Stryker (NYSE:SYK) and PlusTherapeuticsInc . (NASDAQ:PSTV) are both medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, dividends, profitability, valuation, institutional ownership and earnings.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Stryker and PlusTherapeuticsInc ., as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Stryker currently has a consensus target price of $214.39, suggesting a potential downside of 0.88%. Given Strykers higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Stryker is more favorable than PlusTherapeuticsInc ..

Volatility and Risk

Stryker has a beta of 0.83, indicating that its stock price is 17% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, PlusTherapeuticsInc . has a beta of 1.83, indicating that its stock price is 83% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Stryker and PlusTherapeuticsInc .s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Stryker has higher revenue and earnings than PlusTherapeuticsInc ..

Institutional & Insider Ownership

73.0% of Stryker shares are held by institutional investors. 7.2% of Stryker shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.7% of PlusTherapeuticsInc . shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Dividends

Stryker pays an annual dividend of $2.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.0%. PlusTherapeuticsInc . does not pay a dividend. Stryker pays out 28.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Stryker has raised its dividend for 8 consecutive years.

Profitability

This table compares Stryker and PlusTherapeuticsInc .s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Summary

Stryker beats PlusTherapeuticsInc . on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Stryker

Stryker Corporation operates as a medical technology company. The company operates through three segments: Orthopaedics, MedSurg, and Neurotechnology and Spine. The Orthopaedics segment provides implants for use in hip and knee joint replacements, and trauma and extremities surgeries. The MedSurg segment offers surgical equipment and surgical navigation systems, endoscopic and communications systems, patient handling, emergency medical equipment and intensive care disposable products, reprocessed and remanufactured medical devices, and other medical devices for use in various medical specialties. The Neurotechnology and Spine segment provides neurotechnology products that include products used for minimally invasive endovascular techniques; products for brain and open skull based surgical procedures; orthobiologic and biosurgery products, such as synthetic bone grafts and vertebral augmentation products; and minimally invasive products for the treatment of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. It also provides spinal implant products comprising cervical, thoracolumbar, and interbody systems for use in spinal injury, deformity, and degenerative therapies. The company sells its products to doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities through company-owned subsidiaries and branches, as well as third-party dealers and distributors in approximately 80 countries. Stryker Corporation was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

About PlusTherapeuticsInc .

Plus Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, engages in developing treatments for cancer and other diseases in the United States. The company's lead product candidate in pipeline is DocePLUS, an albumin-stabilized PEGylated liposomal formulation of docetaxel for the treatment of small cell lung cancer. It also engages in developing DoxoPLUS, an injectable generic PEGylated liposomal formulation of doxorubicin for the treatment of breast, ovarian, multiple myeloma, and Kaposi's sarcoma cancer. The company was formerly known as Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Plus Therapeutics, Inc. in July 2019. Plus Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

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Analyzing PlusTherapeuticsInc . (NASDAQ:PSTV) and Stryker (NASDAQ:SYK) - Riverton Roll

In his "Membrane Theory" of 1902, the German physiologist JuliusBernstein gave the earliest biophysical explanation of propagatingaction potentials and thereby provided the first truly quantitativetheory in electrophysiology.

Since then, Neuroscience has become a vast and growing area innatural sciences devoted to unraveling the function of the brain as oneof the most complex results of biological evolution. A thoroughanalysis of brain function still continues to be an outstandingscientific challenge.

Today a big step in the process of advancing our understandingis expected from the highly dynamic and interdisciplinary research lineof Neurotechnology. This discipline combines experiments withmathematical models, computer simulation and data analysis on the basisof well-defined theoretical concepts hopefully resulting inapplications (e.g. in Neuroprosthethics). It makes available ascientific language and methodology that can be used across disciplinesranging from neurobiology, cognitive science, systems biology toinformation technology. This task requires focussed interdisciplinarycooperation between engineers and theoreticians with a long-standinginvolvement in neuroscience collaborating with advanced experimentalgroups in order to investigate and design complete Neuro-BionicClosed-Loop Systems, neuro-sensing andneuro-stimulation strategies.

In 2004 the Federal Ministry of Education and Research(BMBF) in Germany has started an initiative to create a "NationalBernstein Network Computational Neuroscience" now consisting of thefour Bernstein Centers for Computational Neuroscience in Berlin,Freiburg, Goettingen and Munich, five Bernstein Groups, elevenBernstein Collaborations, several Bernstein Awards, and last but notleast four Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology in the regions Berlin,Frankfurt/Main, Freiburg/Tuebingen and Goettingen.

The BMBF has bestowed the title of "Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience" to honour Bernstein's scientific achievements.

The Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology (BFNT) Goettingen integrates research groups at the

Georg-August-University GttingenMax Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (Dept. of Nonlinear Dynamics)Max Planck Institute forBiophysical Chemistry (incl. BiomedNMR)Max Planck Institutefor Experimental MedicineMax Planck Institute for BiophysicsGerman Primate CenterHannover Medical School

Moreover, active collaboration with the following industrial partnersfurther defines the scientific and technological core of the BFNTGttingen: Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH, LEICA MicrosystemsGmbH, MED-EL GmbH, and Thomas Recording GmbH.

Thecoordinator of the BFNT Goettingen is Prof Woergoetter, Professor ofComputational Neuroscience at the University of Goettingen.

Prof. Dr. Florentin Woergoetter Georg-August-University of GttingenDepartment of Computational NeuroscienceFriedrich-Hund-Platz 1 37077 Gttingen

E: worgott @ bccn-goettingen.de

Follow this link:

Welcome to the Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology Gttingen

Over the past few years, there has been substantial scientific and medical progress toward designing powerful restorative neural interfaces for people with paralysis or limb loss. Much of this progress has resulted from decades of fundamental research, funded almost entirely by federal sources, including the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense, with critical help from philanthropic foundations.

In the late 1990s, the initial translation of fundamental neuroengineering research from bench to bedside that is, to pilot clinical testing would require a level of financial commitment ($10s of millions) available only from private sources. In 2002, a Brown University spin-off/startup medical device company, Cyberkinetics, Inc. (later, Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, Inc.) was formed to collect the regulatory permissions and financial resources required to launch pilot clinical trials of a first-generation neural interface system. The companys efforts and substantial initial capital investment led to the translation of the preclinical research at Brown University to an initial human device, the BrainGate Neural Interface System [Caution: Investigational Device. Limited by Federal Law to Investigational Use]. The BrainGate system uses a brain-implantable sensor to detect neural signals that are then decoded to provide control signals for assistive technologies. In 2004, Cyberkinetics received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the first of two Investigational Device Exemptions (IDEs) to perform this research. Hospitals in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Illinois were established as clinical sites for the pilot clinical trial run by Cyberkinetics. Four trial participants with tetraplegia (decreased ability to use the arms and legs) were enrolled in the study and further helped to develop the BrainGate device. Initial results from these trials have been published or presented.

While scientific progress towards the creation of this promising technology wassteady and encouraging, Cyberkinetics financial sponsorship of the BrainGate research - without which the research could not have been started - began to wane. In 2007, in response to business pressures and changes in the capital markets, Cyberkinetics turned its focus to other medical devices. Although Cyberkinetics own funds became unavailable for BrainGate research, the research continued through grants and subcontracts from federal sources. By early 2008 it became clear that Cyberkinetics would eventually need to withdraw completely from directing the pilot clinical trials of the BrainGate device. Also in 2008, Cyberkinetics spun off its device manufacturing to new ownership, Blackrock Microsystems, Inc., which produces and is further developing research products as well as clinically-validated (510(k)-cleared) implantable neural recording devices.

Beginning in mid 2008, with the agreement of Cyberkinetics, a new, fully academically-based IDE application (for the BrainGate2 Neural Interface System) was developed to continue this important research. In May 2009, the FDA provided a new IDE for the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial. The BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial is directed by faculty in the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School; the research is performed in close scientific collaboration with Brown Universitys Department of Neuroscience, School of Engineering, and Brown Institute for Brain Sciences, and the VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnologyof the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the Providence VA Medical Center. Additionally, in 2011 and 2013, Stanford University and Case Western Reserve University, respectively, joined the BrainGate Research Team as clinical sites and scientific sites. As was true of the decades of fundamental, preclinical research that provided the basis for the recent clinical studies, funding for BrainGate research is now entirely from federal and philanthropic sources.

The BrainGate Research Team at Brown University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Stanford University, Case Western Reserve University, and Providence VA Medical Center comprises clinicians, scientists, and engineers working together to advance understanding of human brain function and to develop neurotechnologies for people with neurologic disease, injury, or limb loss. We hope that these technologies will become a powerful means to restore communication, mobility, and independence to people with paralysis. The teams investigator-initiated research is focused on advancing the science and medicine of restorative neural interfaces.

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About Braingate | BrainGate

PDMonitor is a non-invasive continuous monitoring system for use from patients with Parkinsons disease.

The system is composed of a set of wearable Monitoring Devices, a mobile application, which enables patients/caregivers to record medication, nutrition and non-motor status information as complementary information for the motor symptom assessment, and a physician tool, which graphically presents to the healthcare professional all patient related information.

It is intended to trace record, process and store a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms frequently presented in Parkinsons disease, by the continuous use of a set of wearable monitoring devices.

The system can be used at any stage of the disease after its initial diagnosis and when the patients are under medical treatment.

Movement information derived from the recordings and disease symptoms with their intensities, after appropriate data processing, is presented to the treating healthcare professional in a comprehensive way. The reports will be at the disposal and judgment of the attending healthcare professional and could allow for a better and objective assessment and understanding of the patients symptom condition related to the Parkinsons Disease through the Physician Tool.

The motor symptom information is accompanied by other data, collected through the smartphone of the patient/caregiver related to the patient lifestyle, cognitive condition, diet, activity, etc. (i.e. non-motor symptoms). The system can provide a picture of the patient health status to the healthcare professional, along with detailed information in various time periods and a friendly environment for the healthcare professional to make a change in the patients therapeutic plan, which can be communicated through the PDMonitor system to the patient/caregiver.

Three actors compose the PDMonitor ecosystem: (a) patients being at any stage of the disease, (b) caregivers formal (nurses, volunteers) or informal (relatives, family, volunteers) appointed for specific patients, (c) healthcare professionals (medical doctors Neurologists experts in movement disorders or Neurologists or General Practitioners.

The system provides a closed loop of interaction among the patient, the caregiver and the medical doctor and at the same time provide a repository of most of the patient health status related data.

The patient can acquire the system from PD Neurotechnology Ltd and he could be paired to a healthcare professional who provides the followup in the monitoring data and the communication with the patient / caregiver through the system. The patient could use the system only after having the agreement with the Healthcare Professional who is obliged to be trained, and registered to PDNeurotechnology Ltd in the use of the PDMonitor system (certified by PD Neurotechnology Ltd. as PDMonitor Healthcare Professional). Both, the patient and the Healthcare Professional are registered users of the PDMonitor System.

Access to the system has any patient suffering from Parkinsons disease, who is treated by a healthcare professional.

Throughout the year, the patient is able to follow his or her progress, through the mobile application, perform simple tasks through the specific section of the application and interact with the doctor and the caregiver in a simple, coherent and value adding manner.

Here is the original post:

PD Neurotechnology A sophisticated expert system (mobile ...

Neurotechnology was founded with the key idea of using neural networks for applications such as biometric person identification, computer vision, robotics and artificial intelligence.Much to our delight, we were able to endure the "neural networks winter" by using and expanding this expertise all through 2012, the year that brought explosive developments in the concept and infrastructure of deep neural networks.This allowed us to quickly take advantage of the emerging opportunities that came with the new wave of deep learning and triggered an entire range of new projects in object recognition and other applications.Currently, our team is comprised of more than 100 employees, 15% of whom hold a Ph.D. and half of our employees are actively involved in R&D activities.

Neurotechnology was founded in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1990.The following year we released our first fingerprint identification system for criminal investigations.Our further research endeavors resulted in the first fingerprint identification algorithm for civil uses, which was made public in 1997.In 2002, our researchers began developing a solution for recognizing faces and we released our first facial recognition product in 2004.This was followed by our algorithm for iris recognition released in 2008.In addition, since 2011 we have maintained an ongoing research program in voice recognition.

Once we conceived of the benefits of fusing several biometric modalities, we directed our efforts toward building a multi-biometric product.Released in 2005 under the name MegaMatcher Software Development Kit, the initial version could support recognition of fingerprints and faces.Modalities for iris and voice recognition were added later.From the date of its release in 2005, our MegaMatcher SDK gained acceptance as a key solution in large and national-scale projects related to issuance of passports, de-duplication of voters, etc.For instance, our customers in Bangladesh used the technology for de-duplication of voters in their 2008 election.As another example, the MegaMatcher SDK has been used for passport issuance for Indonesian nationals since 2009.There are many more similar projects as well.

Since applications of this type put extreme requirements on 1:N matching performance, we have spent a lot of our R&D effort on solving this problem.To speed the matching process, we released MegaMatcher Accelerator in 2009.Originally it was used for the fingerprint modality only, but then we added face and iris modalities.In 2016, we released MegaMatcher ABIS to provide the best solution for customers willing to have end-user software instead of an SDK.In 2018, we used MegaMatcher ABIS during the large-scale voter de-duplication campaign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.We carried out a number of similar projects in other countries as well.

In response to market demands, since 2000 we have also been involved in developing a range of products for smartcard-based biometrics and embedded applications, as well as some end-user products.

In 2004, to better accommodate the growing volumes of research in artificial intelligence, the company founded its robotics division, which began research in the field of mobile autonomous robots.

In 2009, to assist our customers in selecting suitable hardware for their implementations of biometric systems, we started Biometric Supply.This subsidiary offers a wide range of fingerprint readers and iris scanners from multiple manufacturers.

The year 2012 was rich with events for Neurotechnology.To take advantage of the new opportunities brought by rapid growth of cloud technologies, we started SkyBiometry.This subsidiary now provides face detection and recognition software as a cloud-based service.Also in 2012, a strategic decision was made to start a division in Sri Lanka.The team of developers there is now the prime force in developing our biometric solutions for attendance systems.

In 2014, Neurotechnology released SentiBotics, a ready-to-use robotics development kit.The same year, the company established the Ultrasound Research Group to undertake research in the fields of ultrasonic particle manipulation, parametric array and transducer technology.

In almost 30 years of our activity, we have accumulated substantial experience in the area of neural networks.This allowed us to develop a multitude of product capabilities based on deep learning as well as customer applications.

Deep neural networks are able to solve many problems - such as image classification, object detection, or instance segmentation - more efficiently than traditional computer vision algorithms.To facilitate this process, we have built a technology that has tools to support developing AI-based object recognition applications.

In the area of face recognition, the last few years witnessed a dramatic reduction in error rates brought by new algorithms that are based on convolutional neural networks (CNN).Our company started using CNNs for the task of face recognition in 2013.The first application of neural networks alone resulted in an improvement in the accuracy of unconstrained face recognition by a factor of 15 times! We expect further improvements in face recognition performance due to explosive development of architectures and techniques related to CNNs.

As deep learning techniques kept proliferating other areas, we were ultimately able to employ our face recognition algorithms under the conditions of real-time surveillance.By being able to recognize and track other objects - such as pedestrians and all kinds of vehicles (cyclists, bikes, cars, busses, trucks, etc.) - in adjacent video frames, we can extract various pieces of information about those objects, for example the color of the vehicle or the direction of its movement.There is a separate modality for recognizing license plates of vehicles using neural networks.

Our latest improvements in other biometric modalities are also driven by extensive research in deep neural networks.This includes the most interoperable fingerprint algorithm in the world (ranked the first in the NIST MINEX interoperability category), the second most accurate iris recognition technology and the new version of our algorithm for speaker identification.

As another illustration of our achievements in using deep learning, Neurotechnology's researchers won first place in the 2017 Kaggle competition with a computer vision solution for classifying fish species.

We seek to distill our knowledge and understanding of how natural intelligence operates into deep-learning-based algorithms, and we see this approach as the shortest path toward achieving General AI.Neurotechnology also runs Deep Learning Paper Reviews, a series of open-access events devoted to sharing and discussing recent ideas in the field.

We have a reputation for developing a range of products for biometric identification of fingerprints, palm prints, faces, irises and voices.Since the release of our first fingerprint identification system, we have delivered more than 200 products and version upgrades for identification and verification of objects and personal identity.Over 3,000 system integrators, security companies and hardware providers in more than 140 countries integrate our algorithms into their products.

With a combination of fast algorithms and high reliability, our company's fingerprint, face, iris and voice biometric technologies can be used for access control, computer security, banking, time attendance control and law enforcement applications, among others.

With millions of customer installations worldwide, our products are used for both civil and forensic applications, including border crossings, criminal investigations, systems for voter registration, verification and duplication checking, passport issuance and other national-scale projects.

Neurotechnology's fingerprint identification algorithms have shown some of the best results for reliability in major biometric competitions and evaluations, including the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) Minutiae Interoperability Exchange III (MINEX III), Proprietary Fingerprint Template Evaluation II (PFT II) and Fingerprint Vendor Technology Evaluation for the US Department of Justice (FpVTE 2012).Previously, the fingerprint recognition algorithms have received awards in the International Fingerprint Verification Competitions (FVC2006, FVC2004, FVC2002 and FVC2000).

In 2018, our iris recognition algorithm was tested in the NIST Iris Exchange (IREX) Evaluation and was recognized as the second most accurate among those tested.The accelerated version of the algorithm was nearly 50 times faster than any other matching system in the NIST IREX IX evaluation.Previously, Neurotechnology showed outstanding results in the IREX, IREX III and IREX IV evaluations.

To meet the demands of a variety of applications, we developed many advanced algorithms based on computer vision.For instance, they are used in SentiSight.ai, our interactive web platform for developing AI-based object recognition applications.The platform has tools designed to support interactive model training - without coding - and faster image labeling, thus reducing the amount of user effort spent on data mining.We also run projects tailored to the specific needs of our customers.

Our technology for real-time surveillance was designed to support biometric face identification of moving pedestrians using live video streams from high-resolution digital cameras.The technology is used for passive identification, when passers-by do not make any efforts to be recognized.Possible uses for this technology include law enforcement, security, attendance control, visitor counting, traffic monitoring and other commercial applications.

Some of our ealier R&D efforts related to computer vision also involved technologies for eye movement tracking and 3D object model reconstruction.

Our current R&D effort in robotics is focused on the "programming by demonstration" approach and its practical implementation in various neural network structures. During our experiments we not only gained experience with different types of neural networks (e.g., various CNN's, RNN's, including RNN's with external memory, the self modifying RNN and the CMP, Cognitive Mapping and Planning), we also developed our own theoretical innovations.

SentiBotics, our ready-to-use robotics development kit, allows rapid development and testing of mobile robots. The kit includes a mobile robotic platform with a 3D vision system, a modular robotic arm and accompanying ROS-based software we have built on our own, with complete source code and programming samples.

Our Ultrasound Research Group undertakes research in the fields of ultrasonic particle manipulation, parametric array and transducer technology.It develops novel algorithms, hardware and electronics solutions for ultrasonics applications.Currently, the group is developing a new, patent-pending 3D printing and assembling technology based on ultrasonic particle manipulation.This new technology is intended to expand capabilities of existing 3D printing and assembling processes.In 2018, the group also filed a patent for a novel ultrasonic electrostatic transducer technology.These transducers were developed primarily for use in parametric array systems.

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About Neurotechnology: company information and white paper

You or someone you care about has sustained a brain injury. You have heard that there are many advances and interesting research occurring in the treatment and management of brain injuries. This article will help inform you about neurotechnology, a new field that offers technical devices and therapies for persons living with brain injury. This article will also review some important aspects of neurotechnology, including the types of technologies and important issues to consider before pursuing the use of a device or therapy. One way in which this article might be useful is to serve as the basis for discussion with a trained medical professional who is familiar with your specific condition.

Neurotechnology is a broad term used to refer to medical electronics used to interact with the human nervous system. The field has made rapid advancements in recent history: components have shrunk, electronics improved, and we, as a society, have become more accepting of interacting with technology. For instance, think about how common a heart pacemaker is today compared to only two decades ago. Devices are available commercially for brain injury treatment in such areas as pain management, breathing assistance, rehabilitation techniques and diagnostic practices. There are also many new technologies being investigated in research centers. These devices cannot reverse the damage to the brain. They are tools that can be used, for instance, to combat secondary conditions, provide further independence or to aid in the rehabilitation process.

The basis of neurotechnology is the electrical signals the body uses to send messages. Electrical stimulation is the primary feature of this technology. Even though a muscle is paralyzed, it does not mean that the muscle cannot contract when it is stimulated. For those with mobility impairments that do not have peripheral nerve damage, electrical stimulation may be utilized; it is being demonstrated through exciting new technologies. The technologies are also being reviewed to excite neurons in the nervous system.

In the 1950s, the first attempt was made to apply electrical stimulation to the phrenic nerve to allow a person to breathe without a ventilator. This gradually developed into a field of science called FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation). FES encompasses a variety of therapeutic techniques and treatments used to activate muscles that may not be functioning properly due to injury, disease or a physical abnormality. Over the decades, this field of science that combines medicine, biomedical engineering and technology evolved into what is now called neurotechnology.

Areas of Neurotechnology

Neurotechnology can be divided into four areas: Neuromodulation, Neural Prostheses, Neural Rehabilitation, NeuroPharmaceutical, and NeuroSensing and Diagnostics. Each area has a distinct definition however some devices may be applicable to more than one area.

These four segments make up the innovative field of neurotechnology. This is an emerging field; it is essential that the consumer carefully consider each device, therapy or treatment protocol before choosing to participate.

Important Considerations of Use

Below are some important considerations to review prior to participating in a therapy, treatment or device use.

Individuals interested in neurotechnology treatments, therapies or devices should consider the time commitment and financial requirements and be evaluated and supervised by a clinician specializing in brain injury.

It was formerly an article of faith among scientists that damage to the brain was permanent, and neurons, once destroyed by trauma, could not regenerate. Decades of research into the brain have shown otherwise. There is a growing wave of scientific evidence for regenerative processes in the brain, and proof for the brain's innate plasticity the natural capacity of the brain to rewire itself, to form new connections and re-model existing ones.

Cortical maps of the brain have shown the ability to modify bodily areas by sensory input and experience. Such studies about spatial navigation areas in the brains of taxi-drivers or areas corresponding to the motor maps of fingers in Braille readers demonstrate such capabilities of the brain. Axons, the projections that connect different cortical zones, continue to develop well into adulthood. Therapies guided by principles of neuroplasticity can encourage axonal regrowth, compensating for damaged neural tissue instead of re-growing it. There are neuronal assemblies, such as the hippocampus, which appear to possess limited regenerative properties, but research into this phenomenon is in its infancy. Nonetheless, as young as it is, the field of neuroplasticity is cause for cautious optimism among persons with brain injury and their families.

This research has obvious therapeutic implications for the treatment of brain injury. Doctors who specialize in the physical rehabilitation of patients with stroke have drawn on neuroplasticity research in devising therapies such as constraint-induced therapy, which forces use of the side of the body affected by stroke, by restricting use of the unaffected side. Forced to use the affected arm intensively and repetitively for weeks, stroke survivors will often see gains in their ability to use the impaired limb. Other more low-tech therapies drawing on the concept of neuroplasticity include compensatory therapies. The person with brain injury is trained to use a reminder system such as a notebook or calendar to compensate for memory or cognitive deficits. The continued use of such systems is hoped to encourage the growth of new habits, and, it is assumed, new axonal connections between regions of cortex spared by brain injury.

One of the most exciting realms of therapeutic technology, guided by the principles of research, is neurotechnology. This fact sheet outlines some of the current research areas in this field and offers practical guidelines for taking advantage of these advances. Families and persons with brain injury should be aware of these findings, and discuss them with their doctors. The inherent limitations in recovery caused by the loss of neural tissue can be balanced with the capacity for recovery offered by therapy and technology.

There are no quick-fix-its for brain injury just as there is no cure-all for any chronic health condition. We do not intend to offer false hope or make promises beyond what qualified medical professionals can make. Nonetheless, research into the regenerative properties of the brain can serve as a silver lining in the cloud of trauma and impairment caused by brain injury.

Go here to read the rest:

Neurotechnology for Brain Injury Fact Sheet | BrainLine

PDMonitor is a non-invasive continuous monitoring system for use from patients with Parkinsons disease.

The system is composed of a set of wearable Monitoring Devices, a mobile application, which enables patients/caregivers to record medication, nutrition and non-motor status information as complementary information for the motor symptom assessment, and a physician tool, which graphically presents to the healthcare professional all patient related information.

It is intended to trace record, process and store a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms frequently presented in Parkinsons disease, by the continuous use of a set of wearable monitoring devices.

The system can be used at any stage of the disease after its initial diagnosis and when the patients are under medical treatment.

Movement information derived from the recordings and disease symptoms with their intensities, after appropriate data processing, is presented to the treating healthcare professional in a comprehensive way. The reports will be at the disposal and judgment of the attending healthcare professional and could allow for a better and objective assessment and understanding of the patients symptom condition related to the Parkinsons Disease through the Physician Tool.

The motor symptom information is accompanied by other data, collected through the smartphone of the patient/caregiver related to the patient lifestyle, cognitive condition, diet, activity, etc. (i.e. non-motor symptoms). The system can provide a picture of the patient health status to the healthcare professional, along with detailed information in various time periods and a friendly environment for the healthcare professional to make a change in the patients therapeutic plan, which can be communicated through the PDMonitor system to the patient/caregiver.

Three actors compose the PDMonitor ecosystem: (a) patients being at any stage of the disease, (b) caregivers formal (nurses, volunteers) or informal (relatives, family, volunteers) appointed for specific patients, (c) healthcare professionals (medical doctors Neurologists experts in movement disorders or Neurologists or General Practitioners.

The system provides a closed loop of interaction among the patient, the caregiver and the medical doctor and at the same time provide a repository of most of the patient health status related data.

The patient can acquire the system from PD Neurotechnology Ltd and he could be paired to a healthcare professional who provides the followup in the monitoring data and the communication with the patient / caregiver through the system. The patient could use the system only after having the agreement with the Healthcare Professional who is obliged to be trained, and registered to PDNeurotechnology Ltd in the use of the PDMonitor system (certified by PD Neurotechnology Ltd. as PDMonitor Healthcare Professional). Both, the patient and the Healthcare Professional are registered users of the PDMonitor System.

Access to the system has any patient suffering from Parkinsons disease, who is treated by a healthcare professional.

Throughout the year, the patient is able to follow his or her progress, through the mobile application, perform simple tasks through the specific section of the application and interact with the doctor and the caregiver in a simple, coherent and value adding manner.

See the original post:

PD Neurotechnology - Official Site

Day 1 | Day 2 | Download Brochure

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

7:30 am Conference Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 Welcome Keynote and State of the Neurotechnology Industry

The Neurotechnology Industry Organization and guest speakers provide an annual review of trends and developments in neuropharmaceuticals, neurodevices, and neurodiagnostics.

Panelists: Alison Fenney, Member, Board of Directors, Neurotechnology Industry Organization

Harry Tracy, President, NI Research

James Cavuoto, Editor & Publisher, Neurotech Reports

9:00 Investing in Neurotech Panel

A diverse panel of private, public and strategic investors will discuss their investment strategies. What does it take to get a neurotech company funded? What are the benefits and risks of business models in devices, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and information technology? What are todays deal terms and valuations? What are the best exit strategies and how is neurotech comparing to other industries?

Moderator: Joshua Pinto, Vice President, Healthcare Investment Banking, Credit Suisse

Panelists: Rahul Ballal, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Versant Ventures

Laura Tadvalkar, Senior Associate, MP Healthcare Venture Management

Paulina Hill, Principal, Polaris Partners

Jamil Beg, Principal, 5AM Ventures

William Robb, Founding Partner, NovaQuest Capital Management

10:00 Coffee Break with Exhibit Viewing

10:40 Treatments for Alzheimers and Cognitive Disorders

As the population ages, the market for neurodegenerative disorders is exploding. Current treatments stabilize symptoms only for a short period of time. What is on the horizon for symptom improvement and disease modification from drug and device companies? Can earlier or more accurate diagnosis improve outcomes?

Moderator: Michael Gold, Vice President, Development Neurosciences, AbbVie

Panelists: Christopher U. Missling, President and CEO, Anavex Life Sciences

Leen Kawas, President and CEO, M3 Biotechnology

Michael Mullan, CEO, Archer Pharmaceuticals

Casey Lynch, CEO, Cortexyme

Carlos Buesa, CEO, Oryzon

11:40 Developments on the Horizon for Pain and Epilepsy

Drugs and devices with novel mechanisms of action are on the horizon to decrease side effects and improve efficacy in treatment resistant populations for epilepsy and neuropathic pain. Hear from leading companies on their approaches.

Moderator: Robert H. Ring, Founder & President, Auts Consulting and Advisory Solutions

Panelists: Gregory T. Mayes, President, CEO & Founder, Engage Therapeutics, Inc.

Stephen Collins, CEO, Biscayne Neurotherapeutics

Ana Maiques, CEO, NeuroElectrics

Louis Mayaud, CSO, Mensia Technologies

12:40 pm Networking Luncheon

2:00 Internal and External Research and Development

Pharmaceutical and device companies are looking to provide complete solutions that span from prevention to treatment. Functions across the value chain will be kept in house or partnered. This panel of experts will discuss how they approach collaborations with other companies, academic groups, research institutes, and platform companies.

Moderator: Christine de los Reyes, Vice President, Strategic Planning & Business Development, Alopexx Enterprises, LLC

Panelists: Jeff Erb, Senior Director, Strategy and Business Development, Medtronic

Isaac Veinbergs, Head, External Innovation, Sanofi

Eric Schaeffer, Senior Director, Neuroscience Innovation, Johnson & Johnson Innovation

3:00 Refreshment Break with Exhibit Viewing

3:45Targeting Orphan Diseases

Orphan disorders are a hot area of investment due to perceived benefits with regulatory agencies, ready access to patients, and premium pricing. This session will gather companies developing treatments for ALS, lysosomal storage disorders, Huntingtons, and more.

Moderator: Daniel Burch, Global Medical Officer, PPD Biotech

Panelists: Marc Martinell, CEO, Minoryx

Andrew Lim, CEO, Circumvent Pharmaceuticals

Lynn Durham, CEO & Founder, Stalicla

Michael Panzara, Franchise Lead, Neurology, WAVE Life Sciences Ltd.

Pushkal Garg, Chief Medical Officer, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

David B. Clissold, Director, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C.

4:45 Strategic Development of Your Product Outside of the US: The Australian Advantage

Tina Soulis, PhD, CEO, Neuroscience Trials Australia

This session will focus on case studies to demonstrate the approval process, regulatory framework, tax advantages, networks and overall capabilities that exist in Australia that could be used as part of a strategic development plan to save time, effort and cost when planning your studies.

5:00 Emerging Company Showcase - Learn More About Our Participants

The third annual Emerging Company Showcase offers the stage to young neurotech companies to pitch their drug, device, diagnostic, or software to an audience of investors, CEOs, and executives in the field.

Moderator: Carla Lema Tome, Advisor, Neurotechnology Industry Organization

Participants: Lowry Curley, CEO, AxoSim, Inc

Dan Rizzuto, CEO, Nia Therapeutics

Shawn Ritchie, CEO and CSO, Med-Life Discoveries LP

Sefi Epel, CEO, Brainmarc

Visar Berisha, Co-Founder, CSO, Aural Analytics

Julie Collens, CEO, Vivid Genomics

Devon Greco, Founder and CEO, Narbis

Kumar Sripathirathan, CEO, DEHA

Steven Prawer, Director, Cofounder, CTO, iBIONICS

Eliav Shaked, Founder & CEO, RetiSpec

6:00 Welcome Reception with Exhibit Viewing

7:00Close of Day

Day 1 | Day 2 | Download Brochure

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

8:00 am Continental Breakfast

8:45Keynote Presentation

Stephanie Fertig, MBA, Director, NINDS Small Business Programs, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health

9:00 Partnering and Licensing in Neurotech Panel

Big pharma, biotech and medtech need to act to capitalize new innovations that provide solutions to the global demands in healthcare. This insider panel will discuss their areas of interest for in-licensing novel therapeutics, devices and diagnostics and what they look for in a partner.

Moderator: John Reppas, Director, Public Policy, Neurotechnology Industry Organization

Panelists: Murali Gopalakrishnan, Head, Neuroscience Search and Evaluation, AbbVie

Robert Bagdorf, Vice President, Biopharmaceuticals Search and Evaluation, Pfizer

Matt Gunderman, Director, Business Development, Boston Scientific

10:00 Coffee Break with Exhibit Viewing

10:40 Parkinsons and Other Movement Disorders

Current treatments for movement disorders can improve functioning, but suffer from side effects and off period, especially as the disease progresses. A number of novel pipeline pharmaceuticals and devices seek to address these issues. This session will explore how disease modifying treatments alter the course of movement disorders, and how companion diagnostics can be leveraged to provide the most optimal outcomes for patients.

Moderator: Julie G Pilitsis, Chair Dept of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Professor of Neurosurgery, Albany Medical College

Panelists: Ralph Kern, COO and CMO, BrainStorm Therapeutics

Randall W. Moreadith, CEO, Serina Therapeutics

Michael Almstetter, CEO, Origenis

Nader Yaghoubi, President and CEO, PathMaker Neurosystems Inc.

Jim DeMesa, CEO, Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals

11:40 Next-Generation Psychiatry

Schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, addiction, ADHD and other psychiatric illnesses represent a large portion of the neurotech market. Development of promising next-generation treatments is challenging. Novel devices and diagnostics are poised to change the treatment landscape. This session will gather the most innovative treatments for mental health disorders.

Moderator: Manuel Lopez-Figueroa, Venture Partner, Bay City Capital

Panelists: Remy Luthringer, CEO, Minerva Neurosciences

Stephen Brannan, CMO, Karuna Pharmaceuticals

Atul Mahableshwarkar, Vice President, Clinical Development, BlackThorn Therapeutics

Michael J. Detke, CMO, Embera Therapeutics

Eric J. Messika, President and CEO, Coronis Neurosciences Ltd.

12:40 pm Networking Luncheon

2:00 Frontiers in Neurotechnology

In this session, we will hear from companies on the cutting edge. Novel neurostimulation devices are being developed for new markets. Closed loop systems create the promise of reduced side effects and more targeted treatment. New technology is yielding benefits in delivery of therapeutics to brain. This session will preview next generation products and companies in neurotechnology.

Moderator: Daniel OConnell, Founding member & Managing Partner, NeuroVentures; President and Chief Executive Officer, Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

More here:

Agenda - NeuroTech Partnering

Day 1 | Day 2 | Download Brochure

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

7:30 am Conference Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 Welcome Keynote and State of the Neurotechnology Industry

The Neurotechnology Industry Organization and guest speakers provide an annual review of trends and developments in neuropharmaceuticals, neurodevices, and neurodiagnostics.

Panelists: Alison Fenney, Member, Board of Directors, Neurotechnology Industry Organization

Harry Tracy, President, NI Research

James Cavuoto, Editor & Publisher, Neurotech Reports

9:00 Investing in Neurotech Panel

A diverse panel of private, public and strategic investors will discuss their investment strategies. What does it take to get a neurotech company funded? What are the benefits and risks of business models in devices, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and information technology? What are todays deal terms and valuations? What are the best exit strategies and how is neurotech comparing to other industries?

Moderator: Joshua Pinto, Vice President, Healthcare Investment Banking, Credit Suisse

Panelists: Rahul Ballal, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Versant Ventures

Laura Tadvalkar, Senior Associate, MP Healthcare Venture Management

Paulina Hill, Principal, Polaris Partners

Jamil Beg, Principal, 5AM Ventures

William Robb, Founding Partner, NovaQuest Capital Management

10:00 Coffee Break with Exhibit Viewing

10:40 Treatments for Alzheimers and Cognitive Disorders

As the population ages, the market for neurodegenerative disorders is exploding. Current treatments stabilize symptoms only for a short period of time. What is on the horizon for symptom improvement and disease modification from drug and device companies? Can earlier or more accurate diagnosis improve outcomes?

Moderator: Michael Gold, Vice President, Development Neurosciences, AbbVie

Panelists: Christopher U. Missling, President and CEO, Anavex Life Sciences

Leen Kawas, President and CEO, M3 Biotechnology

Michael Mullan, CEO, Archer Pharmaceuticals

Casey Lynch, CEO, Cortexyme

Carlos Buesa, CEO, Oryzon

11:40 Developments on the Horizon for Pain and Epilepsy

Drugs and devices with novel mechanisms of action are on the horizon to decrease side effects and improve efficacy in treatment resistant populations for epilepsy and neuropathic pain. Hear from leading companies on their approaches.

Moderator: Robert H. Ring, Founder & President, Auts Consulting and Advisory Solutions

Panelists: Gregory T. Mayes, President, CEO & Founder, Engage Therapeutics, Inc.

Stephen Collins, CEO, Biscayne Neurotherapeutics

Ana Maiques, CEO, NeuroElectrics

Louis Mayaud, CSO, Mensia Technologies

12:40 pm Networking Luncheon

2:00 Internal and External Research and Development

Pharmaceutical and device companies are looking to provide complete solutions that span from prevention to treatment. Functions across the value chain will be kept in house or partnered. This panel of experts will discuss how they approach collaborations with other companies, academic groups, research institutes, and platform companies.

Moderator: Christine de los Reyes, Vice President, Strategic Planning & Business Development, Alopexx Enterprises, LLC

Panelists: Jeff Erb, Senior Director, Strategy and Business Development, Medtronic

Isaac Veinbergs, Head, External Innovation, Sanofi

Eric Schaeffer, Senior Director, Neuroscience Innovation, Johnson & Johnson Innovation

3:00 Refreshment Break with Exhibit Viewing

3:45Targeting Orphan Diseases

Orphan disorders are a hot area of investment due to perceived benefits with regulatory agencies, ready access to patients, and premium pricing. This session will gather companies developing treatments for ALS, lysosomal storage disorders, Huntingtons, and more.

Moderator: Daniel Burch, Global Medical Officer, PPD Biotech

Panelists: Marc Martinell, CEO, Minoryx

Andrew Lim, CEO, Circumvent Pharmaceuticals

Lynn Durham, CEO & Founder, Stalicla

Michael Panzara, Franchise Lead, Neurology, WAVE Life Sciences Ltd.

Pushkal Garg, Chief Medical Officer, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

David B. Clissold, Director, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C.

4:45 Strategic Development of Your Product Outside of the US: The Australian Advantage

Tina Soulis, PhD, CEO, Neuroscience Trials Australia

This session will focus on case studies to demonstrate the approval process, regulatory framework, tax advantages, networks and overall capabilities that exist in Australia that could be used as part of a strategic development plan to save time, effort and cost when planning your studies.

5:00 Emerging Company Showcase - Learn More About Our Participants

The third annual Emerging Company Showcase offers the stage to young neurotech companies to pitch their drug, device, diagnostic, or software to an audience of investors, CEOs, and executives in the field.

Moderator: Carla Lema Tome, Advisor, Neurotechnology Industry Organization

Participants: Lowry Curley, CEO, AxoSim, Inc

Dan Rizzuto, CEO, Nia Therapeutics

Shawn Ritchie, CEO and CSO, Med-Life Discoveries LP

Sefi Epel, CEO, Brainmarc

Visar Berisha, Co-Founder, CSO, Aural Analytics

Julie Collens, CEO, Vivid Genomics

Devon Greco, Founder and CEO, Narbis

Kumar Sripathirathan, CEO, DEHA

Steven Prawer, Director, Cofounder, CTO, iBIONICS

Eliav Shaked, Founder & CEO, RetiSpec

6:00 Welcome Reception with Exhibit Viewing

7:00Close of Day

Day 1 | Day 2 | Download Brochure

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

8:00 am Continental Breakfast

8:45Keynote Presentation

Stephanie Fertig, MBA, Director, NINDS Small Business Programs, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health

9:00 Partnering and Licensing in Neurotech Panel

Big pharma, biotech and medtech need to act to capitalize new innovations that provide solutions to the global demands in healthcare. This insider panel will discuss their areas of interest for in-licensing novel therapeutics, devices and diagnostics and what they look for in a partner.

Moderator: John Reppas, Director, Public Policy, Neurotechnology Industry Organization

Panelists: Murali Gopalakrishnan, Head, Neuroscience Search and Evaluation, AbbVie

Robert Bagdorf, Vice President, Biopharmaceuticals Search and Evaluation, Pfizer

Matt Gunderman, Director, Business Development, Boston Scientific

10:00 Coffee Break with Exhibit Viewing

10:40 Parkinsons and Other Movement Disorders

Current treatments for movement disorders can improve functioning, but suffer from side effects and off period, especially as the disease progresses. A number of novel pipeline pharmaceuticals and devices seek to address these issues. This session will explore how disease modifying treatments alter the course of movement disorders, and how companion diagnostics can be leveraged to provide the most optimal outcomes for patients.

Moderator: Julie G Pilitsis, Chair Dept of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Professor of Neurosurgery, Albany Medical College

Panelists: Ralph Kern, COO and CMO, BrainStorm Therapeutics

Randall W. Moreadith, CEO, Serina Therapeutics

Michael Almstetter, CEO, Origenis

Nader Yaghoubi, President and CEO, PathMaker Neurosystems Inc.

Jim DeMesa, CEO, Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals

11:40 Next-Generation Psychiatry

Schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, addiction, ADHD and other psychiatric illnesses represent a large portion of the neurotech market. Development of promising next-generation treatments is challenging. Novel devices and diagnostics are poised to change the treatment landscape. This session will gather the most innovative treatments for mental health disorders.

Moderator: Manuel Lopez-Figueroa, Venture Partner, Bay City Capital

Panelists: Remy Luthringer, CEO, Minerva Neurosciences

Stephen Brannan, CMO, Karuna Pharmaceuticals

Atul Mahableshwarkar, Vice President, Clinical Development, BlackThorn Therapeutics

Michael J. Detke, CMO, Embera Therapeutics

Eric J. Messika, President and CEO, Coronis Neurosciences Ltd.

12:40 pm Networking Luncheon

2:00 Frontiers in Neurotechnology

In this session, we will hear from companies on the cutting edge. Novel neurostimulation devices are being developed for new markets. Closed loop systems create the promise of reduced side effects and more targeted treatment. New technology is yielding benefits in delivery of therapeutics to brain. This session will preview next generation products and companies in neurotechnology.

Moderator: Daniel OConnell, Founding member & Managing Partner, NeuroVentures; President and Chief Executive Officer, Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Go here to read the rest:

Agenda

NIT started with a clean slate, asking a simple question: How can neurotech companies pioneer these innovations in todays medtech world? The result? Neurotech development, completely reimagined.

NIT is a cutting-edge translational center--a private, for-profit company, formed in collaboration with over a dozen Partners, with a mission to develop and commercialize pioneering neurotechnology solutions to improve patient well-being.Built with the vision of developing a select number of high-quality, commercially-oriented companies, NIT brings together the vision, leadership, expertise,network, resources, personnel and capital to create the pre-eminent development ecosystem in the compelling frontier of neuroscience. NIT's translational approach substantially reduces risk and required capital for companies and their investors by accelerating the development cycle, avoiding pitfalls, and propelling companies through development to commercial success.NIT will create or attract multiple companies sourced from a global pipeline of innovation.Whether an idea on a napkin, or a more mature neurotech company that is further along in the development pathway, NIT will invest in, and engage with, a select number of attractive neurotechnology companies that will benefit from NITs resources and model to accelerate their success.

NIT is not an incubator; not a venture capital firm; not a contract manufacturing house; not a clinical trialing organization...per se.Instead, NIT brings the best of what each of these other entities has tried to deliver, comprehensively, under one translational center, borrowing their best attributes, but transforming them into an entity that provides a cocoon for your companys success in todays challenging landscape.The result: far more than just capital or seasoned advice--a comprehensive solution, providing the expertise, resources, and capital to propel your company from concept-to-clinic, and subsequently to commercial success.

See the article here:

What is NIT? Neurotechnology Innovations Translator

What happens at NIT?

This.

Why is NIT called a translator?

NIT is a Translator, focused on the translation of neurotechnology innovations from the lab to patients and the marketplace. We refer to NIT as a Translator, because it is fundamentally different from other types of programs. NIT is not an incubator; not an accelerator; not a venture capital firm; not a contract manufacturing house; not a clinical trialing organization.per se.Instead, NIT brings the best of what each of these other entities has tried to deliver, comprehensively, under one translational Center, borrowing their best attributes, but transforming them into an entity that provides a cocoon for your companys success in todays challenging landscape.

In stark contrast to other models, NIT holds ready investment capital for investment in early and advanced stages of your companys development. NIT focuses on a select number of high-quality, venture-fundable, commercially-oriented companies. NIT sources projects globally, while also having access to a rich pipeline of innovation. And, NIT leverages a robust infrastructure of on-site and nearby resources from already-committed Partners. The result: a comprehensive solution, providing the expertise, resources, and capital to propel your company from concept-to-clinic, and subsequently to commercial success.

What types of companies is NIT seeking?

NIT will develop a select number of high-quality, venture-fundable, commercially-oriented companies focused on neurotechnology innovation. NIT companies will be carefully chosen, funded, and nurtured within the NIT ecosystem only if they: (1) demonstrate a sufficient level of scientific validation and mitigation (or manageability) of technical risks; (2) target a clear unmet clinical need; and (3) carry the force of a market imperative with a well-focused business plan and model that meet private venture capital funding criteria. The mix of NIT companies chosen will include neurotechnology innovations that are both Dare-To-Dream projects, as well as Better, Faster, Cheaper solutions to improve patient care.

How can our innovation be considered for NIT investment?

Wed love to hear from you. Contact us.

Does NIT have dedicated funds?

Yes, NIT has capital ready to fund your company--not just to get your company started, but to propel your company forward in each development and investment stage. Whether seeding your company, leading, or joining an investment syndicate, NIT offers dedicated strategic investment funds, as well as available capital resources from a variety of Partners including Ohio Third Frontier and The Ohio State University. NIT can invest alone or as part of a syndicate to ensure your company is adequately capitalized.

How much does NIT invest?

NIT has no set expectations for funding levels either in a given round, or over the life of a company. The amount of money a prospective NIT Company may receive from NIT is driven by the business needs and specifics of a companys operating plans and objectives. We may invest as little as $250k, or as much as $10M, depending upon the projects specific needs.

We only have an idea for an innovation. Is NIT appropriate for us?

Of course! Whether an idea on a napkin, or a more mature and established neurotechnology company that is further along in the development pathway, NIT is seeking the best innovations in neurotechnology, regardless of stage or origin. NIT could be the perfect ecosystem for taking your idea and translating it from concept-to-clinic.Wed love to hear from you.

We've already been working on our startup for a while. Is NIT appropriate for us?

Yes.Whether NIT is seeding a company, NIT is leading an investment, or NIT is joining an investment syndicate, provided your company can capitalize on the resources and ecosystem that we have to offer, we are interested. NIT has dedicated strategic investment funds, as well as available capital resources from a variety of Partners including Ohio Third Frontier and The Ohio State University for investment in your startup.

We've already taken some funding. Is NIT appropriate for us?

Sure. As mentioned above, whether NIT is seeding a company, NIT is leading an investment, or NIT is joining an investment syndicate, provided your company can capitalize on the resources and ecosystem that we have to offer, we are interested. We can probably help any startup that hasn't already raised an inordinate amount of capital, (e.g. already entering a third investment round from institutional investors). If you are unsure, contact us and we will let you know directly.

Will NIT syndicate alongside other investors and co-invest?

Yes, absolutely. Provided, however, that a company would significantly benefit from NITs resources and ecosystem for its development pathway.

We need investment capital, but already have all the resources we need. Is NIT appropriate for us?

NIT is not a venture capital firm. The capital NIT invests is only a small part of what NIT brings from its ecosystem for company development. If all that your company needs is investment capital, it is likely not a fit for NIT.

Will NIT invest in a company that is not in Ohio?

No. Your company might be able to leave a few employees at home, but the company needs to be headquartered in Ohio to attract NITs resources and investment capital. NIT and Ohio offer so much to companies, that unless your company is located within this ecosystem, it would likely not benefit from all the resources that NIT might bring.

Do we have to start a company in the US for you to invest in us?

No, not necessarily. NIT seeks projects from around the globe. If you've started your company outside the US (or outside of Ohio for that matter), and are interested in relocating to Ohio to tap into the NIT ecosystem, we would love to hear from you.

Do we have to work with your Partners?

No, not necessarily. NITs broad Partner ecosystem is there to help your company. We wouldnt expect your company to need all of themnor would we demand that you have to work with any specific Partner. That said, of course we would want to ensure that your company would sufficiently benefit from NITs resources and ecosystem for its development pathway to make the investment mutually beneficial.

What if we have a conflict with one of the NIT Partners?

NITs Partners are there for your company as needed. As a private entity, NIT is wholly separated. So, NIT can work independently with your company without any exposure to any particular Partner, as necessary.

Does our company need to use NITs facility?

Not necessarily. While NIT offers substantial space, facilities, and onsite resources, NIT Companies can locate anywhere within Ohio that is most conducive to their success.Some may reside initially within the NIT Center itself, some may be established elsewhere within Ohio, depending upon their specific needs and capabilities. Eventually your company will leave the facility in any respect, and matriculate outside and beyond NIT, within Ohio, as you reach your milestones and are funded as a fully independent company.

Will NIT sign an NDA?

No, NIT won't typically sign an NDA. Like a venture capital firm, we review far too many projects to sign NDAs, and believe that most of our exploratory conversations can be held without any exchange of sensitive proprietary information. And, as an experienced entrepreneur, you appreciate the relatively limited value of the idea itself, relative to the long path to execution that lies ahead for your company.

Is NIT hiring?

For a list of available opportunities at NIT or one of NITs Companies, click here.

Follow this link:

FAQ Neurotechnology Innovations Translator

If researchers can use implanted BCIs to allow people to bypass their muscles, indeed, if these scientists can find a cost-effective, reliable way to work around a damaged or compromised nervous system, people suffering paraplegia, amputation, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's, and a host of other diseases that rob them of their independence, may soon find that the frustrations of daily life are lessened.

Richard van Hooijdonk | Richard van Hooijdonk

Bill Kochevar wears a bright red shirt and what looks like a cast on his right arm. As he raises a fork to his mouth, his movements are awkward and slow, supported by a gravity defying brace mounted on the floor next to his wheelchair.

Hes got a fork full of mashed potatoes, and as he raises it to his mouth, the joy on his face is unmistakable.

It was amazing...I thought about moving my arm and it did!

That may seem unremarkable to you, but since a bicycle collision with a mail truck, Kochevar has been paralysed from the neck down.

Just imagine being paralysed.

Its the stuff of nightmares--wanting to flee and finding your legs rooted in place, unresponsive.

And weve all slept on an arm for long enough to render it dead. Think about that experience now. When you woke up, your limb was just meat, just dead weight that wouldnt move at your beck and call as it should.

Now imagine knowing that no amount of waiting will summon the pins and needles that mean your arm is coming back from the dead, that instead, itll hang lifeless at your side for the rest of your life, and that far from being indispensably useful, youll instead spend every waking moment trying to compensate for this new obstacle, adjusting everything you do from brushing your teeth to driving a car to typing at work--if, indeed, you can work.

Now extend that to multiple limbs or remove them altogether.

You can start to see what its like to live in a body that refuses to cooperate.

Paralysis affects far more people than you might realise. For instance, the Reeve Foundation recently found that 1 in 50 Americans struggle with paralysis caused by stroke, spinal injury, and muscular sclerosis. Nearly a majority are unable to work, a staggering 41.8%.

For them, independence is a dream, something they might remember but no longer experience. But now, advances in neurotech may help them live fuller, more self-sufficient lives.

Mind-controlled wheelchairs and the next step

To help those whove suffered a profound loss of motor control, researchers have been exploring mind-controlled wheelchairs. Rodrigo Quevedo, a Chilean engineer, has developed a design in his Idea factory. His motivating passion, he says, is to do something so [paraplegics] can move. Rodrigos current designs steer the chair by subtle head movements, but hes hoping to make the move to neural control soon.

Diwakar Vaish beat Rodrigo to the punch. This young Indian tech guru has developed the first commercially available wheelchair that features a brain computer interface (BCI). The user need only wear a headset that collects information from her brains electrical impulses, the neural storm that accompanies thought. The BCI translates these minute electrical signals into a language a computer can understand, something like a sophisticated google translate of thoughts. Now that the computer can grasp what a particular thought looks like, it can react and obey.

In Vaishs system, the non-invasive headset connects the users brain to the chair via Bluetooth, and augmented by proximity and terrain sensors, this has allowed even the most stricken patients a measure of autonomy. All thats demanded of the user is a healthy brain, so even those trapped by Locked-in Syndrome can use the new chair. As Vaish told The Sunday Guardian, We have tried it on patients who are in a vegetative state, but their brain is functional and it was successful.

The next steps are to move beyond motorised chairs and into the world of exoskeletons. Miguel Nicolelis, a Brazilian neuroscientist, has been working together with colleagues at Duke University as part of the Walk Again Project to design a wireless system that allows control of a wheelchair with thought alone. By implanting a tiny BCI in the brain of two rhesus monkeys, chosen for their similarity to human beings, they were able to demonstrate that it could control the movements of the chair. Hes pursuing this method because, as he explained to the Mirror, In some severely disabled people, even blinking is not possible. For them, using a wheelchair or device controlled by non invasive measures like an EEG, a device that monitors brain waves through electrodes on the scalp, may not be sufficient. To provide the control they need, invasive measures are necessary.

Nicolelis goal, then, isnt to duplicate Vaishs design. Instead, he wants eventually to develop robotic exoskeletons that are nothing less than an extension of their users mind, a dream he thinks is within reach given the data from these early experiments. For his test monkeys, the chair became something more than a means to get from one place to another; in fact, the wheelchair is being assimilated by the monkeys brain as an extension of its bodily representation of itself. If Nicolelis is right, he might be taking the first steps toward real mobility for paraplegics and others with profound motor impairment. We are not focused on the wheelchair, he promises.

Until now, if you lost an arm--but still had enough of one to be fitted for a prosthesis--doctors could fit you with an artificial arm that you could learn to control by moving the muscles left in your stump. These cumbersome systems are hobbled on a lot of these ifs: if the patient has enough remaining tissue, if the tissue still allows muscle movement, if the prosthetic arm can work well enough outside the lab.

These ifs fall on patients live like a thick blanket of snow, quickly obscuring the way forward. Thats why as many as half of these patients find their new arms collecting dust.

But scientists are well aware of these technological limitations, and their working to overcome them. One example of promising research comes from Johns Hopkins. Working with an epilepsy patient who needed his brain mapped to help him combat his seizures, a process wherein doctors implant tiny electrodes to stimulate the brain at precise--and unique--points, a research team led by Nathan Crone was able to implant a tiny BCI as well. 128 sensors in an areas about the size of a credit card were attached to the part of the mans brain that controls the arm and hand. After mapping exactly how the patients brain worked with a special glove, this interface allowed the Hopkins team to bypass the patients body and use only his thoughts to control the individual fingers of a robotic hand.

Initial results were promising; after mapping his brain, the test patient was able to control the robotic hand with 76% accuracy. By refining the control of the prosthesis--pairing the ring and pinky fingers together, that number rose to 88%. Thats no small feat!

The advantage of a system like this is not only that it can allow functional independence to people who had given up on caring for themselves, but also that it isnt artificial. Patients need merely think about what they want to do--and the artificial limb, chair, or robotic appendage does what its supposed to do. Case Western Reserve University is experimenting with implanted BCIs that have returned a measure of control to Kochevar. Now able to feed himself, hold a cup, and manipulate a fork, he explains, I think about what I want to do and the system does it for me. Its not a lot of thinking about it. When I want to do something, my brain does what it does. The researchers working with him think this is only the beginning.

With further development, we believe the technology could give more accurate control, allowing a wider range of actions, which could begin to transform the lives of people living with paralysis, Bolu Ajiboye, the lead scientist for this study told The Guardian.

Ajiboyes optimism is bolstered by the success of patients like Kochevar, who can slowly raise a mug to his lips and drink from a straw. For someone with quadriplegia to gain even this limited mobility is life-changing, and this advance charts the course for future innovations and provides powerful new tools to help those in need.

If researchers can use implanted BCIs to allow people to bypass their muscles, indeed, if these scientists can find a cost-effective, reliable way to work around a damaged or compromised nervous system, people suffering paraplegia, amputation, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's, and a host of other diseases that rob them of their independence, may soon find that the frustrations of daily life are lessened. For futurists and trendwatchers, the promise is clear.

This new breed of BCI, powered by advances in neuroscience, isnt just technology.

Its hope.

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Neurotechnology and the Future of Hope - Robotics Tomorrow (press release)

New technologies may be on the way to better help doctors diagnose and treat patients with neurological diseases.

Researchers from the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) have come together to develop several new technologies, including an artificial intelligence system that can accurately identify types of traumatic brain injuries from computed tomography (CT) scans.

Innovation occurs at intersections of disciplines, knowledge and expertise, associate professor Ng Wai Hoe, Medical Director of the National Neuroscience Institute, said in a statement. Doctors have a deep understanding of clinical needs from their everyday interactions with patients.

Our unique collaboration brings these medical needs to engineering laboratoriesan environment where imagination is encouraged in the form of technological advances and capabilities.

The researchers also plan to develop a computer algorithm for more precise identification of tissues during brain surgeries, which aim to restore the neurological functions of patients suffering from various conditions including Parkinsons disease.

A new fellowship programmanaged by NTUs Institute for Health Technologieswill see up to two neurosurgical residents at NNI work full-time with NTU professors on campus, with each resident receiving $100,000 to complete and commercialize these projects.

The program was designed to foster a relationship over the next three years between medical practitioners and engineers through annual fellowships and student attachment programs.

The rapidly ageing population will lead to a significant rise in neurological diseases globally, Hoe said. By harnessing the power of the human brain, neurotechnology can provide solutions to revolutionize the treatment of brain disorders.

This partnership has great potential to be an innovation launchpad for neurotechnology.

A student attachment program aimed at grooming multidisciplinary scientists will also be introduced, giving students an opportunity to widen their engineering knowledge into medical practice, gaining first-hand exposure to various aspects of clinical medicine by interacting with neurosurgeons.

Professor Lam Khin Yong, NTU's Chief of Staff and Vice President for Research, said the new technology will assist the next wave of doctors.

This collaboration creates a unique multidisciplinary research environment by integrating healthcare with both medical and engineering expertise from NTU's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Yong said in a statement. This will not only nurture next-generation doctors armed with a multidisciplinary skillset to meet Singapore's healthcare needs, but also enhance medical technologies to diagnose and treat neurological conditions more effectively.

In Switzerland, additional technological advancements are making an impact in the treatment of neurological disorders.

Researchers from the National Centre of Competence in Research Robotics at cole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne (EPFL) and at the Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland, have developed an algorithm to help those paralyzed by a neurological disorder or injury. The algorithm helps a robotic harness facilitate the movements of patients, enabling them to move naturally. This new technology could help patients regain their locomotor skills

A variety of neurological disorders including stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, can lead to paralysis. Currently, people with motor disabilities rehabilitate by walking on a treadmill with the upper torso being supported by an apparatus. However, this can be either too rigid or does not allow the patient to move naturally in all directions.

Locomotor rehabilitation requires helping the nervous system relearn the right movements, which is difficult due to the loss of muscle mass in patients, as well as train the neurological wiring that has forgotten correct posture.

The researchers designed the algorithm to overcome these obstacles. The robotic rehabilitation harness was tested on more than 30 patients and markedly and immediately improved the patients locomotor abilities.

The harnesscalled the smart walk assistis a body-weight support system that manages to resist the force of gravity and push the patient in a given direction to recreate a natural gait and movement that the patient needs in their everyday lives.

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Technology Key to Fighting Neurological Disease - R & D Magazine

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Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK).

On June 30 analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald starting coverage on the stock giving it an initial rating of Neutral. On May 16, 2017 Goldman Sachs released its first research report on the stock by announcing an initial rating of Neutral.

In the market the company is trading down by -0.12% since yesterdays close of $138.36. Additionally the company recently declared a dividend which will be paid on Tuesday the 31st of October 2017. The dividend will be $0.425 per share for the quarter which is $1.70 annualized. The dividend yield will be $1.17. The ex-dividend date will be on Wednesday the 28th of June 2017.

The stock last traded at $138.19 which is marginally lower than the 50 day moving average of $144.81 and which is slightly above the 200 day moving average of $136.90. The 50 day moving average was down by -4.54% and the 200 day average went up $1.34 or +0.98%.

Stryker Corporation (Stryker), launched on February 20, 1946, is a medical technology company. The Company offers a range of medical technologies, including orthopedic, medical and surgical, and neurotechnology and spine products. The Businesss segments include Orthopaedics; MedSurg; Neurotechnology and Spine, and Corporate and Other. The Orthopaedics segment includes reconstructive (hip and knee) and trauma implant systems and other related products. The Businesss MedSurg segment consists of instruments, endoscopy, medical and sustainability products. The Neurotechnology and Spine segment includes neurovascular products, spinal implant systems and other related products..

Stryker Corporations P/E ratio is 30.86 and market capitalization is 51.71B. As of the last earnings report the EPS was $4.48 and is projected to be $6.50 for the current year with 374,063,000 shares outstanding. Analysts expect next quarters EPS to be $1.95 with next years EPS anticipated to be $7.11.

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Canaccord Genuity Keeps Rating And Raises Price Target On Stryker Corporation (SYK) - Modern Readers

August 21, 2017 The partnership between NNI and NTU Singapore will see the development of innovative technologies to better diagnose and treat patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and brain injuries. Credit: NTU Singapore

The National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) are collaborating to develop innovative technologies to better diagnose and treat patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and brain injuries.

These include developing an artificial intelligence system that can accurately identify types of traumatic brain injuries from computed tomography (CT) scans.

Another project involves coming up with a computing algorithm for more precise identification of tissues during brain surgeries. It aims to restore the neurological functions of patients suffering from various conditions such as Parkinson's disease.

Over the next three years, the collaboration will also foster closer working relations between medical practitioners and engineers through annual fellowships and student attachment programmes.

Managed by NTU's Institute for Health Technologies (HealthTech NTU), the one-year fellowship programme will see up to two neurosurgical residents at NNI work full-time with NTU professors on campus. Each resident will receive S$100,000 to complete and commercialise their projects.

A student attachment programme that spans a few weeks will also be introduced, allowing NTU engineering students to work alongside neurosurgeons at NNI.

Aimed at grooming multidisciplinary scientists, students will get to widen their engineering knowledge into medical practice. They will gain first-hand exposure to various aspects of clinical medicine by interacting with neurosurgeons in the course of their work.

Associate Professor Ng Wai Hoe, Medical Director of the National Neuroscience Institute, said, "Innovation occurs at intersections of disciplines, knowledge and expertise. Doctors have a deep understanding of clinical needs from their everyday interactions with patients. Our unique collaboration brings these medical needs to engineering laboratories - an environment where imagination is encouraged in the form of technological advances and capabilities.

"The rapidly ageing population will lead to a significant rise in neurological diseases globally. By harnessing the power of the human brain, neurotechnology can provide solutions to revolutionise the treatment of brain disorders. This partnership has great potential to be an innovation launchpad for Neurotechnology."

Professor Lam Khin Yong, NTU's Chief of Staff and Vice President for Research, said, "This collaboration creates a unique multidisciplinary research environment by integrating healthcare with both medical and engineering expertise from NTU's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and College of Engineering.

"This will not only nurture next-generation doctors armed with a multidisciplinary skillset to meet Singapore's healthcare needs, but also enhance medical technologies to diagnose and treat neurological conditions more effectively."

HealthTech NTU develops and translates new technologies to solve health problems and improve the quality of life. It tackles healthcare challenges with innovative solutions, cutting-edge technologies, and expert interdisciplinary teams.

Explore further: Academia, industry collaborate on solutions to neural disease, injury

A team approach is vital to the successful diagnosis and treatment of complex neurological infections related to placement of devices in the brain, or as a result of neurosurgery or head trauma. This is among the recommendations ...

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New technologies to diagnose and treat neurological diseases - Medical Xpress

Ten new Mong Family Foundation Fellows in Neurotech will work under the mentorship of faculty across Cornell to advance technologies that promise to provide insight into how brains work, as well as strategies to fix them when they dont.

The fellowships are part of a multimillion-dollar seed grant from the Mong Family Foundation, through Stephen Mong 92, M.Eng. 93, MBA 02, which launchedCornell Neurotechin 2015 as a collaboration between the colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering. Its mission is to develop technologies and powerful new tools needed to reveal the inner workings of the brain, with a particular focus on how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought.

We have another terrific group of interdisciplinary Mong fellows and advisers this year, said Joseph Fetcho, director of Cornell Neurotech-Arts and Sciences and professor of neurobiology and behavior. We fully expect that their work will catalyze advances in understanding brains and lead to projects of much bigger scope, just as previous Mong support produced collaborations and federally funded projects that helped Cornell become a National Science Foundation NeuroNex Neurotechnology Hub.

Said Chris Xu, the Mong Family Foundation Director of Cornell Neurotech and professor of applied and engineering physics: The Mong Fellow program this year builds on our success from last year. The five teams represent a number of graduate fields and bring a wide range of expertise in neurotechnology development. These fellows embody the collaborative spirit of Cornell in pushing the boundaries of interdisciplinary research.

Mong Junior Fellows Akash Guru, doctoral student in neurobiology and behavior, and Mengran Wang, doctoral student in biophysics, will develop technology that helps reveal how activity in one group of neurons biases activity in another neural circuit in the mouse brain. They will use the tools to investigate the role of serotonin (implicated in depression) in modulating behavior in a circuit-specific manner.

Mong Junior Fellows Priya Balasubramanian, doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering, and Chunyan Wu, doctoral student in comparative biomedical sciences, will explore the use of ultrasound-based micro electro-mechanical systems as a means of monitoring and controlling the activity of neurons in brains over much longer time frames than is currently possible.

Mong Junior Fellows Yu-Ting Cheng, doctoral student in neurobiology and Behavior, and Yi-Yun Ho, doctoral student in neurobiology and behavior, will develop novel imaging and stimulation tools to explore pathways from the brain that blunt the sensation of pain by blocking the flow of pain signals through the spinal cord.

Senior Fellows Dawnis Chow, research associate in neurobiology and behavior, and David Sinefeld, postdoctoral associate in applied physics, will combine adaptive optics and three-photon microscopy to allow imaging of the structure and function of individual nerve cells anywhere in the brain of an intact living vertebrate (zebrafish) throughout its life from embryo to adult.

Mong Junior Fellows Michael Reynolds, doctoral student in physics, and Ryan Post, doctoral student in neurobiology and behavior, will combine optically transparent graphene field-effect transistors with calcium imaging to obtain high temporal resolution electrophysiological recordings from identified neurons in mammalian brains.

Yvette Lisa Ndlovu is a communications assistant for the College of Arts and Sciences.

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Early career scientists named Mong Fellows in Cornell Neurotech - Cornell Chronicle

JoAnne Viviano The Columbus Dispatch @JoAnneViviano

A new pain pellet that scientists are developing in Columbus isabout half the size of a grain of rice, but researchers say it delivers a big dose of relief that could one day help fight the opioid epidemic.

The tiny rod holds a nonaddictive painkiller that doctors could insert in the lower back, much like an epidural, to give a patient a break from chronic or acute pain, said Dr. Ali Rezai, director of the Neurological Institute at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center. He would not reveal the painkiller, saying only that it is a drug that already has beenused successfully as a cardiovascular medication.

Goals includegiving physicians an alternative to the opioid-based pain medications that have led to addiction.

"We want to look at the opioid crisis," Rezai said. "We want to stop it at its root."

Supporters have formed a company, Sollis Therapeutics, to create the product and are now raising funds, said Dr. Greg Fiore, Sollis' chief executive officer. Fiore hails from Boston and is the founder of Fiore Healthcare Advisors, a scientific consulting firm. Rezai serves as scientific adviser to Sollis.

>> Join the conversation at Facebook.com/columbusdispatchand connect with us on Twitter @DispatchAlerts

A small trial of 55 people with sciatica pain in the lower back and legs showed that the pellet stopped pain for up to one year and was safe and easy to use,Fiore said. Researchers will next seek to perform a large clinical trial, hoping toconfirm effectiveness and safety. The trial will involve a broader group of peopleculled from pain centers across Ohio.

If efficacy and safety are proved, researchers would seek approval for the pellet from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They hope to have the pellet in use within four or five years.

Sollis, headquartered in the University District, is the second company to be formed by the Neurotechnology Innovations Translator, which is funded by the Ohio Third Frontier Program. Both seek to move ideas from the lab to the marketplace.

Opioids are commonly used to treat chronic pain,Rezai said.

But the highly addictive nature of the medications, Fiore said, is a reason to find alternatives. Someone who takes opioids for a single day, for example,has a 6 percent chance of being addicted a year later.

"It's really important to avoid starting, even for legitimate conditions," he said. "It confers an increased risk for not being able to come off these drugs."

Along with medications, 11 million steroid injections are given each year to treat neck and back pain in the United States, Rezai said.Such injections might not work and, when they do, relief doesn'tlast long.

He wanted to bring the project to Ohio, and hopes are to eventually manufacture the pellets here.

"It's one of the ground zero states for the opioid crisis," Rezai said. "This is a big problem; it's just spiraling, so we want to find solutions quickly."

jviviano@dispatch.com

@JoAnneViviano

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Could this back-pain device end need for opioids? - The Columbus Dispatch

Stryker Corporation (NYSE: SYK) and Glaukos Corporation (NYSE:GKOS) are both medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, dividends, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Dividends

Stryker Corporation pays an annual dividend of $1.70 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.2%. Glaukos Corporation does not pay a dividend. Stryker Corporation pays out 37.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Stryker Corporation has raised its dividend for 6 consecutive years.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Stryker Corporation and Glaukos Corporations top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Stryker Corporation has higher revenue and earnings than Glaukos Corporation. Glaukos Corporation is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Stryker Corporation, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Stryker Corporation and Glaukos Corporations net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

73.8% of Stryker Corporation shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 90.1% of Glaukos Corporation shares are owned by institutional investors. 7.4% of Stryker Corporation shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 16.4% of Glaukos Corporation shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Stryker Corporation and Glaukos Corporation, as reported by MarketBeat.

Stryker Corporation currently has a consensus target price of $143.38, suggesting a potential downside of 0.63%. Glaukos Corporation has a consensus target price of $54.60, suggesting a potential upside of 45.79%. Given Glaukos Corporations stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Glaukos Corporation is more favorable than Stryker Corporation.

Risk and Volatility

Stryker Corporation has a beta of 0.8, suggesting that its share price is 20% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Glaukos Corporation has a beta of 1.29, suggesting that its share price is 29% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Stryker Corporation beats Glaukos Corporation on 9 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

Stryker Corporation Company Profile

Stryker Corporation is a medical technology company. The Company offers a range of medical technologies, including orthopedic, medical and surgical, and neurotechnology and spine products. The Companys segments include Orthopaedics; MedSurg; Neurotechnology and Spine, and Corporate and Other. The Orthopaedics segment includes reconstructive (hip and knee) and trauma implant systems and other related products. The MedSurg segment includes surgical equipment and surgical navigation systems; endoscopic and communications systems; patient handling, emergency medical equipment, intensive care disposable products; reprocessed and remanufactured medical devices, and other related products. The Neurotechnology and Spine segment includes neurovascular products, spinal implant systems and other related products. The Companys products include implants, which are used in joint replacement and trauma surgeries, and other products that are used in a range of medical specialties.

Glaukos Corporation Company Profile

Glaukos Corporation is an ophthalmic medical technology company. The Company focuses on the development and commercialization of products and procedures for the treatment of glaucoma. It offers iStent, a micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device. The iStent is a micro-bypass stent inserted through the small corneal incision made during cataract surgery and placed into Schlemms canal, a circular channel in the eye that collects aqueous humor and delivers it back into the bloodstream. It is developing three additional pipeline products: the iStent Inject, the iStent Supra and iDose. The iStent Inject includes two stents pre-loaded in an auto-injection inserter. The iStent Supra is designed to access an alternative drainage space within the eye. iDose is a drug delivery system that is designed to be implanted in the eye to continuously deliver therapeutic levels of medication for extended periods of time to lower intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

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Critical Comparison: Stryker Corporation (SYK) versus Glaukos Corporation (GKOS) - TrueBlueTribune

Elon Musk wants to get inside your head. In April, the Silicon Valley billionaire announced plans to launch Neuralinka company dedicated to developing a brain-to-machine interface to cure brain ailments like paralysis and memory problems and help people compete with robots when the artificial intelligence revolution makes human brains obsolete. Musk says this will be accomplished by implanting tiny electrodes into the brainallowing for things like downloading and uploading memory and casual brain-to-brain communication.

Leaders in the neurotechnology field welcome Musks arrival, while neuroethicists and others urge caution. The endeavor may sound like science fiction, but its feasible, says Timothy Deer, president of the International Neuromodulation Society, a nonprofit group of researchers and developers dedicated to using spinal cord stimulation to treat neurological pain. The cochlear implant was invented 20 years ago, and with electricity and the right frequencies targeting the brain, it allows people to hear, he says. That sounded impossible back then. And great gains require great brains, Deer says. Ben Franklin didnt know how to harness electricity, but he and others knew it was the key to something. Now, we know how to use electricity in very specific ways. Its exciting to see how Mr. Musk might change how we think.

Humans have been trying to mess with their brain waves to solve diseases since ancient times: The Romans and Greeks used to put electric fish on top of their heads to relieve pain, says Ana Maiques, CEO of Neuroelectrics, a company that develops noninvasive wireless brain monitoring and stimulation technologies.

Elon Musk, chairman and chief executive officer of Tesla Motors Inc., gestures as he speaks during a news conference in Fremont, California, on September 29, 2015. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty

Maiques is happy Musk has entered the neurotech field. With new technologies, including artificial intelligence, there is a lot of room for startups and new companies, she says.

Jennifer French, co-founder and executive director of Neurotech Network, a nonprofit that advocates for and educates the public about implantable technology, says investments in neuroscience and neurotechnology from the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative started by the Obama administration have been critical in exploring the brains mysteries.

Zack Lynch, founder of Neurotechnology Industry Organization, a global trade association representing companies involved in neuroscience and brain research, says, The [human] brain is the most complicated organ on the planet. The neurotechnology industry produces $165 billion in yearly revenue, he says, but 90 percent of that revenue comes from pharmaceuticals for neurological disorders like Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Annual revenue from neurological devices is about $10 billion.

If Musk is successful, he will run into a swamp of ethical issues. Neuroscience raises questions about technology, art, entertainment, warfare, religion and what it means to be human, Lynch says. And these considerations will be difficult to address in the short term, says Peter Reiner, professor and co-founder of the National Core for Neuroethics. Most important is privacy of thought. When a computer is hooked up to me and knows what Im thinking, that becomes a very challenging area to navigate. Another issue is what Reiner calls reason bypassing. If a device can influence your brain without you perceiving it, are you really making your decisions? He believes society already faces these questions with smartphones: Advertisers are collecting information about users based on their browsing habits and then using that data to try to change their behavior.

Daniel Wilson, a best-selling author and robotics engineer, considers these ethical issues in his novel Amped, which predicts that neurotechnology will cure people with mental disabilities and eventually help them leapfrog beyond human ability. The amplified humans known as amps are then discriminated against because the public fears their abilities.

Wilson believes brain-to-machine interfaces will become common, but that they will not diminish the humanity of their users. People often look at human creations, and we call them unnatural, Wilson says. But from my perspective, theres nothing more natural than a human being creating a tool. Birds nests or anything animals do instinctively always seems natural, but we consider it unnatural when a human uses a tool. Thats the most natural thing that a human can do. To put that tool in our bodies is a completely natural extension of what weve been doing for millennia.

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How Elon Musk Plans to Turn Humans Into Robots - Yahoo News

Elon Musk wants to get inside your head. In April, the Silicon Valley billionaire announced plans to launch Neuralinka company dedicated to developing a brain-to-machine interface to cure brain ailments like paralysis and memory problems and help people compete with robots when the artificial intelligence revolution makes human brains obsolete. Musk says this will be accomplished by implanting tiny electrodes into the brainallowing for things like downloading and uploading memory and casual brain-to-brain communication.

Leaders in the neurotechnology field welcome Musks arrival, while neuroethicists and others urge caution. The endeavor may sound like science fiction, but its feasible, says Timothy Deer, president of the International Neuromodulation Society, a nonprofit group of researchers and developers dedicated to using spinal cord stimulation to treat neurological pain. The cochlear implant was invented 20 years ago, and with electricity and the right frequencies targeting the brain, it allows people to hear, he says. That sounded impossible back then. And great gains require great brains, Deer says. Ben Franklin didnt know how to harness electricity, but he and others knew it was the key to something. Now, we know how to use electricity in very specific ways. Its exciting to see how Mr. Musk might change how we think.

Humans have been trying to mess with their brain waves to solve diseases since ancient times: The Romans and Greeks used to put electric fish on top of their heads to relieve pain, says Ana Maiques, CEO of Neuroelectrics, a company that develops noninvasive wireless brain monitoring and stimulation technologies.

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Elon Musk, chairman and chief executive officer of Tesla Motors Inc., gestures as he speaks during a news conference in Fremont, California, on September 29, 2015. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty

Maiques is happy Musk has entered the neurotech field. With new technologies, including artificial intelligence, there is a lot of room for startups and new companies, she says.

Jennifer French, co-founder and executive director of Neurotech Network, a nonprofit that advocates for and educates the public about implantable technology, says investments in neuroscience and neurotechnology from the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative started by the Obama administration have been critical in exploring the brains mysteries.

Zack Lynch, founder of Neurotechnology Industry Organization, a global trade association representing companies involved in neuroscience and brain research, says, The [human] brain is the most complicated organ on the planet. The neurotechnology industry produces $165 billion in yearly revenue, he says, but 90 percent of that revenue comes from pharmaceuticals for neurological disorders like Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Annual revenue from neurological devices is about $10 billion.

If Musk is successful, he will run into a swamp of ethical issues. Neuroscience raises questions about technology, art, entertainment, warfare, religion and what it means to be human, Lynch says. And these considerations will be difficult to address in the short term, says Peter Reiner, professor and co-founder of the National Core for Neuroethics. Most important is privacy of thought. When a computer is hooked up to me and knows what Im thinking, that becomes a very challenging area to navigate. Another issue is what Reiner calls reason bypassing. If a device can influence your brain without you perceiving it, are you really making your decisions? He believes society already faces these questions with smartphones: Advertisers are collecting information about users based on their browsing habits and then using that data to try to change their behavior.

Daniel Wilson, a best-selling author and robotics engineer, considers these ethical issues in his novel Amped, which predicts that neurotechnology will cure people with mental disabilities and eventually help them leapfrog beyond human ability. The amplified humans known as amps are then discriminated against because the public fears their abilities.

Wilson believes brain-to-machine interfaces will become common, but that they will not diminish the humanity of their users. People often look at human creations, and we call them unnatural, Wilson says. But from my perspective, theres nothing more natural than a human being creating a tool. Birds nests or anything animals do instinctively always seems natural, but we consider it unnatural when a human uses a tool. Thats the most natural thing that a human can do. To put that tool in our bodies is a completely natural extension of what weve been doing for millennia.

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In the Future, Humans Will Use Brain to Brain Communication and Download Their Memories If Elon Musk Has His Way - Newsweek