Best of both worlds [Emerging Technologies]

Expanding on the experience gained at 2006 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC'06) in New York, the 30th IEEE Annual International Conference of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS), held on 24 August 2008, hosted the second Industry--Academia Partnership Roundtable. The panel that pioneered the EMBC'06 efforts, with members from academic and industry communities, debated topics related to the following: · reciprocal value that academia and industry can offer in medical device new product development · the basics of starting up your own company · clash of cultures (industry versus academia): what obstacles academicians may face in reaching entrepreneurship? · intellectual property (IP) joint development and sharing between industry and academia · quick tutorial on use of provisional patents. How are patents used by companies?