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TMCi (TMC innovations factory) fosters innovation by connecting promising innovators with esteemed scientists and physicians from member institutions across the Texas Medical Center. As a member institution, Houston Methodist Hospital physicians and researchers are thrilled to collaborate with TMCi to promote innovation and discovery in patient care, research, and education. TMCi attracts entrepreneurs globally as well as locally, where we engage with them, providing the opportunity to witness innovative problem-solving solutions. Ideas originate from clinical settings and in the operating rooms, and are subsequently presented to these accelerators, where novel tools, diagnostics, and treatment options are developed. Their ultimate objective is to elevate healthcare to new heights.

In addition, the Center for Device Innovation (CDI) at the Texas Medical Center expedites the development of medical devices from concept to market. With rapid prototyping capabilities and dedicated testing facilities, CDI at TMC accelerates early and mid-stage development, leveraging state-of-the-art technology. These collaborative partnerships are pivotal for clinical advancements and medical education. As society extends its lifespan and embraces more active lifestyles, there is an increasing demand for both more clinicians and innovative patient strategies. One challenge we identified and helped develop with TMCi is a novel method for identifying the site of an obstruction causing sleep apnea in patients. This enables us to pinpoint the exact location of the obstruction and determine the appropriate surgical intervention without performing a DISE (drug induced sleep endoscopy). The results we have achieved with this new platform are highly promising. In the educational realm, a startup company approached us to evaluate their three-dimensional virtual reality surgical simulator for temporal bone surgery. We have long grappled with this issue, and previous solutions have been inadequate. The complexity of the procedure requires the ability to hear the drill’s changes and feel its impact against bone. However, wearing 3D glasses has proven to be an ineffective method. This novel device under testing utilizes a 3D rendering of a patient’s computed tomography (CT) scan projected into a 3D box equipped with a camera. A significant advantage of this device is its ability to capture the user’s visual field, eliminating the need for 3D glasses. Furthermore, the device incorporates a handheld haptic device that simulates the tactile sensation of scraping a drill against bone. The user can adjust the pressure applied to the drill, thereby controlling the amount of bone removed. Additionally, the device replicates the sound generated by the drill and the variations in sound intensity. By engaging the three senses of sight, touch, and hearing, the device provides an immersive and accurate simulation of the surgical procedure. The system automatically segments and automatically identifies important temporal bone structures. Residents can upload DICOM images of actual patient pathology for practice. We have installed the temporal bone drilling simulator in our residents’ training rooms to facilitate simulated practice. Our residents will actively participate in peer-reviewed journals to validate the efficacy of the device in enhancing surgical outcomes. The opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of individuals dedicated to improving healthcare is a source of immense excitement. These are merely a few examples of the benefits derived from having an innovation factory conveniently located nearby.