RAINBOW · Project

Fast Patient-Specific Body Simulation for Smarter Medical Device and Implant Design

healthPrototypeTRL 4

rainbow.ku.dk

Imagine a doctor needs to design a back brace for a teenager with scoliosis, or a surgeon wants to rehearse a tricky operation on a computer first. Right now, building a digital twin of that specific patient's body takes a team of engineers, days of work, and clunky software most doctors can't use. RAINBOW built tools that automate the whole process — feed in a patient scan, get a simulation-ready model fast, and let clinicians test different designs on a virtual patient before touching the real one. Think of it as a flight simulator, but for surgery and medical device fitting.

By the numbers

consortium partners across academia and industry

countries represented in the consortium

industry partners involved in development

named companies contributing domain expertise

60%

industry ratio in the consortium

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Designing medical devices, implants, and treatment plans for individual patients currently requires expensive, slow biomechanical simulations run by specialized technical teams. Most clinicians cannot use these tools directly, which means patient-specific solutions are reserved for complex cases at large hospitals. This bottleneck delays treatment, increases costs, and leaves many patients with off-the-shelf solutions that don't fit their unique anatomy.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a demonstrated prototype for scoliosis brace simulation and early prototypes covering pre-scan image registration for surgery, RSA and FEA coupling for implant analysis, jaw motion simulation, and integration of gait analysis data with musculoskeletal spine models. In total, 13 deliverables were produced across the consortium.

Audience

Who needs this

Medical device manufacturers designing patient-specific implants and prostheticsSurgical simulation and training software companiesOrthopedic clinics and hospitals treating scoliosis, osteoarthritis, and musculoskeletal conditionsCAD/CAE software vendors serving the healthcare sectorRehabilitation equipment companies developing personalized braces and supports

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical devices and prosthetics

mid-size

Target: Companies designing implants, prosthetics, or orthopedic braces

If you are a medical device manufacturer spending weeks on patient-specific design iterations — this project developed automated simulation tools that turn patient scan data into ready-to-use biomechanical models. The consortium included 8 industry partners like 3Shape (prosthetics) and Simpleware (CAD/CAE), and produced a working prototype for scoliosis brace simulation. This could cut your design-to-fit cycle from days to hours.

Surgical planning and simulation

SME

Target: Companies building surgical training or pre-operative planning software

If you are a surgical simulation company struggling with the technical complexity of setting up patient-specific models — RAINBOW demonstrated early prototypes for pre-scan image registration for surgery and jaw motion simulation. With 9 industry partners and expertise from Insimo (surgical simulation) and Kitware (imaging), these tools let clinicians explore surgical options without needing an engineering team in the room.

Orthopedic and rehabilitation clinics

any

Target: Hospital departments or clinic chains treating musculoskeletal conditions

If you are an orthopedic clinic treating scoliosis or osteoarthritis patients and relying on trial-and-error for brace fitting or implant selection — this project built simulation tools that model individual patient biomechanics. They demonstrated a scoliosis brace simulation prototype and gait analysis integration with musculoskeletal models, which means more precise treatment planning based on each patient's actual anatomy.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or integrate these simulation tools?

The project did not publish pricing or licensing terms. RAINBOW was an MSCA training network, so commercialization paths likely run through the 8 named industry partners (3Shape, Kitware, Insimo, GMV, Simpleware, inuTech, Anatascope, Next-Limit) who may offer tools incorporating this research. Contact the coordinator or specific industry partners for licensing discussions.

Can these tools handle industrial-scale production of patient-specific devices?

The project demonstrated early prototypes and one dedicated scoliosis brace simulation prototype. These are proof-of-concept demonstrations, not production-ready systems. Scaling to clinical volumes would require further engineering, validation, and regulatory clearance.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

IP is distributed across the 15-partner consortium spanning 6 countries. Key industry partners like 3Shape, Simpleware, and Anatascope likely hold commercialization rights for their respective domains. Specific IP arrangements would need to be discussed with the University of Copenhagen as coordinator.

Does this meet medical device regulatory requirements?

Based on available project data, RAINBOW focused on research and prototype development, not regulatory certification. Any clinical deployment would require CE marking or equivalent medical device approval. The prototypes demonstrated feasibility, not regulatory compliance.

How long before these tools could be deployed in a clinical setting?

The project ended in March 2022 with demonstrated prototypes. Moving from prototype to clinical deployment typically requires further validation, regulatory approval, and integration with existing clinical IT systems. Some industry partners may already be incorporating findings into their commercial products.

Can these tools integrate with existing hospital imaging and CAD systems?

The project involved partners specializing in imaging (Kitware), CAD/CAE (Simpleware), and patient-specific modeling (Anatascope), suggesting integration was a design consideration. Prototypes demonstrated pre-scan image registration and coupling between different analysis methods (RSA and FEA), which points toward interoperability with standard clinical workflows.

Consortium

Who built it

RAINBOW assembled a notably industry-heavy consortium with 9 out of 15 partners (60%) coming from the private sector — unusual for a training network and a strong signal of commercial relevance. The 8 named companies cover the full medical simulation value chain: 3Shape brings prosthetics expertise, Kitware handles imaging, Insimo focuses on surgical simulation, Simpleware provides CAD/CAE capabilities, Anatascope specializes in patient-specific modeling, and Next-Limit contributes fluid dynamics. Coordinated by the University of Copenhagen across 6 countries (DE, DK, ES, FR, LU, UK), the project combined 5 academic institutions with deep industry collaboration. For a business looking to adopt these tools, the key contacts are the industry partners who are most likely to commercialize specific components relevant to their domain.

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITETCoordinator · DK
REGION HOVEDSTADENparticipant · DK
GMV SOLUCIONES GLOBALES INTERNET SAUparticipant · ES
SYNOPSYS (NORTHERN EUROPE) LIMITEDparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITE DU LUXEMBOURGparticipant · LU
inuTech GmbHpartner · DE
UNIVERSIDAD REY JUAN CARLOSparticipant · ES
KITWARE SASpartner · FR
AALBORG UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
CARDIFF UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

University of Copenhagen (KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET), Denmark — coordinator of the 15-partner consortium. Reach out through the project website or university contact channels.

Order a report on this consortium See KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the RAINBOW team or specific industry partners for licensing discussions? SciTransfer can arrange a targeted introduction to the right contact for your use case.

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