On Friday, February 27, 2026, the final event of the fifth edition of Capstone Projects took place. The course, dedicated to Master’s students in Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, is organized by Prof. Simona Ferrante from the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering in collaboration with several industry partners.
Opening the event, Lorenzo Dozio, the Dean of the School of Industrial and Information Engineering, emphasized that the initiative strengthens academic education through hands-on projects and engagement with real-world challenges. He also underscored the strategic value of collaboration between universities and companies in fostering innovation and preparing students to successfully enter the workforce.
This year, nine companies – Approxima, Artiness, Congregazione Suore Infermiere dell’Addolorata - Ospedale Valduce, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Fondazione Alfieri per il Cuore, Newronika, Simulands, SXT - Sistemi Per Telemedicina, TecnoBody – proposed nine innovative challenges, addressed by nine student teams. Each group, supported by both an industry tutor and an academic supervisor, developed a functional prototype, which was presented during the final event to faculty members, industrial partners, and fellow students.
A special thanks goes to the jury composed of Prof. Andrea Aliverti (Politecnico di Milano); Anna Plebani (Politecnico di Milano – Technology Transfer Office); and Ivo Boniolo (Eletech), who evaluated the projects developed and awarded the three following prizes.
Best Pitch – CardioTALK
Developed in collaboration with Fondazione Alfieri per il Cuore within the San Raffaele Hospital, CardioTALK is an AI conversational cardiac tool that transforms clinical patient management in the perioperative context into an automated and efficient process, combining anamnesis collection and continuous monitoring in an accessible, safe, integrated, and flexible experience.
Best Digital Solution – The Gardens of Villa Beretta
Developed in collaboration with the Villa Beretta rehabilitation centre (Ospedale Valduce), The Gardens of Villa Beretta is a collaborative exergame that transforms leisure time of patients in rehabilitation centers into an opportunity for socializing, combining therapeutic movements and cognitive challenges in an engaging, safe, personalized and low-cost experience.
Best Physical Prototype – Adapto
Developed in collaboration with Approxima, Adapto is a cardiac simulator developed for surgical training on ex vivo porcine hearts. It allows independent pressurization of the right and left ventricles through two pumps controlled by a dedicated electronic unit, with power adjustment and real-time pressure monitoring. It also includes endoscopic visualization of the cardiac chambers to directly observe anatomical structures during procedures. It was designed primarily for Approxima’s treatment of functional tricuspid valve regurgitation, but it can also be used to train and test other cardiac procedures.
With this edition, Capstone Projects once again confirms its strategic role as a bridge between academia and industry, offering students a concrete opportunity to apply their skills to innovative, high-impact technological and clinical projects.