RIT and Rochester Regional Health Alliance and the RIT Simone Center for Innovation initiated the Healthcare Idea Lab in 2013.  The IdeaLab is a program that employs RIT student teams with multidisciplinary  expertise  to solve unique problems faced by Rochester Regional Health. The students spend 2 days designing innovative solutions under the guidance of an RIT faculty mentor and a sponsoring Rochester Regional administrator. Student teams then present their approaches to the Rochester Regional sponsor. Successful projects may then expand into ongoing student research to develop product or service prototypes.

IdeaLab participants have successfully worked on a number of Rochester Regional problems/challenges, such as: Unique methods to transport and process blood specimens, a mobile centrifuge and carrier,  human- centered hand washing dispenser systems, wristband sanitizer, In-hospital patient tracking systems Blood cooler carrier inserts, and a feedback device designed to accelerate the recovery of those struggling with posture challenges.

Click on this link to view a video about the Idea Lab and a sample project: