Welcome


Dear friends and colleagues,

On behalf of our organizing committee it is my great pleasure to invite you to attend the second annual International Conference on Aging, Innovation and Rehabilitation (ICAIR) on May 6 & 7, 2024 in the great city of Toronto, Canada.

ICAIR is a one-of-a-kind event that is designed to drive cross-collaboration across multiple disciplines by attracting the world's leading scientific, health-care, academic, engineering, technology and entrepreneurial experts.

Health-care providers worldwide face many new and unknown challenges as our aging populations create new demands for treatments, services and resources. Advances in rehabilitation technology have the potential to significantly improve the lives of those living with disease, disability, and the impacts of aging.

We invite you to join us in Toronto at the meeting point of care, research and education at ICAIR 2024. Your attendance will help to accelerate the development of new products, services, treatments and solutions designed to help those in our communities who are most in need now and for years to come.

Dr. Milos R. Popovic
Chair, ICAIR organizing committee

About


The International Conference on Aging, Innovation & Rehabilitation drives discovery, collaboration and invention in the health-care and age tech sectors.

ICAIR is designed to inspire academics, clinicians, scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators to develop solution that improve the lives of people living with the effects of aging, disability and illness.

Join us at the historic Carlu event venue in downtown Toronto, Canada on May 6th & 7th for ICAIR 2024.

Why Attend

ICAIR is a unique conference destination designed to help researchers, academics, students, entrepreneurs and other innovators share research and academic success stories, build and foster relationships across disciplines, and encourage cross-pollination of communication, research and ideas.

Your Host

ICAIR is being hosted by the KITE Research Institute at the University Health Network (UHN) and is being co-presented by the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto, and includes significant input and participation from other clinical, research and academic partners.

Venue


Location: The historic Carlu in downtown Toronto

Address: 444 Yonge St. - #7, Toronto, ON, M5B 2H4

Website: https://www.thecarlu.com/

Phone: 416-597-1931

Poster Competition & 3MT


Poster Competition

Here's what to expect when you submit a poster for consideration:

  • Registered trainees, post-docs, scientists, and staff, will have the option of submitting a poster, which will be reviewed by the ICAIR Scientific Advisory Committee. Only one, first authored poster can be submitted per person. Authors of selected posters will receive notification of acceptance.
  • All submissions must use the Poster Template. Your poster will be printed for you and placed in the conference poster room.
  • Trainees (students/post-docs) submitting a poster will also be asked to indicate if they would like to be considered for the opportunity to compete in the Three Minute Talk (3MT) competition on the main stage.
  • The top 14 posters will be considered for publication in a special interdisciplinary issue of the Journal of BioMedical Engineering Online. Your publication will require approval from your academic advisor and will be peer-reviewed by the ICAIR Scientific Advisory Committee.
  • The deadline for submissions is March 8th, 2024 at 23:59.

We look forward to receiving your submissions. Please contact kite.icair@uhn.ca if you have any further questions.


3 Minute Talk Competition

Authors of the top 20 posters will be invited to participate in the 3 Minute Talk (3MT) stage competition. Finalists will be notified, and are expected to prepare a one-slide presentation to accompany their talk. (An additional slide for authors and affiliations will be allowed)

Start your registration and submission process here!

ICAIR 2024 Scientific Committee

Milos Popovic, Ph.D., PEng (General Chair).

Angela Colantonio, Ph.D.

Alison Novak, Ph.D.

Jon Sensinger, Ph.D., PEng.

Matija Milosevic, Ph.D.

Ken Yoshida, Ph.D., PEng.

Vladan Koncar, Ph.D.

Thierry Keller, Ph.D.

Susan Marzolini

Babak Taati

Tracey Colella

Kristin Musselman

Tilak Dutta

Sarah Munce

Jennifer Bethell

Andrea Furlan

Nancy Salbach

Behrang Heshavarz

ICAIR 2024 Organizing Committee

Milos R. Popovic, Chair

Mary Lam

Sharmini Atputharaj

Lesley Fullerton

Janitha Shanmugarajan

Andrew Turner

Shoshana Teitelman

Anthony Palma

Alison Novak

Jessica Boafo

Peter Athanasopoulos

Jarrett Churchill

Polina Andrievskaia

Michael Grace-Dacosta

Sophia (Yue) Li

Andrew Whitmell

Susan Gorski

Sebastian Gonzalez Pardo

Jose Ongpin

Babak Taati

Tara Lai

ICAIR Keynote Speakers


André Picard

Bio

André Picard is a health reporter and columnist for The Globe and Mail as well as the author of five bestselling books. Picard has been named Canada’s first “Public Health Hero” by the Canadian Public Health Association and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, for his dedication to improving healthcare.


Elise Roy

Different Is the New Normal: How Designing for Difference Helps Everyone Thrive

Bio

Elise Roy is a deaf human centered designer, former lawyer, and motivational speaker who works in the vanguard of the disruptive innovation movement. She is a passionate proponent of the notion that when we design for disability, we often develop solutions that are better than when we design for the norm.

Abstract

As a lawyer, Elise was always advocating for people with disabilities to be treated the same. In her new career, as a design strategist, she says to heck with that. We are different and difference is what makes us valuable.

Companies are discovering that in designing strategies, policies, services or other innovations, looking to average no longer works. Instead, we should be designing for extremes - and people with disabilities are great examples of extreme users. The audio books that you listen to on your commute to work, the keyboard that you type on, emails that you send by the minute, the captions that you view while watching Facebook videos, were all originally designed for disability but are loved by everyone. This is because when we design for disability, we create the superpowers that we all want – to do more, to hear more, to see more, and to go further. We learn how to create ability in the absence of natural, human ability.

In this talk Elise challenges us to shift our thinking about the value of those with differing abilities. This group, which has traditionally been excluded from the innovation realm because society is so used to designing around average, has proven to be one of the most valuable assets to the innovation process. Learn why companies like Microsoft, Marriott, and Tommy Hilfiger are looking to difference to help them stimulate new thinking and develop ground breaking innovations. Difference, whether in ability, cultural background, race, or sexual orientation is what makes us thrive.


Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic

Personalized AI-based neurostimulation for functional and cognitive benefits

Bio

Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic is an assistant professor of neuroengineering in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland. His research interests focus on the development of innovative devices for treatment of neurologically disabled persons (amputees and diabetics).

Abstract

Advances in peripheral nervous system (PNS) interfacing present a promising venue for rehabilitation of individuals with different neurological disabilities. Subjects with diabetes or lower-limb amputation frequently do not engage fully in everyday activities because they are afraid of falls. They also tend to have reduced mobility, which can induce a sedentary lifestyle that promotes disease development and hinders reinsertion into society, while the neuropathic pain is also common and poorly managed with current medications.

Despite a wide range of possibilities for human-machine interfacing, the nature of the optimal human-machine interaction remains poorly understood. Knowledge gained from in-silico modelling of targeted neural structures can inform an optimized design of such interfacing, therefore we develop the exact models of different nerves, enabling for AI-based personalized treatments.

We have pioneered a human-machine systems that translates prosthetic sensors’ read-outs into “language” understandable by the nervous system. A “sensing leg” for lower-limb amputees, by connecting sensors from the prosthetic knee and under the foot to the residual PNS, transduces the readout of the sensors into stimulation parameters. The “smart orthosis” for diabetics “speaks” to their residual healthy nerves with a similar philosophy. Their effects at the brain level were evaluated, observing important benefits. These studies not only provided clear evidence of the benefit of neuromodulation for neurologically disabled subjects but also provided insights into fundamental mechanisms of supraspinal integration of the restored sensory modalities.

Power Play


KITE Power Play Pitch Competition

If you have an innovative concept or business in the healthcare space, the KITE Power Play Pitch Competition is your gateway to recognition and support.

We are looking for energetic, innovative and passionate healthcare innovators who can address an unmet need in the healthcare industry, through preventative healthcare solutions, treatment and management of disabling injuries and illnesses, restorative assistive devices to help restore function, diagnostic tools, digital health, and others.

We welcome innovators involved in all stages of product and technology development, from concepts and prototypes to finished products and services and start-up companies, and who need capital to help bring their innovations to the next stage.

With $50,000 available in total prizes, the stakes are higher than ever. Don't miss your chance to build the future of healthcare!

The two categories of entries are:

  • The Innovative Concept - This award is open to all new, exciting, creative and innovative early stage change-making ideas that have the potential to make a transformative impact on all levels of the healthcare system. This is the only award for which innovators do not need to be in business; they just need to prove that they have a viable idea that's going to make an impact.
  • The Innovative Start-up - This award is open to all start-up companies who ever have a proven concept with a novel service offering or technology or product for sale or license, or a new product or service currently under development. The technology can be drawn from any field in the healthcare industry as long as the company is actively aiming to solve a gap in the healthcare market.

For example, we will accept the following stages of start-ups:

  • Prototype Blueprint Developed - No current users
  • Prototype Developed - No current users
  • Prototype Developed - Pilot users
  • Product Developed - Current users

Stage One: Online Application Submission

To participate in the KITE Power Play Pitch Competition, applicants are required to submit an online application consisting of a 2 to 3 page business plan and a compelling 2 minutes video pitch.

Submit Your Proposal

The business plan should provide a comprehensive overview of the innovative concept or startup, demonstrating substantial and sustainable growth potential. It should cover the following key aspects:

  1.  Business Overview – products/service offered (e.g. What is the unmet need? Why will people buy your product or service? What is the key benefit – the unique selling point? If the business is in the form of a company or partnership, how long has the entity been in operation and what has been accomplished to date?)

  2.  Target market (e.g. who is your target customer, and what is the size of this customer base in Canada and elsewhere? What are the competing products/services and advantages? )

  3.  Marketing Strategy (e.g. describe actual and/or contemplated marketing strategy and efforts)

  4.  Management team (e.g. identify the key members of the team and their relevant experience/training and any additional positions, expertise, experience and training required)

  5.  Funding required (How much money do you need to take the product/service to the next stage? What are your sales and expense expectations? If you win a prize in this competition, how will the funds be used?)

Your video submission should:

  1. Provide a compelling pitch outlining your concept or business.
  2. Clearly convey the essence of your innovation.
  3. Address key elements from your written business plan.

Please note that by submitting your business plan and video submission to the KITE Power Play Pitch Competition, you acknowledge that you have provided us with the necessary rights to evaluate your business product, solution, concept and strategy in connection with your participation in the KITE Power Play event.

Stage Two: Register for ICAIR

As part of the submission process, all applicants must register for the International Conference on Aging, Innovation & Rehabilitation (ICAIR). This crucial step ensures the completeness of your submission. Follow the instructions below to complete your ICAIR registration:

  • Visit the registration link: Register
  • Fill in the required details to complete your registration.

Upon successful registration for ICAIR, principal applicants will receive an exciting incentive: a complimentary ICAIR registration for the secondary applicant. This grants both principal and secondary applicants full access to the two-day ICAIR conference on May 6th and 7th.

Stage Three: Select Finalists

On April 8, 2024, the KITE Power Play Finalists will be announced. The top 20 finalists will receive a Power Play exhibitor table at ICAIR, providing an exclusive platform to network and showcase their innovations. Furthermore, the top 10 finalists will have the exclusive opportunity to showcase their talent and ingenuity, with a live pitch at the ICAIR conference on May 7, 2024.

Stage Four: KITE Power Play Pitch Competition Grand Finale

The pitch competition will take place during ICAIR on the following date and venue:

Date: May 7, 2024

Venue: The Carlu, 444 Yonge St. Toronto, ON M5B 2H4, Canada

ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY – Photographs and videos will be taken of attendees at the KITE Power Play competition event for publication on websites, newsletters, brochures, social media platforms and other media of UHN, KITE, and Toronto Rehab Institute. As a condition of participating as finalists in the KITE Power Play competition event, all finalists (and their representatives), by their attendance at the event, will be deemed to have given their consent to have photographs and videos taken of them at the event and for publication on the specified websites, newsletters, brochures, social media platforms, and other media.

FINALISTS – Finalists are expected to attend the live-pitch competition. If a finalist is not able to attend for whatever reason, the pitch competition will proceed with the remaining finalists. Each attending finalist will be given 5 minutes to pitch the business to a judging panel of industry experts and investors, followed by a short Q&A session. Finalists may use PowerPoint slides and/or videos at the live-pitch competition if they submit them to Sophia Li at Yue.Li@uhn.ca.

JUDGING – A finalist's pitch will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Team's background and expertise
  • Idea/Solution
  • Development and business plan
  • Market opportunity
  • Competitive advantages

At the end of all of the finalists' pitches, the judges will determine the winners in each of the two categories.

For questions relating to the usage of PowerPoint or videos to help describe the product, technology or service for the live-pitch competition, please contact Sophia Li at Yue.Li@uhn.ca.

The Prizes

START-UP COMPETITION

1st Place Prize | $25,000

2nd Place Prize | $10,000

3rd Place Prize | $10,000

CONCEPT COMPETITION

1st Place Prize | $2,500

2nd Place Prize | $1,500

3rd Place Prize | $1,000

Important Dates

March 8, 2024
Online application submission closes

April 8, 2024
KITE Power Play finalists announced

May 7, 2024
KITE Power Play pitch competition event

Areas of Focus


Aging

  • Treatments for Pain and Physical Decline
  • Promotion of Mobility
  • Support of Independent Living
  • Study of Disease Areas
  • Investigation of Illness and Frailty
  • Examination of Dementia and Memory
  • Study of Neural and Physical Decline
  • Falls and Injury Prevention

Innovation

  • Identification of New Technologies
  • Neuromodulation and Brain Tech (implants/interfaces)
  • Innovative Designs and the Development of Wearable Technologies, Smart Textiles, Robotic Systems
  • Robotics for Therapy, Social Interaction and Care
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Disruptive Technologies and Business Models
  • Fostering Invention
  • Research Commercialization
  • Drug Discovery for Neuro, Muscular and Bone Diseases

Rehabilitation

  • Telerehabilitation
  • Restoration of Function
  • Prevention of Injury and Infection
  • Deployment of New Treatments
  • Promotion of Independence
  • Advocacy of Reintegration and Active Living
  • Improvements in Pediatric, Geriatric, Musculoskeletal and Cardiac Care
  • Improved Participation
  • Treatment of Age-Related Diseases (Neurodegeneration, Arthritis)

Agenda


Day 1
Registration
Trainee Brunch
Opening Remarks
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition:
Journal presentation competition, where leading rehabilitation scientists will present their published research, for a chance to earn the title of "ICAIR Paper of the Year"
Nutrition Break & Poster Viewing Session
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition (continued)
Conference Reception
Day 2
Registration
Opening Remarks:
Dr. Milos Popovic - Institute Director, KITE Research Institute at UHN and Director, Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto
Dr. Kevin Smith - President & CEO, UHN
Dr. Jennifer Campos - Associate Director - Academic, and Senior Scientist, KITE Research Institute
Dr. Bradly G. Wouters - Executive VP Science and Research, UHN
Dr. Angela Colantonio - Director of the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto
Keynote Speaker: André Picard
Power Play Innovative Concept Competition:
Up-and-coming entrepreneurs present their exciting, creative and innovative early stage change-making ideas in a Dragon's Den-style competition.
Nutrition Break:
Power Play Innovative Start-up Competition:
Start-up companies looking to fill a gap in the healthcare industry present their concepts, prototypes, and healthcare innovations in a Dragon's Den-style competition.
Poster Viewing Session & Lunch
Keynote Speaker: Elise Roy
3-Minute Talks:
The next generation of aging and rehabilitation leaders present their findings and ideas in a three-minute Ted Talk style competition.
Awards Ceremony

Registration


For Attendees


Accommodations

A discounted nightly rate at Chelsea Hotel is available for all ICAIR attendees. Please use this booking link to take advantage of this special offer!

Travel
Air
International - Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
  • ICAIR attendees are eligible for discounts on Air Canada and West Jet flights! Contact kite.icair@uhn.ca for more information.
  • Union Pearson Express (Up Express) connects Pearson Airport to Union Station, in downtown Toronto, and departs every 30 minutes. Click here for more information. ICAIR attendees receive a special discount! Contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca.
Domestic - Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (services select locations in North America)
  • Regular TTC streetcar service to Union Station is available a short walk away. Click here for more information.
Ground
Toronto Public Transit
  • The Carlu is located at the College subway station. Click here for a TTC subway map.
GO Transit
  • Metrolinx provides rail transit service connecting select GTA locations with Union Station, in downtown Toronto. Click here for more information.
  • ICAIR attendees receive a special discount! Contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca for information.
Via Rail
  • Via Rail provides rail transit service connecting select Canadian locations, with Union Station, in downtown Toronto. Click here for more information.
  • ICAIR attendees receive a special discount! Contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca for information.
Accessibility Information
The Carlu
Chelsea Hotel

For Sponsors and Exhibitors


The International Conference on Aging, Innovation and Rehabilitation (ICAIR) is an important cross-disciplinary event that brings together the leading researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs currently working to improve the lives of people around the world who live with the impacts of illness, disability and aging.

  • ICAIR will feature TED-style talks by renowned players in the rehab space
  • ICAIR will feature educational keynote speeches by top rehabilitation engineers, scientists and clinicians
  • ICAIR is the first research-based conference of its scale and style hosted by the Kite Research Institute at UHN
  • ICAIR provides a platform for rehabilitation professionals to exchange their ideas, get inspired and form research partnerships
  • At ICAIR, you will reach over 1000 of the world's leading minds in rehabilitation research and technology
  • ICAIR will feature a pitch competition that will attract top entrepreneurs, innovators and start-ups.
  • ICAIR offers competitive sponsorship packages for industry partners to become an integral part of the conference

Our sponsorship and exhibitor package is available for download below. For those who are interested, please contact kite.partnerships@uhn.ca.

2023 Sponsors and Exhibitors

Bronze Sponsor

Trainee Networking Sponsor

Logo Veritasrb Logo Ontario Brain Institute

Exhibitors

Logo Cardon Rehab Logo Westech HealthCare Limited Logo Level Rehab Tracking

Academic Exhibitors

Logo Unity Health Toronto Logo Centennial College Logo UofT Crania NeuroModulation Institute
Logo Humber College Logo George Brown College Logo Holland Bloorview
Logo Human Research Accreditation Canada Logo Health Innovation Hub Logo Sheridan College Generator
Logo Canada's National Ballet school

Power Play Exhibitors

Logo 16Bit Logo ORA 3D Logo Abble Innovations
Logo Mentor Me Healthcare Logo SilicoLabs Logo Panaxium
Logo Ava Rehab Logo Vessl Prosthetics Logo ReLab Vision
Logo Imaginable Solutions Inc. Logo Power Wearhouse

Conference Videos


Contact


If you have any questions about ICAIR conference, please contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca. Please make sure that the conference acronym is clearly specified in your message.

About ICAIR

The International Conference on Aging, Innovation & Rehabilitation drives discovery, collaboration and invention in the health-care and age tech sectors.

ICAIR is designed to inspire academics, clinicians, scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators to develop solution that improve the lives of people living with the effects of aging, disability and illness.

Join us at the historic Carlu event venue in downtown Toronto, Canada on May 6th & 7th for ICAIR 2024.

Why Attend

ICAIR is a unique conference destination designed to help researchers, academics, students, entrepreneurs and other innovators share research and academic success stories, build and foster relationships across disciplines, and encourage cross-pollination of communication, research and ideas.

Your Host

ICAIR is being hosted by the KITE Research Institute at the University Health Network (UHN) and is being co-presented by the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto, and includes significant input and participation from other clinical, research and academic partners.

Welcome

Dear friends and colleagues,

On behalf of our organizing committee it is my great pleasure to invite you to attend the second annual International Conference on Aging, Innovation and Rehabilitation (ICAIR) on May 6 & 7, 2024 in the great city of Toronto, Canada.

ICAIR is a one-of-a-kind event that is designed to drive cross-collaboration across multiple disciplines by attracting the world's leading scientific, health-care, academic, engineering, technology and entrepreneurial experts.

Health-care providers worldwide face many new and unknown challenges as our aging populations create new demands for treatments, services and resources. Advances in rehabilitation technology have the potential to significantly improve the lives of those living with disease, disability, and the impacts of aging.

We invite you to join us in Toronto at the meeting point of care, research and education at ICAIR 2024. Your attendance will help to accelerate the development of new products, services, treatments and solutions designed to help those in our communities who are most in need now and for years to come.

Dr. Milos R. Popovic
Chair, ICAIR organizing committee

Venue

Location: The historic Carlu in downtown Toronto

Address: 444 Yonge St. - #7, Toronto, ON, M5B 2H4

Website: https://www.thecarlu.com/

Phone: 416-597-1931

Areas of Focus

Aging
  • Treatments for Pain and Physical Decline
  • Promotion of Mobility
  • Support of Independent Living
  • Study of Disease Areas
  • Investigation of Illness and Frailty
  • Examination of Dementia and Memory
  • Study of Neural and Physical Decline
  • Falls and Injury Prevention
Innovation
  • Identification of New Technologies
  • Neuromodulation and Brain Tech (implants/interfaces)
  • Innovative Designs and the Development of Wearable Technologies, Smart Textiles, Robotic Systems
  • Robotics for Therapy, Social Interaction and Care
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Disruptive Technologies and Business Models
  • Fostering Invention
  • Research Commercialization
  • Drug Discovery for Neuro, Muscular and Bone Diseases
Rehabilitation
  • Telerehabilitation
  • Restoration of Function
  • Prevention of Injury and Infection
  • Deployment of New Treatments
  • Promotion of Independence
  • Advocacy of Reintegration and Active Living
  • Improvements in Pediatric, Geriatric, Musculoskeletal and Cardiac Care
  • Improved Participation
  • Treatment of Age-Related Diseases (Neurodegeneration, Arthritis)

Scientific Committee

Milos Popovic, Ph.D., PEng (General Chair).

Angela Colantonio, Ph.D.

Alison Novak, Ph.D.

Jon Sensinger, Ph.D., PEng.

Matija Milosevic, Ph.D.

Ken Yoshida, Ph.D., PEng.

Vladan Koncar, Ph.D.

Thierry Keller, Ph.D.

Susan Marzolini

Babak Taati

Tracey Colella

Kristin Musselman

Tilak Dutta

Sarah Munce

Jennifer Bethell

Andrea Furlan

Nancy Salbach

Behrang Heshavarz

Organizing Committee

Milos R. Popovic, Chair

Mary Lam

Sharmini Atputharaj

Lesley Fullerton

Janitha Shanmugarajan

Andrew Turner

Shoshana Teitelman

Anthony Palma

Alison Novak

Jessica Boafo

Peter Athanasopoulos

Jarrett Churchill

Polina Andrievskaia

Michael Grace-Dacosta

Sophia (Yue) Li

Andrew Whitmell

Susan Gorski

Sebastian Gonzalez Pardo

Jose Ongpin

Babak Taati

Tara Lai

Keynote Speakers

ICAIR Keynote Speakers


André Picard

Bio

André Picard is a health reporter and columnist for The Globe and Mail as well as the author of five bestselling books. Picard has been named Canada’s first “Public Health Hero” by the Canadian Public Health Association and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, for his dedication to improving healthcare.

Elise Roy

Different Is the New Normal: How Designing for Difference Helps Everyone Thrive

Bio

Elise Roy is a deaf human centered designer, former lawyer, and motivational speaker who works in the vanguard of the disruptive innovation movement. She is a passionate proponent of the notion that when we design for disability, we often develop solutions that are better than when we design for the norm.

Abstract

As a lawyer, Elise was always advocating for people with disabilities to be treated the same. In her new career, as a design strategist, she says to heck with that. We are different and difference is what makes us valuable.

Companies are discovering that in designing strategies, policies, services or other innovations, looking to average no longer works. Instead, we should be designing for extremes - and people with disabilities are great examples of extreme users. The audio books that you listen to on your commute to work, the keyboard that you type on, emails that you send by the minute, the captions that you view while watching Facebook videos, were all originally designed for disability but are loved by everyone. This is because when we design for disability, we create the superpowers that we all want – to do more, to hear more, to see more, and to go further. We learn how to create ability in the absence of natural, human ability.

In this talk Elise challenges us to shift our thinking about the value of those with differing abilities. This group, which has traditionally been excluded from the innovation realm because society is so used to designing around average, has proven to be one of the most valuable assets to the innovation process. Learn why companies like Microsoft, Marriott, and Tommy Hilfiger are looking to difference to help them stimulate new thinking and develop ground breaking innovations. Difference, whether in ability, cultural background, race, or sexual orientation is what makes us thrive.

Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic

Personalized AI-based neurostimulation for functional and cognitive benefits

Bio

Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic is an assistant professor of neuroengineering in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland. His research interests focus on the development of innovative devices for treatment of neurologically disabled persons (amputees and diabetics).

Abstract

Advances in peripheral nervous system (PNS) interfacing present a promising venue for rehabilitation of individuals with different neurological disabilities. Subjects with diabetes or lower-limb amputation frequently do not engage fully in everyday activities because they are afraid of falls. They also tend to have reduced mobility, which can induce a sedentary lifestyle that promotes disease development and hinders reinsertion into society, while the neuropathic pain is also common and poorly managed with current medications.

Despite a wide range of possibilities for human-machine interfacing, the nature of the optimal human-machine interaction remains poorly understood. Knowledge gained from in-silico modelling of targeted neural structures can inform an optimized design of such interfacing, therefore we develop the exact models of different nerves, enabling for AI-based personalized treatments.

We have pioneered a human-machine systems that translates prosthetic sensors’ read-outs into “language” understandable by the nervous system. A “sensing leg,” for lower- limb amputees, by connecting sensors from the prosthetic knee and under the foot to the residual PNS, transduces the readout of the sensors into stimulation parameters. The “smart orthosis” for diabetics “speaks” to their residual healthy nerves with a similar philosophy. Their effects at the brain level were evaluated, observing important benefits. These studies not only provided clear evidence of the benefit of neuromodulation for neurologically disabled subjects but also provided insights into fundamental mechanisms of supraspinal integration of the restored sensory modalities.

Poster Competition & 3MT

Poster Competition

Here's what to expect when you submit a poster for consideration:

  • Registered trainees, post-docs, scientists, and staff, will have the option of submitting a poster, which will be reviewed by the ICAIR Scientific Advisory Committee. Only one, first authored poster can be submitted per person. Authors of selected posters will receive notification of acceptance.
  • All submissions must use the Poster Template. Your poster will be printed for you and placed in the conference poster room.
  • Trainees (students/post-docs) submitting a poster will also be asked to indicate if they would like to be considered for the opportunity to compete in the Three Minute Talk (3MT) competition on the main stage.
  • The top 14 posters will be considered for publication in a special interdisciplinary issue of the Journal of BioMedical Engineering Online. Your publication will require approval from your academic advisor and will be peer-reviewed by the ICAIR Scientific Advisory Committee.
  • The deadline for submissions is March 8th, 2024 at 23:59.

We look forward to receiving your submissions. Please contact kite.icair@uhn.ca if you have any further questions.


3 Minute Talk Competition

Authors of the top 20 posters will be invited to participate in the 3 Minute Talk (3MT) stage competition. Finalists will be notified, and are expected to prepare a one-slide presentation to accompany their talk. (An additional slide for authors and affiliations will be allowed)

Start your registration and submission process here!

Power Play

KITE Power Play Pitch Competition

If you have an innovative concept or business in the healthcare space, the KITE Power Play Pitch Competition is your gateway to recognition and support.

We are looking for energetic, innovative and passionate healthcare innovators who can address an unmet need in the healthcare industry, through preventative healthcare solutions, treatment and management of disabling injuries and illnesses, restorative assistive devices to help restore function, diagnostic tools, digital health, and others.

We welcome innovators involved in all stages of product and technology development, from concepts and prototypes to finished products and services and start-up companies, and who need capital to help bring their innovations to the next stage.

With $50,000 available in total prizes, the stakes are higher than ever. Don't miss your chance to build the future of healthcare!

The two categories of entries are:

  • The Innovative Concept - This award is open to all new, exciting, creative and innovative early stage change-making ideas that have the potential to make a transformative impact on all levels of the healthcare system. This is the only award for which innovators do not need to be in business; they just need to prove that they have a viable idea that's going to make an impact.
  • The Innovative Start-up - This award is open to all start-up companies who ever have a proven concept with a novel service offering or technology or product for sale or license, or a new product or service currently under development. The technology can be drawn from any field in the healthcare industry as long as the company is actively aiming to solve a gap in the healthcare market.

For example, we will accept the following stages of start-ups:

  • Prototype Blueprint Developed - No current users
  • Prototype Developed - No current users
  • Prototype Developed - Pilot users
  • Product Developed - Current users

Stage One: Online Application Submission

To participate in the KITE Power Play Pitch Competition, applicants are required to submit an online application consisting of a 2 to 3 page business plan and a compelling 2 minutes video pitch.

Submit Your Proposal

The business plan should provide a comprehensive overview of the innovative concept or startup, demonstrating substantial and sustainable growth potential. It should cover the following key aspects:

  1.  Business Overview – products/service offered (e.g. What is the unmet need? Why will people buy your product or service? What is the key benefit – the unique selling point? If the business is in the form of a company or partnership, how long has the entity been in operation and what has been accomplished to date?)

  2.  Target market (e.g. who is your target customer, and what is the size of this customer base in Canada and elsewhere? What are the competing products/services and advantages? )

  3.  Marketing Strategy (e.g. describe actual and/or contemplated marketing strategy and efforts)

  4.  Management team (e.g. identify the key members of the team and their relevant experience/training and any additional positions, expertise, experience and training required)

  5.  Funding required (How much money do you need to take the product/service to the next stage? What are your sales and expense expectations? If you win a prize in this competition, how will the funds be used?)

Your video submission should:

  1. Provide a compelling pitch outlining your concept or business.
  2. Clearly convey the essence of your innovation.
  3. Address key elements from your written business plan.

Please note that by submitting your business plan and video submission to the KITE Power Play Pitch Competition, you acknowledge that you have provided us with the necessary rights to evaluate your business product, solution, concept and strategy in connection with your participation in the KITE Power Play event.

Stage Two: Register for ICAIR

As part of the submission process, all applicants must register for the International Conference on Aging, Innovation & Rehabilitation (ICAIR). This crucial step ensures the completeness of your submission. Follow the instructions below to complete your ICAIR registration:

  • Visit the registration link: Register
  • Fill in the required details to complete your registration.

Upon successful registration for ICAIR, principal applicants will receive an exciting incentive: a complimentary ICAIR registration for the secondary applicant. This grants both principal and secondary applicants full access to the two-day ICAIR conference on May 6th and 7th.

Stage Three: Select Finalists

On April 8, 2024, the KITE Power Play Finalists will be announced. The top 20 finalists will receive a Power Play exhibitor table at ICAIR, providing an exclusive platform to network and showcase their innovations. Furthermore, the top 10 finalists will have the exclusive opportunity to showcase their talent and ingenuity, with a live pitch at the ICAIR conference on May 7, 2024.

Stage Four: KITE Power Play Pitch Competition Grand Finale

The pitch competition will take place during ICAIR on the following date and venue:

Date: May 7, 2024

Venue: The Carlu, 444 Yonge St. Toronto, ON M5B 2H4, Canada

ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY – Photographs and videos will be taken of attendees at the KITE Power Play competition event for publication on websites, newsletters, brochures, social media platforms and other media of UHN, KITE, and Toronto Rehab Institute. As a condition of participating as finalists in the KITE Power Play competition event, all finalists (and their representatives), by their attendance at the event, will be deemed to have given their consent to have photographs and videos taken of them at the event and for publication on the specified websites, newsletters, brochures, social media platforms, and other media.

FINALISTS – Finalists are expected to attend the live-pitch competition. If a finalist is not able to attend for whatever reason, the pitch competition will proceed with the remaining finalists. Each attending finalist will be given 5 minutes to pitch the business to a judging panel of industry experts and investors, followed by a short Q&A session. Finalists may use PowerPoint slides and/or videos at the live-pitch competition if they submit them to Sophia Li at Yue.Li@uhn.ca.

JUDGING – A finalist's pitch will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Team's background and expertise
  • Idea/Solution
  • Development and business plan
  • Market opportunity
  • Competitive advantages

At the end of all of the finalists' pitches, the judges will determine the winners in each of the two categories.

For questions relating to the usage of PowerPoint or videos to help describe the product, technology or service for the live-pitch competition, please contact Sophia Li at Yue.Li@uhn.ca.

The Prizes

START-UP COMPETITION

1st Place Prize | $25,000

2nd Place Prize | $10,000

3rd Place Prize | $10,000

CONCEPT COMPETITION

1st Place Prize | $2,500

2nd Place Prize | $1,500

3rd Place Prize | $1,000

Important Dates

March 8, 2024
Online application submission closes

April 8, 2024
KITE Power Play finalists announced

May 7, 2024
KITE Power Play pitch competition event

Agenda

(Day 1)
Registration
Trainee Brunch
Opening Remarks
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Stanisa Raspopovic
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition:
Journal presentation competition, where leading rehabilitation scientists will present their published research, for a chance to earn the title of "ICAIR Paper of the Year"
Nutrition Break & Poster Viewing Session
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition (continued)
(Day 2)
Registration
Opening Remarks:
Dr. Milos Popovic - Institute Director, KITE Research Institute at UHN and Director, Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto
Dr. Kevin Smith - President & CEO, UHN
Dr. Jennifer Campos - Associate Director - Academic, and Senior Scientist, KITE Research Institute
Dr. Bradly G. Wouters - Executive VP Science and Research, UHN
Dr. Angela Colantonio - Director of the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto
Keynote Speaker: André Picard
Power Play Innovative Concept Competition:
Up-and-coming entrepreneurs present their exciting, creative and innovative early stage change-making ideas in a Dragon's Den-style competition.
Nutrition Break
Power Play Innovative Start-up Competition:
Start-up companies looking to fill a gap in the healthcare industry present their concepts, prototypes, and healthcare innovations in a Dragon's Den-style competition.
Poster Viewing Session & Lunch
Keynote Speaker: Elise Roy
3-Minute Talks:
The next generation of aging and rehabilitation leaders present their findings and ideas in a three-minute Ted Talk style competition.
Awards Ceremony

Registration & Submission

For Attendees

Accommodations

A discounted nightly rate at Chelsea Hotel is available for all ICAIR attendees. Please use this booking link to take advantage of this special offer!

Travel
Air
International - Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
  • ICAIR attendees are eligible for discounts on Air Canada and West Jet flights! Contact kite.icair@uhn.ca for more information.
  • Union Pearson Express (Up Express) connects Pearson Airport to Union Station, in downtown Toronto, and departs every 30 minutes. Click here for more information. ICAIR attendees receive a special discount! Contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca.
Domestic - Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (services select locations in North America)
  • Regular TTC streetcar service to Union Station is available a short walk away. Click here for more information.
Ground
Toronto Public Transit
  • The Carlu is located at the College subway station. Click here for a TTC subway map.
GO Transit
  • Metrolinx provides rail transit service connecting select GTA locations with Union Station, in downtown Toronto. Click here for more information.
  • ICAIR attendees receive a special discount! Contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca for information.
Via Rail
  • Via Rail provides rail transit service connecting select Canadian locations, with Union Station, in downtown Toronto. Click here for more information.
  • ICAIR attendees receive a special discount! Contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca for information.
Accessibility Information
The Carlu
Chelsea Hotel

Sponsors and Exhibitors

The International Conference on Aging, Innovation and Rehabilitation (ICAIR) is an important cross-disciplinary event that brings together the leading researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs currently working to improve the lives of people around the world who live with the impacts of illness, disability and aging.

  • ICAIR will feature TED-style talks by renowned players in the rehab space
  • ICAIR will feature educational keynote speeches by top rehabilitation engineers, scientists and clinicians
  • ICAIR is the first research-based conference of its scale and style hosted by the Kite Research Institute at UHN
  • ICAIR provides a platform for rehabilitation professionals to exchange their ideas, get inspired and form research partnerships
  • At ICAIR, you will reach over 1000 of the world's leading minds in rehabilitation research and technology
  • ICAIR will feature a pitch competition that will attract top entrepreneurs, innovators and start-ups.
  • ICAIR offers competitive sponsorship packages for industry partners to become an integral part of the conference

Our sponsorship and exhibitor package is available for download below. For those who are interested, please contact kite.partnerships@uhn.ca.

2023 Sponsors and Exhibitors

Bronze Sponsor

Trainee Networking Sponsor

Logo Veritasrb Logo Ontario Brain Institute

Exhibitors

Logo Cardon Rehab Logo Westech HealthCare Limited Logo Level Rehab Tracking

Academic Exhibitors

Logo Unity Health Toronto Logo Centennial College Logo UofT Crania NeuroModulation Institute
Logo Humber College Logo George Brown College Logo Holland Bloorview
Logo Human Research Accreditation Canada Logo Health Innovation Hub Logo Sheridan College Generator
Logo Canada's National Ballet school

Power Play Exhibitors

Logo 16Bit Logo ORA 3D Logo Abble Innovations
Logo Mentor Me Healthcare Logo SilicoLabs Logo Panaxium
Logo Ava Rehab Logo Vessl Prosthetics Logo ReLab Vision
Logo Imaginable Solutions Inc. Logo Power Wearhouse

Conference Videos

Contact

If you have any questions about ICAIR conference, please contact us at kite.icair@uhn.ca. Please make sure that the conference acronym is clearly specified in your message.