NATO Innovation Challenge “Medical Care in Accessible and Unprotected Combat Areas” has announced the top projects from its competition aimed at finding new solutions for medical evacuation in modern warfare. The jury included representatives from both NATO and Ukraine.
Participants focused on addressing key challenges for the Defense Forces, such as field medical care and evacuation of the wounded in areas under constant surveillance and UAV threat.
Among ten finalists—both foreign and Ukrainian developers—three winners were selected.
First place went to a portable field dialysis device developed by Canadian innovators, effectively replacing kidney function. It requires only 2–4 liters of water per cycle (compared to 200–500 liters for standard machines) and is compact and lightweight enough to be carried in a backpack.
Second place was awarded to the American MiniFuser, a device for controlled intravenous drug administration without continuous medical supervision. It requires no electricity or special conditions.
Third place went to an automatic wounded-data reading system from an American developer. The microchip transmits information without Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other conventional technologies.
The competition was organized by the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre (JATEC) and the NATO Allied Command Transformation.
The jury also included representatives from the Ukrainian medical battalion “Hospitallers” and the “Come Back Alive” charitable foundation, whose frontline experience helped identify the most effective solutions.
Winners will have the opportunity to refine their projects, test them in combat conditions, and, if successful, scale their deployment.
