The Russian government has named pharmaceutical and biomedical as priority sectors for innovation, and has set a fairly ambitious strategic goal of increasing the share of domestic medical equipment products in the Russian market to at least 40%.
In these highly important fields, two new players have emerged recently in Russia, assisted by the global IT vendor Cisco.
A multi-format network from Siberia
A team of IT developers from Omsk, Siberia, calls for the development of a multi-format network for biomedical data exchange. The developers aim to utilize cloud computing for automatic data analysis and computer-aided diagnosis on a real-time basis. A server installed in a local diagnostics center would function as the base hardware component of the system.
The software and hardware complex also enables medical specialists to hold video conferences and consultations. Another purported advantage is helping physicians conduct IT-enabled “doctor’s rounds” remotely and even receive patients on a remote basis. By adding navigation capabilities, it is reportedly possible to track mobile patients’ whereabouts.
Mobile medicine from St. Petersburg
Another product, developed by a group of IT enthusiasts from St. Petersburg State University with a strong background in mathematics and engineering, will incorporate a multi-platform mobile software solution for wireless transmission of data from medical devices and data storage in a dedicated cloud. The St. Petersburg team is reportedly using a whole array of data transfer technologies, including Bluetooth, BLE, NFC and ANT+.
A prototype solution has already been developed to include mobile apps, a data storage server, and a portal that enables both patients and doctors to access their respective data on the Internet.
Cisco weighs in
Both teams have been hand-picked by Cisco to deliver critical project pitches during the Cisco I-PRIZE competition final slated for September 2013. Out of this year’s group of six finalists from various sectors, three can expect to be awarded a total of $170,000 in prize money from the US technology giant.
Organized in partnership with Skolkovo, Russia’s largest innovation hub nearing completion on the outskirts of Moscow, the competition is aimed at identifying and backing start-up projects that have the potential to evolve into movers and shakers in Russia’s budding technology-driven economy.
