advice on protecting their AI-related intellectual property.

Bioelectronic medicine 

For well over a decade, medical technology companies have been developing devices using electricity as a therapeutic. Now that the sector has matured, startup founders and device executives need to understand how large OEMs like Medtronic will compete in this market.

In a DeviceTalks West keynote presentation, Brett Wall, Medtronic executive vice president and neuroscience president, will explain how the company sees bioelectronic medicine impacting the future of medical devices.

Surgical robotics at DeviceTalks West

Intuitive literally invented the surgical robotics market. But this isn’t stemming the tide of companies large and small looking to grab their share in this growing industry.

How is Intuitive responding? In a keynote interview, Intuitive CEO Gary Guthart will explain how Intuitive is using its expertise, significant R&D capabilities and its financial might to protect its top spot against all comers.

New care settings

The pandemic advanced this movement by half a decade or more. Companies like Outset Medical have been working hard toward developing devices that allow patients to receive life-saving care outside of traditional clinical settings.

CEO Leslie Trigg, in a DeviceTalks West keynote interview, will explain how Outset successfully rode this wave — and avoided some potential wipeouts — toward commercial success of its Tablo dialysis system.

Outset engineers will also be on hand to share their expertise in creating complex devices that can used at home.

Smart sensors

Zimmer Biomet paved the way to incorporate data-collecting sensors into its orthopedic implants through a groundbreaking partnership with Canary Medical.

In 2021, Zimmer Biomet obtained FDA approval for the Persona IQ, a combination of Zimmer’s knee implant with Canary Medical’s sensor technology that measures and determines range of motion, step count, walking speed and other gait metrics.

In this discussion we’ll hear from principals at both companies about how the collaboration started and, more importantly, where this use of cutting-edge sensor technology can take the orthopedic implant market.

Using patient data

Evidation has developed a data-collection platform capable of tracking patient information through wearables. Evidation helped Moderna conduct a digitally enabled, at-home study that examined COVID-19 antibody responses. Results of the study released last month suggested individuals who received Moderna vaccinations and boosters had more durable antibody levels than those receiving Pfizer shots.

In the DeviceTalks West opening keynote interview, co-CEO Deborah Kilpatrick will explain how Evidation is helping companies collect and make sense of patient data that could aid in device design, clinical testing and performance in value-based environments.

Doctor’s orders

Medical device makers building tools and devices for hospitals need an even stronger understanding of how technology can find a home in patient care. Physicians increasingly are looking toward data and tools to improve efficiency and performance.

In a panel concluding the first day of the conference, clinical leaders from Abbott, Boston Scientific and Edwards Lifesciences will share their perspectives on how medical device developers can help hospitals innovate their way out of current challenges.

Digital device development tools

Device makers will have the opportunity to learn about digital technologies that can accelerate new device development.

Attendees will explore how combining virtual technologies, analytics and AI can lead to the development of a virtual twin, a predictive model that can help medical device makers understand how medical devices will function.

In addition to expediting development, the virtual tools offered by Dassault Systemes can also be used to develop virtual sites for clinical trials, making it faster and less expensive to secure regulatory approval.

We’ll be talking about headwinds such as the supply chain crisis, as well as global IP protection, the future of R&D and pressures from the FDA.

We’ll also hear from outstanding startup leaders like Kelly Ashfield about building startups that last. Ashfield is COO of Materna Medical, which just closed on a $22 million Series B round.

At Device Talks West, attendees walking our exhibit floor won’t see futuristic structures or towering monuments. But what they will see — and hear — over those two days will give them the knowledge and tools to build a more promising future for medtech.

Registration is open now at DeviceTalks.com.

PREVIOUSLY: They said it at DeviceTalks Boston 2022

This post was updated on Sept. 20, 2022.