Amii Partners with Industry-Leading Consortium on a $22M Project to Transform Pressure Injury Prevention and Management

Amii is pleased to partner with Medtronic, Rehabtronics and a consortium of healthcare innovation experts to launch PressureSmart, a project aimed at transforming the prevention, early detection, and management of pressure injuries in Canadian healthcare settings. For this project, Amii is proud to serve as the academic research partner, providing the consortium access to Amii’s world-leading AI expertise in the form of emerging research.

Pressure injuries (PIs), also known as pressure ulcers or bedsores, are areas of damage to the skin and underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure on the skin. Currently, PIs impact 26% of patients and are a significant concern in healthcare settings—particularly for individuals who are immobile or have difficulty changing positions which can lead to diminishing quality of life and prolonged hospital stays.

“Amii’s world-leading AI expertise will play a pivotal role in this critical project aimed at preventing and managing pressure injuries,” said Cam Linke, CEO, Amii. “AI has the potential to fundamentally reshape current PI protocols, which are often bogged down by labour-intensive manual processes. By leveraging AI, we aim to help healthcare providers to deliver a scalable, transformative solution to this pressing healthcare challenge.”

AI in Patient Monitoring and Care

PressureSmart leverages Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered camera technology which will be used to monitor patients in multiple settings to understand the conditions which makes them highly susceptible to PIs leading to improved strategies for prevention and cure. This solution includes risk assessment, wound tracking, and patient/caregiver engagement, creating streamlined PI care pathways to improve patient outcomes, reduce staff workload, and address the needs of an aging population.

Consortium Partners Driving Innovation

As part of the project, Amii will work directly with Medtronic, a world-leading global healthcare technology company, on computer vision models that forecast the duration and positions in which a patient has been immobile, potentially leading to pressure injuries.

Rick Sethi, Sr. Director of Research & Technology and Open Innovation at Medtronic AC&M, says, “Our Consortium is thrilled to be awarded this opportunity, working closely with DIGITAL and Providence Health Care Ventures, to help support the development of solutions that reduce the impact of pressure ulcers throughout the patient care continuum. The utilization of technology, such as AI, will help augment the clinical workflow for clinicians and improve patient outcomes.”

Amii will also work with Rehabtronics, a medical equipment manufacturer, on machine learning models dedicated to categorizing, triaging, and predicting the severity of pressure injuries.

“Partnering with technology leaders like Amii enables us to harness our combined strengths, delivering a scalable and comprehensive solution for managing pressure injuries," says Rahul Samant, CEO of Rehabtronics. "Integrating AI with Prelivia’s prevention and treatment technology will enhance patient outcomes, streamline caregiver workflows, and optimize resource utilization.”

The project is co-funded by DIGITAL, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies, focused on accelerating the development and commercialization of Canadian-made technologies.

“AI will revolutionize global health care systems by providing greater access and better outcomes for Canadians and for people around the world,” said Sue Paish, CEO of DIGITAL. “DIGITAL is proud to co-invest alongside Canadian innovators to support partnerships such as the PressureSmart project team to amplify Canadian industry expertise in building relevant AI solutions that advance human health while building global commercial pathways for Canadian companies.”

The PressureSmart project prioritizes patient-centred care while advancing technical and clinical aspects of PI management. By enhancing quality of life, reducing healthcare burdens, and emphasizing prevention, PressureSmart represents a unified effort by industry leaders to leverage their expertise to combat PIs and elevate patient care standards universally.

The project consortium includes Amii, Medtronic, Rehabtronics, DIGITAL, Swift Medical, Thrive Health, Excelar, and Providence Health Care Ventures.

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