Inspire Conference 2025

Wearable Devices

The 2025 Inspire Conference will focus on inventing wearable medical devices. University of Minnesota science, engineering, and clinical faculty, Medical School students, and professionals from leading medical technology companies lead the lectures, breakout rooms and interactive invention.

Read the 2025 IEM article.

Agenda

8:30-9:30 AM: Breakfast & STEM Exploration

9:30-9:32 AM: Conference IEM Opening & Welcome
John Bischof, Director of Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of Minnesota

9:32-9:35 AM: University of Minnesota Medical School Welcome 
Peter Crawford, Vice Dean for Research, University of Minnesota Medical School; Co-director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute; Division Director of Molecular Medicine; Professor of Departments of Medicine, and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics; Watson Land Grant Chair in Medicine

9:35-9:38 AM: College of Science & Engineering Welcome Video
Joseph Konstan, Associate Dean for Research, College of Science & Engineering

9:38-9:45 AM: Conference Welcome & Overview of the Day
Yoji Shimizu, Master of Ceremonies, University of Minnesota

9:45-9:58 AM: Smarter Healing: The Role of Wearable Technology in Transforming the Future
Dawn Muyres, Solventum, Front End Innovation Leader

10:00-10:13 AM: Wearables for Medical Applications
Jason Case, Medtronic, VP of Research & Development in Acute Care & Monitoring

10:20-11:15 AM: Breakout Rooms on Wearable Devices and Careers

• Abbott
• Medtronic
• Solventum
• Starkey

11:35-11:48 AM: Lunch Break

11:48 AM-12:15 PM: Lunch Keynote "Turning Personal Pain into Entrepreneurial Purpose"
Aneela Idnani, Habitaware CoFounder & President

12:15-12:25 PM: Student Wearable Devices Invention Exercise: Prototyping & Design Innovation Challenge
Carlye Lauff, College of Design, University of Minnesota

12:25-1:10 PM: Students Develop Concepts & Inventions
Yoji Shimizu, University of Minnesota