Medtech takes over New York City this spring, when the MD&M East conference and exposition heads to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center June 9–12, 2014. Here are four happenings you won’t want to miss.

Show Floor Sessions

If you need help navigating the booths of the more than 1000 industry suppliers and service providers showcasing at the event, join a free Innovation Tour. Experts will guide you through the show floor and highlight the newest technologies relevant to mobile devices, 3-D printing, and robotics. You can also maximize your show floor experience by attending free educational sessions, including product presentations in the Tech Theater and speakers including a DIY-implant expert at the Center Stage.

Networking Opportunities

With representatives from a number of top medical device companies in attendance, MD&M East will be a great place to network with your industry peers. If you prefer a more structured environment, sign up for a speed networking event. In these free sessions, participants will be matched with professionals who share their interests for 90 minutes of brief meetings. Conference attendees can also take advantage of more than 10 hours of networking over the four days of sessions, including a welcome drinks reception featuring a robot competition to break the ice.

Thought-Provoking Keynotes

Anchoring this year’s conference content are keynotes by some of the best minds in the industry. On June 9, Stryker Corp.’s Scott P. Bruder will discuss creating a sustainable innovation pipeline in the evolving medical device sector. On June 10, IBM director of Watson technologies Eric W. Brown will explain how the company’s artificial intelligence technology is changing healthcare. Howard Levin, cofounder of medical device incubator Coridea, will address the hot-button topic of renal denervation on June 11. Finally, on June 12, Andrew Malcolmson, of Covidien, and Devin McCombie, of Sotera Wireless, will cover the emerging trend of remote patient monitoring.

Medical Design Excellence Awards

The Medical Design Excellence Awards program is the medtech industry’s premier awards competition honoring innovative medical devices and diagnostic products that are saving and improving lives. Join us as we announce the gold, silver, and bronze winners in 11 categories as well as honor the best-in-show winner. We’ll also celebrate the annual lifetime achievement award winner. Admission to the ceremony is free, but donations are encouraged to benefit the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance’s BMEidea design competition for biomedical engineering students.

—Jamie Hartford, managing editor, MD+DI
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