Ri.MED enthusiastically took part in the first edition of Hack Your Value, the innovation program promoted by the Department of Engineering at the University of Palermo in collaboration with Talent Garden, which concluded today with the presentation of the final projects and the awards ceremony for the winning teams.
The initiative represents a concrete example of collaboration between academia, research, and industry, offering students the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges while connecting companies and research organizations with new ideas, skills, and innovative approaches. Ri.MED looks forward to future editions of the program and reaffirms its commitment to supporting initiatives that foster dialogue between education, research, and innovation, generating value for all stakeholders involved and contributing to the growth of the regional innovation ecosystem.
From Challenge Presentation to Team Development
The program was officially launched on May 4 in the presence of the Rector of the University of Palermo, Prof. Massimo Midiri; the Director of the Department of Engineering, Prof. Livan Fratini; the initiative coordinator, Prof. Giovanni Perrone; Dr. Lorenzo Scialdone (Talent Garden); the Mayor of Palermo, Prof. Roberto Lagalla; and representatives of the partner organizations — STMicroelectronics Italia, Smart Engineering, Prysmian, Terna, and Fondazione Ri.MED — who presented the challenges that would shape the program.
Over the following three weeks, master’s and PhD students worked in multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems proposed by the participating organizations. The experience enabled students to test their skills in settings closely connected to professional practice, addressing concrete needs and learning how to transform ideas and knowledge into structured project proposals.
The Challenge Proposed by Ri.MED
During the launch event, Sofia Di Leonardo, Scientist in Bioengineering at Ri.MED, presented a challenge focused on a cardiovascular clinical condition affecting approximately 1–2% of the general population, with prevalence rising to 15–20% among individuals over the age of 80.
The challenge stemmed from the limitations of current clinical approaches, which can still be associated with recurrence rates of up to 50%. Students were therefore asked to imagine a novel solution or innovative device capable of ensuring the long-term restoration of a stable heart rhythm in patients affected by atrial fibrillation, ultimately contributing to an improved quality of life.
Final Presentations and Awards Ceremony
The closing event featured presentations by the ten participating teams. Two teams competed on each challenge, resulting in the selection of five winning projects by the jury.
The projects demonstrated strong technical expertise, analytical skills, creativity, and a remarkable aptitude for innovation. All teams approached complex problems with original and unconventional perspectives, highlighting the value of collaboration between academia, research, and industry in generating high-potential ideas.
The awards ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla, and the Regional Councillor for Productive Activities, Edmondo Tamajo.
Two Innovative Solutions for the Ri.MED Challenge
Three weeks earlier, teams composed of master’s and PhD students from the University of Palermo’s Department of Engineering had been assigned a particularly ambitious challenge: to design a novel solution or innovative device capable of ensuring the long-term restoration of a stable heart rhythm in patients affected by atrial fibrillation.
The two teams working on the Ri.MED challenge approached the problem from different yet equally innovative perspectives, demonstrating an impressive ability to understand a complex clinical need and translate it into practical solutions.
Team 1, composed of Darine Boutitaou, Chiara Buccellato, Gianluca Diana and Dario Stracuzzi, proposed an integrated smartwatch-patch system. The smartwatch continuously monitors cardiac rhythm and, upon detecting an episode of atrial fibrillation, activates the patch. The latter emits low-penetration targeted ultrasound capable of breaking capsules containing an antiarrhythmic drug, enabling its immediate release.
Team 2, composed of Alessandro Abbate, Cristina Canfarotta, Irene Franzone, Simonpietro La Malfa and Giulia Scarpa, developed an integrated system consisting of a smartband for continuous cardiac monitoring, an ultrasound chest patch, and a miniaturized implant delivered endovascularly into the right atrium. The battery-free implanted device captures the mechanical oscillations generated by the patch and, through a piezoelectric crystal, converts them into localized electrical stimulation aimed at restoring normal cardiac rhythm.
Both teams successfully met the objectives of the challenge, distinguishing themselves through technical competence, creativity, and innovative thinking. The jury selected Team 1 as the winner thanks to a less invasive solution specifically designed for a high-risk patient population, features considered particularly relevant in terms of clinical applicability and potential impact on patients’ quality of life.
The Hack Your Value experience confirms the importance of initiatives that foster dialogue between universities, research organizations, and industry, creating meaningful growth opportunities for students and contributing to the development of new ideas to address the scientific and technological challenges of the future.