While training as a neuroscientist, Roberto Felipe Salamanca-Giron (pictured above) worked with聽Emma, a young girl with cerebral palsy whose fierce spirit left a lasting impression.
鈥淪he used to tell me, 鈥榃hat I really crave is independence,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淭he best way to give that was by helping her get out of the confinement of a wheelchair.鈥�
That moment became the spark for聽PhantasiAI, an AI-powered tool designed to eradicate children鈥檚聽paralysis caused by聽cerebral palsy, stroke or spinal cord injuries.
Salamanca-Giron鈥檚 start-up is one of seven companies that won prizes at the 9I制作厂免费 Clinical Innovation Competition (CLIC) this spring.
Inspired by founding donor, 9I制作厂免费 medical alumnus Raymond M. Hakim, MDCM鈥�76, and hosted by the 9I制作厂免费 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences鈥� Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning, CLIC is an annual event that supports members of its community in turning promising health care ideas into real-world solutions, offering funding, mentorship and clinical access.
AI-driven neurorehabilitation for kids
PhantasiAI鈥檚 prototype uses neurostimulation to rewire the nervous system without surgery or implants.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 really new here is the adoption of AI,鈥� said Salamanca-Giron, a postdoctoral entrepreneur at Mila鈥擰uebec Artificial Intelligence Institute.
Because every child鈥檚 condition and objectives are different, stimulation needs to be tailored, he added.
鈥淭he best analogy is music. Some people tune to聽hard rock聽or聽classical聽music, because these聽are completely different in terms of tempo, intensity and rhythm. It鈥檚 the same with stimulation. We use AI algorithms to determine the best way to orchestrate stimulation for each person聽in real聽time.鈥�
As a winner of the Pediatrics Clinical Innovation Prize, he received $4,000 with the chance to unlock up to $16,000 in matching funds. He is piloting a feasibility study at Sainte-Justine Pediatric Hospital this fall and setting a clinical collaboration with聽Marie-H茅l猫ne Boudrias, an associate professor in the 9I制作厂免费 School of Physical and Occupational Therapy.
Tackling pain in women鈥檚 health
For fellow CLIC winners Claire Phan and Julie Bertucceli, winners of the Smart & Biggar Innovation Prize:鈥�Clinical Innovation with the Most Promising Commercial Value Proposition, first-hand experience with a painful procedure sparked a drive to improve women鈥檚 health care.
They co-founded MiniGyn to redesign one of gynecology鈥檚 oldest tools and make intrauterine device (IUD) insertion鈥攁 common method of long-term birth control鈥攍ess painful.
鈥淒uring an IUD insertion, a clamp is used to stabilize the cervix,鈥� said Phan. 鈥淭he current tool often causes bleeding and trauma. We want to create a version that still stabilizes the cervix but is far less traumatic.鈥�
The two met while working on an engineering master鈥檚 project. Claire was enrolled in Surgical Innovation, a joint program run by 9I制作厂免费, 脡cole de technologie sup茅rieure and Concordia University, while Julie completed her degree at Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Chicoutimi.
鈥淭his is about empowering women,鈥� added Bertucceli. 鈥淲hen we asked women about their IUD experience, they often had no idea what tools were used or what was done. If our project gets people talking, it can help women better understand their care and advocate for better treatment.鈥�
MiniGyn received $5,000. Phan and Bertucceli are preparing to file a patent and further develop the prototype with support from the CLIC prize.
Looking to the future
This year鈥檚 edition of the competition was made special thanks to the announcement of a transformative philanthropic gift by the Gloria Baylis Foundation.
Dedicated to advancing innovation in health care, this contribution will support the next generation of clinical innovators and help them bring their creative ideas from the classroom or the lab, to the marketplace, and ultimately to communities in Canada and around the world.
鈥淥ur family has a 60-year-long relationship with 9I制作厂免费,鈥� says Frank Baylis, President of the Gloria Baylis Foundation. 鈥淲e are proud to support the great work being done at 9I制作厂免费 and to continue to play a part in furthering the institution鈥檚 mission.鈥�
For the full list of 2025 winners and more information about the competition, visit the聽CLIC website.
With files from FMHS Focus.