Monday, July 6, 2026
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Despite a Code Red heatwave, the final symposium of the Clinical Technology (KTO) program once again, as is tradition, showcased refreshing solutions from graduating students. At the tenth edition of the KTO Symposium, two student groups received a Medical Delta KTO WOW! Award.
The graduating Bachelor’s students in Clinical Technology - a joint program run by TU Delft, Erasmus MC and LUMC - presented their final projects to fellow students, family and friends, their clients and a panel of expert judges. The symposium concluded with a presentation by Medical Delta and Ditto Care, the winner of the expert jury prize at the 2026 Nationale Zorginnovatieprijs. They gave the final-year students a glimpse into what they can expect as professionals.
Students devise standardisation for safer scans
CT scanning is an essential method for making a rapid and accurate diagnosis in sick children. The major drawback is that a CT scan uses ionising radiation, which can increase the risk of cancer. This effect is greater in children.
An increasing number of medical centres are using a relatively new PCCT scanner that can achieve the same image quality with a lower radiation dose, but it is still unclear how this can be used optimally. For many indications, no standardised protocol is yet available, meaning that each hospital follows its own protocols. Standardizing protocols makes it possible to carry out scans everywhere using the same, lowest possible dose whilst maintaining sufficient image quality.
A group of students took the first step towards standardizing this by investigating differences in dose and image quality between the protocols of various European children’s hospitals. They developed an analysis tool for this purpose and concluded that there are significant differences.
This shows that there are benefits to be gained from standardisation. In many cases, dose reduction leads to an image with more noise, but in most cases, detectability remains sufficient. This makes further research worthwhile, with the ultimate aim of establishing an optimal protocol for each indication that could be used in all children’s hospitals. The jury was impressed and awarded the project with a Medical Delta KTO WOW! Award.
Automated monitoring of nasogastric tubes
A nasogastric tube is used to administer nutrition, fluids or medication. Incorrect positioning can cause serious complications, particularly if the tube enters the airways. The current monitoring method is not always reliable or feasible. As a tube can shift even after correct placement, repeated position checks are important.
A group of students investigated how the position of a nasogastric tube can be checked reliably at the bedside. Based on literature, existing techniques and interviews with nurses, the ‘Check2Feed’ concept was ultimately chosen. This combines two measurement principles in the tip of the tube: CO₂ detection to identify airway placement, and fluid detection to confirm gastric placement. The students built and tested a prototype of the concept, with promising results.
Although the prototype is not yet clinically applicable, the concept demonstrates that the system has potential for further development. Check2Feed represents a promising step towards automatic, repeatable monitoring of nasogastric tube position. The system can thus support nurses by reducing the workload associated with position checks, whilst at the same time better monitoring the safety of tube feeding or medication administration. The jury also awarded this project a Medical Delta KTO WOW! Award.
Although it just missed out on the prizes, a graduation project on vaginal lubrication was certainly no less noteworthy. This plays an important role in comfortable sexual intercourse. A team of students developed an initial conceptual design for an intravaginal measuring device capable of quantifying vaginal lubrication by measuring friction. The chosen concept consists of an intravaginal probe with a locally rotating disc at the tip that can combine two signals. The design thus represents a first step towards a more objective and functional assessment of vaginal lubrication, rather than relying on subjective self-assessment or indirect measurements.
Ditto and Medical Delta offer a glimpse into the professional future for KT graduates
What can you expect on the job market as a KT graduate? What will be expected of you as a professional, or what challenges might you face as an entrepreneur? As in previous editions, Medical Delta, together with the winner of the regional Zorginnovatieprijs, provided an insight into these matters. This time, the graduates were able to ask questions of Ditto, which won the Zorginnovatieprijs not only at regional but also at national level.
In an inspiring presentation, Bart Voorn, co-founder of Ditto, explained what is involved in the further development, market launch and upscaling of a healthcare innovation. This led to a fruitful exchange between an expert with first-hand experience and the aspiring healthcare innovators.
KTO coordinator Arjo Loeve took a moment to put his co-coordinator, Kim Hutchinson, in the spotlight. After three years of being a pillar of support for KTO, Kim said her goodbyes as she nears the completion of her PhD.
Ten years of KTO: from student to client
The KTO final symposium is the annual culmination of the final projects for the Bachelor’s programme in Clinical Technology. The first edition took place in 2017, featuring the first 44 students ever to complete the programme. Two of them were now KTO clients and supervisors. Two of the original clients were also clients this time round, as were five current jury members who had also been part of the first edition.
During the celebratory 10th edition, 88 KTO students completed 22 projects. The Code Red heatwave almost led to the event being cancelled, but following an amended program (and some ice creams), all 88 graduates were told they had passed.
The types of final-year projects over the past ten editions have followed prevailing trends: for example, there was a phase with an emphasis on validations and a phase in which many projects involved creating an app or dashboard. In the most recent editions, AI has played a greater role.
More graduates are expected in the coming years, as the intake limit was raised from 100 to 125 last year. In doing so, the program demonstrates its value in delivering refreshing new insights, collaborations and solutions – even on extremely hot days.
