Health Technology Innovation

“My wife hasn’t seen my eyes in five years,” the patient told University of Waterloo student Nina Yan on her first day working in an optometry practice. After suffering a concussion, the man was forced to wear dark sunglasses constantly to alleviate the pain of extreme light sensitivity. 

Since its founding in 2015, KA Imaging, a Waterloo spinoff, has been revolutionizing X-ray technology in Canada and around the world. 

The company was founded by three visionary Waterloo alumni: Amol Karnick (BASc ’95), Sina Ghanbarzadeh (MASc ’14, in memoriam) and Dr. Karim Karim (BASc ’99, PhD ’03) who all had a goal to create significant social impact by advancing X-ray imaging technology. 

Today, KA Imaging has grown to more than 50 employees, with its innovative products being utilized in 10 countries across three continents. 

Why is Kids Help Phone leading and sharing insights on innovation, data and even artificial intelligence?  Isn’t Kids Help Phone (KHP) a not-for-profit charity, a youth mental health social service charity?  These are questions I get all the time — until I tell the story of KHP and the work we have been doing for 35 years. 

An interdisciplinary research team from the University of Waterloo is using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify microplastics faster and more accurately than ever before.

Microplastics are commonly found in food and are dangerous pollutants that cause severe environmental damage – finding them is the key to getting rid of them.

The research team’s advanced imaging identification system could help wastewater treatment plants and food production industries make informed decisions to mitigate the potential impact of microplastics on the environment and human health.

Grand River Hospital Foundation’s Care Never Stops Week (from May 23 to May 28) featured a Health Innovation Challenge in partnership with the University of Waterloo’s Velocity Incubator, a free public talk with Tomi Poutanen, CEO and Co-founder of artificial intelligence-driven health company Signal 1, and a grand finale Rally for Health, with a free public concert. 

Dr. Nikolas Knowles, a researcher in Kinesiology and Health Sciences, is studying a new imaging technology to assess shoulder osteoarthritis. Called dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), it can detect changes in multiple tissues, not just cartilage, which has the potential to change how medical imaging is used to quickly and cost-effectively diagnose early osteoarthritis and assess treatment options.

SARS-CoV-2, the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, has continued to evolve at a rapid pace in the last two years, leading to the emergence of new, tougher variants and a surge in breakthrough infections of fully vaccinated and boosted people around the world.

As a result, there is a pressing need to develop new, safe, cost-effective vaccines that provide broader coverage and are accessible to people everywhere.

Rui Su (PharmD ’18) is used to rejection. The Rx2018 pharmacy grad has worn many hats over the years, but the one that suits her best is trailblazer. Su is an entrepreneur committed to improving Canada’s health-care system. On this journey, she’s learned that rejection is part of the process.