Ethical digital twin tools to monitor complex medical devices
Official title: EMED: An Ethical Mixture-of-Experts Digital Twin Framework for Medical Device Surveillance
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11596786 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused project to improve safety of medical devices by using smart, privacy-conscious AI that learns from many data sources to spot problems after devices are on the market.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2025 |
| Project end | September 21, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,999,996 |
| NIH project number | 3OT2OD038051-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11596786 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with conditions requiring complex medical devices or their caregivers who are willing to contribute de-identified data and insights to improve device safety.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not using complex medical devices or not participating in data-sharing activities may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create an ethical, multimodal AI framework that combines diverse data about medical devices—including electronic records, social media, and recall information—to monitor safety beyond initial approvals. It will use advanced machine learning models designed to protect privacy and fairness while providing explanations to clinicians and patients. The resulting open-source software will help detect adverse device events and support regulators, manufacturers, and healthcare providers in making safer decisions. If you have a condition that uses implanted or implanted-associated devices, this work could help identify risks and improve device safety in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience safer medical devices and quicker detection of adverse events.
How similar studies have gone: Past work shows promise in AI-enabled device monitoring, but this project advances ethical, multimodal approaches with broader data sources.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roberts, Kirk Edward — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Roberts, Kirk Edward
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.