Automated skill check for sterile procedure training
Official title: Automated Skill Assessment of Sterile Procedures
Funded at Innovative Design Labs, INC. · NIH-11315934 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new AI-powered system will automatically grade how well people perform sterile techniques using mannequin simulations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Innovative Design Labs, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $313,110 |
| NIH project number | 1R43AI197687-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11315934 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable for this grant as described; the work focuses on training assessment rather than direct patient participation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients would not be enrolled; the grant centers on training healthcare workers.
What this research studies
This project develops a hardware-and-AI solution to automatically judge aseptic technique during mannequin-based training. It aims to replace time-consuming in-person scoring with objective, repeatable assessments and to provide feedback by replaying mistakes. The system will collect training data, train AI models, and test how accurately it can determine competence in sterile procedures. If successful, it could streamline credentialing and reduce healthcare-associated infections by improving training quality.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, learners and facilities could certify competency more efficiently, potentially reducing infections and improving patient safety.
How similar studies have gone: Previous manual assessment methods are well-established; this project seeks to automate them, which is a novel advancement with promising potential.
Where this research is happening
-
Innovative Design Labs, INC.
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Becker, Adam Joseph — Innovative Design Labs, INC.
- Study coordinator: Becker, Adam Joseph
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Modular Venipuncture and IV Access Simulator for Diverse Patients
A modular training simulator helps clinicians practice inserting IV lines and injections on a variety of patient types to improve real-world skills.
-
Non-Contact, Wearable-Free Device to Diagnose Sleep Apnea at Home or in Clinic
A non-contact device uses AI to diagnose sleep apnea and monitor heart rate, breathing, and sleep stages without wearables, in clinic or at home.
-
Gait Monitoring System to Track Cognitive Decline in People at Risk for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias
A wearable or remote gait-monitoring system that people at risk for Alzheimer’s can use to help detect early signs of cognitive decline.
-
Physiology learning kits that bring human biology to life for high school students
A new, affordable interactive physiology simulation kit will bring real-world health science concepts to pre-college students and help them explore careers in medicine and biology.
-
Improving CPR and AED Training to Reflect Real-World People
A new line of realistic CPR/AED mannequins will help learners practice on bodies that look and feel like actual patients, including older adults and people with different body types.
-
Contact-free, wearable-free sleep monitor for diagnosing sleep apnea
A compact, non-contact device that uses heart and breathing signals and sleep-stage monitoring to find obstructive sleep apnea for people with suspected sleep problems or at higher risk.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.