How Brain-Computer Interfaces Are Changing Lives for Kids

How Brain-Computer Interfaces Are Changing Lives for Kids

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George sits down with Eli Kinney-Lang, Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary and Director of the engineering arm of the BCI for Kids Lab at the Alberta Children's Hospital. Eli shares how brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are creating new ways for children with complex neurological disabilities to interact with the world using brain signals to control devices, communicate and even play games. The conversation breaks down the realities of BCI technology—what it is (and isn’t), how it works in practice and the real-world challenges of bringing it out of the lab and into everyday life. Key themes in this episode include: * what brain-computer interfaces actually look like in real-world use * how BCIs help children bypass physical limitations to interact with technology * the challenges of accessibility, including sensor design and real-world usability * why designing for children is fundamentally different and more impactful than designing for adults * the importance of inclusion, engagement, and user experience in pediatric technology * how gaming is becoming a powerful tool for learning, connection, and skill-building * the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in moving innovation from research to real life * lessons from commercializing pediatric neurotechnology while maintaining a family-centered approach * how play and social connection are often the biggest motivators for children, not just clinical outcomes * what the future holds for pediatric neurotechnology, including AI, wearable systems, and scalable solutions One of the most powerful moments in the episode highlights a child using BCI to independently move his wheelchair for the first time—demonstrating how small technological breakthroughs can create life-changing impact. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here [https://www.nait.ca/centre-for-advanced-medical-simulation] This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca [https://road55.ca/]

From Classroom to Practice: Building Better Health Care Teams

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George sits down with Sharla King, professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta and Program Director for the Master of Health Sciences Education program. With more than 20 years of experience in interprofessional education (IPE), Sharla shares her journey into the field, her leadership in collaborative practice, and her ongoing work shaping how health professionals learn to work together effectively. The conversation explores the evolution of interprofessional education from early classroom-based models to more integrated, experience-based learning that spans simulation and real-world clinical environments. Key themes in this episode include: * how interprofessional education often begins with curiosity and grows into a lifelong focus * the importance of building a “community of practice” across institutions and disciplines * why resistance to IPE often stems from a lack of understanding, not opposition * practical strategies for integrating collaboration into already full curricula * the shift toward embedding interprofessional learning across the full continuum from classroom to simulation to clinical practice * insights from research on assessing interprofessional competencies during clinical placements * the importance of clarity in expectations between students, educators, and preceptors * simple but powerful collaboration skills like perspective-taking, communication, and relationship-building * how curiosity and collaboration are the best entry points into research * the growing importance of educator identity and professional development in health education This episode reinforces a simple but powerful idea: better collaboration in education leads to better collaboration in practice and ultimately, better patient care. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here [https://www.nait.ca/centre-for-advanced-medical-simulation] This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca [https://road55.ca/]

Simulation at Scale: What It Really Takes Behind the Scenes

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, Lisa George is joined by Tom Waring and Bree Weyland from the NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation for a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to deliver a large-scale, high-impact simulation experience. The conversation centers on a recent Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) simulation, which brought together over 115 students from multiple health disciplines across Alberta. Designed around a realistic building collapse scenario, the simulation required learners to collaborate across the full continuum of care—from on-scene triage with paramedics and firefighters to treatment in both rural and tertiary hospital environments. Tom and Bree walk through how this complex event was built from the ground up, offering insight into the often unseen role of simulation technologists (SimTechs) in designing, coordinating, and executing immersive learning environments. Key themes explored in this episode include: * how early involvement in planning shapes what’s possible in simulation design * the process of building realistic patient characters to drive clinical decision-making * the importance of standardized patient (SP) preparation and consistency at scale * how makeup, environment design, and storytelling contribute to immersion * managing real-time communication across a distributed simulation environment * adapting on the fly when carefully planned scenarios inevitably break down * how learners evolve from individuals into high-functioning teams under pressure * the growing role of AI tools (like in-house platforms) in simulation development * the future of the SimTech profession as it expands into design, research, and education This episode highlights that simulation is not just about equipment or scenarios—it’s about people, planning, adaptability, and creating environments where learners can safely experience the complexity of real-world healthcare. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here [https://www.nait.ca/centre-for-advanced-medical-simulation] This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca [https://road55.ca/]

Simulation, Systems and the Future of Surgical Care

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, Lisa George is joined by Tara Klassen, Innovation Lead for Surgical Care Alberta. With a provincial lens and a systems-level perspective, Tara works across programs, pathways, portfolios, and geographies to help clinical and operational leaders navigate what she calls “big, weird, shared, complex decisions.” Tara explains why innovation in surgical care is about much more than introducing a new device or technology. It is about understanding what that innovation makes possible across the entire continuum of care, from referral and diagnostics through the operating room, inpatient recovery, and into community and home care. Her work focuses on helping teams align around uncertainty, clarify shared goals, and move from ideas to actionable recommendations that are safe, feasible, and sustainable within a complex public health system. Throughout the conversation, Tara unpacks some of the biggest barriers to implementing innovation, including funding structures, procurement realities, workflow disruption, and the challenge of introducing change in a system designed to manage risk. She also makes a compelling case for simulation as a core tool in innovation, not just for training, but for testing, validating, and scaling new approaches across both urban and rural settings. Key themes in this episode include: * why innovation must be understood at a systems and pathway level * the importance of early engagement with the health system * how shared language and shared vision drive successful collaboration * why simulation should be embedded across the entire innovation lifecycle * what sustainable surgical innovation looks like over the next decade * how Health Everywhere Hub and A-MEDICO are shaping Alberta’s innovation ecosystem This episode offers a practical and insightful look at how innovation actually happens inside complex health systems, and what it takes to move from concept to real-world impact. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here [https://www.nait.ca/centre-for-advanced-medical-simulation] This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca [https://road55.ca/]

From Research to Real World: Dr. Mary Brindle on Surgical Innovation

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, Lisa George speaks with Dr. Mary Brindle, pediatric surgeon, health systems researcher, and internationally recognized leader in surgical quality improvement and innovation. Dr. Brindle shares how her clinical work and research have led her to focus on one of the most complex spaces in health care: the operating room. Surgical care is high risk, resource intensive, and deeply dependent on the interaction between people, processes, and technology. That makes it one of the most important places to study how innovation can improve outcomes. The conversation explores the origins of the Health Everywhere Hub, a province-wide initiative designed to bring together clinicians, engineers, digital health experts, community partners, and researchers to solve major health challenges in Alberta. Dr. Brindle reflects on what it was like to move beyond traditional research approaches and work in a faster, more iterative innovation model shaped by collaboration with industry and innovation partners. Lisa and Dr. Brindle also discuss the concept of the Living Lab in health care, and why testing innovation in real clinical and community settings matters so much. Rather than relying only on tightly controlled pilots, Living Labs allow teams to understand how technologies actually fit into workflows, how they are adopted by users, and where they need to change before they can succeed at scale. Other key themes in the episode include: * Why collaboration across professions and sectors is essential for meaningful innovation * The biggest challenges currently facing OR teams in Canada * Why access, equity, communication, and evidence-based care remain core priorities * How bureaucracy slows innovation when frontline voices are not fully part of decision-making. * The opportunity Alberta has to lead in surgical innovation by creating adaptable, innovation-ready environments This episode is a thoughtful look at what it takes to move from good ideas to real-world impact in surgical care, and why the future of innovation depends on clinicians, researchers, industry, and patients working together. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here [https://www.nait.ca/centre-for-advanced-medical-simulation] This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca [https://road55.ca/]