2022 Global Health Technology Challenge

Competition eligibility criteria:

• Teams can be comprised of undergraduate students from any major.

• Design must address a global health need using a technical approach.

• Projects can emanate from coursework or other extracurricular activities.

• Teams should incorporate the design constraints encountered in providing healthcare in resource-limited settings.

About the Competition:

The Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies Twelfth Annual Undergraduate Global Health Technologies Design Competition will feature student teams from national and international universities who will present low-cost technologies they have designed to address global health challenges in resource-limited settings. The 2022 Competition will be held entirely virtually, with students, coaches, and mentors joining from locations around the world.

All semi-finalist teams will have the option to receive coaching from mentors in industry, medicine, and academia. Using insights from coaching, teams will prepare videos no longer than 3 minutes to present their designs. Judges from across the globe will evaluate students’ videos to select three finalist teams, who will present their work on March 25, 2022 at the virtual competition finale.

January 14, 2022
Application opens

February 20, 2022
Application Closes at 11:59 PM CST

Entries will be judged on the quality of the problem definition, the effectiveness and potential impact of the design solution, and the likelihood that the design solution can be successful in improving healthcare delivery in a low-resource setting.

February 25, 2022

Semi-finalists notified & matched with coaches

March 6, 2022 at 11:59 PM CST​ 

Deadline for Semi-finalist Video Submissions

March 18, 2022

Finalists Notified

March 25, 2022

Finalists present at Virtual Competition Finale

9:00 am - 10:30 am CST

January 14, 2022: Application Opens

February 20, 2022: Application Deadline

Registration form must include:

• Problem Definition (50 words or less)

• Abstract (300 words or less), must include:

• Description of the design problem and assessment of need for solution

• Design criteria and constraints

• Description and status of your proposed solution along with successes, limitations, and future work.

• If you choose, you may include one figure or table with caption.

• *References and credits do not need to be included in abstract.

Project Video:

Create a video about the problem and your team’s general approach.

Your video should not include any proprietary information surrounding the project. You will upload this video in the registration form as an unlisted YouTube video.

Video content should include:

1. What global health challenge motivates the technology?

2. What is the global health need your technology addresses?

3. Who will benefit? (Example: “Patients in low-resource hospitals where suction pumps are needed but there is no electricity.”)

4. How will the technology fit/fill the need? (Example: “The suction pump avoids the need for electricity as it is solar powered.”)

5. What is your proposed solution?  Please specify any results/findings if you have had a chance to test the technology. (Example: “We have tested the suction pump measuring the vacuum it generates using a vacuum gauge” or “we have compared the suction pump to an existing suction pump at the hospital”, or “we plan to do a pressure test”…)

6. What are your successes, limitations and future plans?

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February 25, 2022: Semi-finalist teams notified & matched with coaches

All teams selected as semi-finalists will have the option to be matched with a Design Coach, who represent experts from industry, medicine, and academia. Design Coaches will mentor teams in preparation for the semi-finalist video submissions.

March 6, 2022: Semi-finalist Video Submissions Due

Each team should submit their revised video (no longer than 3 minutes) by March 6, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Video content should include:

What global health challenge motivates the technology?

1. What is the global health need your technology addresses?

2. Who will benefit? (Example: “Patients in low-resource hospitals where suction pumps are needed but there is no electricity.”)

3. How will the technology fit/fill the need? (Example: “The suction pump avoids the need for electricity as it is solar powered.”)

4. What is your proposed solution?  Please specify any results/findings if you have had a chance to test the technology. (Example: “We have tested the suction pump measuring the vacuum it generates using a vacuum gauge” or “we have compared the suction pump to an existing suction pump at the hospital”, or “we plan to do a pressure test”…)

5. What are your successes, limitations and future plans?

​​

March 18, 2022: Finalists Notified

Using the design evaluation rubric, Judges will select three finalist teams to present at the Virtual Competition Finale.

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March 25, 2022: Finalists present at Virtual Competition Finale

At the Virtual Competition Finale, three finalist teams will share their designs with live questions from attendees. Following the Keynote Address, awards will be presented to finalist teams based on judges’ evaluations.​

Semi-finalist Video

Submission Guidelines:

• Each team video should be no longer than 3 minutes. Videos exceeding this duration will not be considered.

• Each team video must be submitted as a public or unlisted YouTube link. Please note that private YouTube videos will NOT be accepted due to software integration issues.

• Each team video must include a minimum of one team representative. Please note that all of your team members are encouraged to be included in your video if possible.

• The purpose of this design competition is to evaluate your global health innovations, NOT your video editing skills. We encourage you to consider your video submission as a virtual presentation—consider providing a demonstration of your prototype (if applicable), connecting with your audience, etc. as you would during a live presentation.

Please contact:

Emily Mitaro

emitaro@rice.edu

713-348-2916