ESSA Award
AI Innovation Award for Interdisciplinary ENT & OMS Sleep Surgery
Recognizing pioneering innovations that unite clinical expertise and artificial intelligence to redefine standards in patient-centered sleep surgery.
The ESSA AI Innovation Award for Interdisciplinary ENT & OMS Sleep Surgery invites clinicians, researchers, and innovators worldwide to showcase transformative solutions at the intersection of artificial intelligence and sleep surgery.
This award honors pioneering work that bridges specialties, leverages cutting-edge technology, and sets new standards in patient-centered care. Whether you are developing advanced algorithms, surgical tools, or integrated treatment pathways, your innovation has the potential to shape the future of sleep medicine.
Join us in recognizing excellence, fostering collaboration, and advancing the next generation of surgical innovation.
AWARD DESCRIPTION
The AI Innovation Award for Interdisciplinary ENT & OMS Sleep Surgery recognizes groundbreaking advancements that integrate artificial intelligence into surgical diagnosis, planning, and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing. The award celebrates collaboration between Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) disciplines, highlighting innovations that improve patient outcomes, surgical precision, and clinical efficiency.
Our Focus
The focus is on clinically relevant, scalable, and ethically responsible AI-driven solutions that redefine modern sleep surgery.
Strategic Focus Areas
AI-driven airway analysis and phenotyping
Personalized surgical planning using imaging and predictive modeling
Integration of robotics and navigation systems
Sleep apnea treatment optimization (OSA, UARS, etc.)
Data-driven interdisciplinary workflows
• Postoperative monitoring and outcome prediction
AWARD CATEGORIES
Seven Awards in total: 3 each for ENT and OMS and 1 Interdisciplinary Award
ENT
OMS
Best AI-Assisted Surgical Planning
Tool
Innovations improving preoperative analysis, simulation, or decision-making.
ENT
OMS
Excellence in Intraoperative AI Integration
Excellence in Intraoperative AI Integration
Real-time guidance systems, robotics, or augmented surgical workflows.
ENT
OMS
Breakthrough in Outcome Prediction & Patient Selection
AI models predicting surgical success, risks, or personalized treatment pathways.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award
Projects demonstrating strong synergy between ENT and OMS specialties.
Evaluation criteria
Submissions are assessed using the following weighted criteria:
Improvement in patient outcomes, safety, and quality of care
Novelty of the AI approach and its contribution to the field.
Depth of collaboration between ENT and OMS disciplines.
Scientific validity, data quality, and algorithm reliability.
Feasibility of adoption in real-world clinical environments.
Transparency, patient safety, and compliance with medical standards.
Jury Composition
The jury consists of FOUR internationally recognized experts ensuring balanced and interdisciplinary evaluation:
1 ENT Sleep Surgery Specialist
(Chair)
1 OMS Sleep Surgery Specialist
1 AI/Medical Data Science Expert
1 Clinical Research Methodologist
The jury evaluates submissions independently and convenes for final consensus.
Application Process
Candidates must submit the following:
- Project Abstract (max. 500 words): outlining the innovation and its clinical relevance
- Technical Description including methodology, data sources, and validation
- Clinical Evidence (if available), such as pilot studies or trial results
- Interdisciplinary Contribution Statement describing collaboration between ENT and OMS
- Supporting Materials (optional), such as videos, publications, or prototypes
Application fees
Submission is completed via an online portal. All entries must be in English.
500 €
1.000 €
1.500 €
Eligibility
Submissions are assessed using the following weighted criteria:
- Open to individuals, teams, academic institutions, and industry innovators
- Projects must relate to sleep surgery or sleep-disordered breathing
- Both early-stage and fully implemented solutions are accepted
Application
Candidates may apply on the ESSA homepage www.essa-event.com