Research & Impact
People-Centered Progress
The Health Tech Hub at Cornell Tech’s Jacobs Institute stands at the forefront of health tech with groundbreaking research and impactful collaborations. Together with key partners and funders, we're driving innovation, education, and entrepreneurship, shaping a more efficient, inclusive healthcare system.
Research
Highlights
Machine Learning to Reduce Inequality and Improve Healthcare
The Health Tech Hub is researching groundbreaking applications of AI in public health. Led by Emma Pierson, this work has used computer vision to analyze racial disparities in pain assessment and develop an influential COVID-19 forecasting model to inform reopening strategies. Pierson’s work has been recognized with prestigious accolades like the MIT Technology Review 35 under 35 and Samsung AI Researcher of the Year, alongside best paper awards at KDD and AISTATS.
AI in Radiology
Led by Mert Sabuncu, this research pioneers new ways of using AI to enhance radiology. The work has led to significant real-world impacts, including the development of core technology for Cleerly Health, a start-up focusing on AI-driven coronary heart disease diagnostics. Sabuncu’s innovations have been implemented in clinical tools at Weill Cornell and have established the foundation for the AI in Radiology Institute at Weill Cornell, poised to grow with six technical faculty members.
Novel Sensors and AI for Health
Led by Tanzeem Choudhury, this Health Tech Hub initiative uses novel sensors, actuators, and AI to improve health assessments, expand clinical care access, and improve quality care. The real-world impact of this research includes co-founding HealthRhythms, a digital mental health startup with over $40 million in capital and a team of over 40 employees. Choudhury’s work also contributed to the development and implementation of a digital behavioral health solution within UnitedHealth Group.
Robots and Augmented Reality Systems that Improve Group Interactions
The Health Tech Hub is utilizing augmented reality to enhance teamwork in a number of ways. Led by Angelique Taylor, this work includes: developing Medical Crash Cart Robots to aid healthcare workers with necessary supplies and decision-making support; and creating perception and decision-making algorithms to assist team dynamics. The project also explores how augmented reality experiences can support collaborative efforts in time-sensitive and high-risk situations.
NYP-Cornell Cardio AI Initiative
The NYP-Cornell Cardio AI Initiative, co-led by Deborah Estrin, aims to revolutionize heart health and the way we predict and prevent heart diseases. By using AI and machine learning, the initiative analyzes various types of health data to better identify heart failure, anticipate its progression, and guide treatment decisions. Benefitting from the vast and diverse patient base of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the project brings together faculty, PhD students, and postdocs from Cornell Tech, Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, Weill Cornell, and Columbia to improve heart failure care.
Initiative on Home Care Work
A research-in-action partnership between the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Cornell Tech, the Home Health Care Worker Initiative works to improve the status quo for undervalued and overlooked healthcare workers who provide services at patients’ homes.
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Precision Behavioral Health
The Precision Behavioral Health Initiative at Cornell Tech aims to advance the role of precision technology in transforming behavioral health.
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HealthNEXT
Summit
Cornell Tech’s HealthNext Summit, held on our Roosevelt Island campus, convenes stakeholders from academia, industry, and government to foster collaboration in building a nexus of health technology innovation in New York City.
The inaugural HealthNext Summit in 2023 was sponsored by Optum, The Carson Family Charitable Trust, GreyMatter, and Flare, and focused on behavioral healthcare technology. In its second year, HealthNext 2024: AI delved into the clinical applications of AI and its potential to transform the future of healthcare. Leaders and experts in the field – including Susan Monarez, Deputy Director of ARPA-H, David C. Rhew, the Global Chief Medical Officer and VP of Healthcare at Microsoft, and many more – joined us for two days to discuss challenges, create solutions, and advance health AI.
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CORNELL TECH Runway Startups
At Cornell Tech, academics and practitioners develop innovative digital products and services to meet societal and commercial needs. To date, Cornell Tech has reached a milestone of over 100 “runway startups” – amassing a total valuation of $660 million. Here are a few examples of companies, projects, and technologies built by members of the Health Tech Hub.
Nanit
Nanit created the world’s first baby monitor to utilize advanced computer vision and machine-learning algorithms to share valuable insights about a baby’s sleeping habits.
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Abstractive Health
Abstractive Health provides a generative AI assistant to help clinicians efficiently manage clinical notes and improve revenue, while reducing burnout by quickly extracting essential information from extensive medical histories.
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Fig
Fig facilitates the Prior Authorization process for healthcare providers through intelligent automation and predictive analytics – so doctors can focus on patients, not paperwork.
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SoulSide
Soulside is the first evidence-based support system that’s designed to help you have a healthier and happier pregnancy and postpartum journey.
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ReflexAI
ReflexAI is an AI-driven platform designed to enhance training and quality assurance in contact centers, focusing on efficiency, cost reduction, and improved team satisfaction.
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Built at Cornell Tech
See a full list of companies built by members of Cornell Tech and the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute.
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Invest in the Future Of Health Tech
Supporting the Health Tech Hub is an investment in the future of healthcare. The Health Tech Hub strategically prioritizes applied research, entrepreneurship, and interdisciplinary education to improve healthcare for all. To learn more about supporting our work, contact us.
The Health Tech Hub is dedicated to addressing the disconnect between academic research and applied technology – or, the “operational gap.” In order to transform healthcare, we focus on translating research to clinical settings by supporting research implementation demonstration projects and prioritizing “innovation with integrity.”
The Health Tech Hub aims to increase the success rate of health tech startups by providing students and faculty with resources, guidance, and a network of experts in this complex field. We are expanding our Runway program to include Health Tech Venture Studios, which will foster entrepreneurship and innovation in such domains as artificial intelligence in healthcare.
The Health Tech Hub is shaping future leaders in health tech through an interdisciplinary curriculum that incorporates human-centered solutions, novel data handling, and the latest advances in AI alongside courses in medicine, policy, and ethics. The Health Tech Hub combines the academic rigor of an Ivy League institution with the practical agility of a startup, preparing students to face challenges and identify opportunities that drive positive change in the healthcare system.