(Vienna, 22 April 2026) SVAN, a spin-off from MedUni Vienna, was awarded third place in the University Research category at the 2026 Houska Prize. The Houska Prize, awarded by the B&C Private Foundation, recognises projects that combine scientific excellence with practical application. SVAN is an intelligent surgical drilling platform with an integrated auto-stop mechanism. The system detects bone resistance in real time and stops automatically at the target location, faster than a human reflex and without the surgeon having to intervene actively.
Surgical drilling procedures are indispensable in millions of cases worldwide, yet are associated with serious complications every year. This is due to conventional drills without sensory feedback, where even the slightest deviation can cause life-threatening injuries, particularly in neurosurgery, spinal surgery and emergency surgery. Gunpreet Coudert Oberoi and Ewald Unger, together with their team at the Medical University of Vienna, developed SVAN technology: an intelligent auto-stop drilling platform that detects changes in bone resistance in real time and stops the drill faster than human reflexes can. In preclinical studies, the technology reduced drilling-related complications by up to 90 per cent.
SVAN’s first product is a smart intraosseous drill for emergency vascular access, designed for patients of all ages and body sizes, including the most vulnerable patients imaginable: premature babies weighing as little as 500 grams. The patented auto-stop sensor detects tissue resistance in real time and stops the drill precisely the moment it penetrates the bone marrow – automatically, without the doctor having to pull the trigger or make a split-second decision. In the most critical moments of emergency medicine, SVAN completely eliminates the human error factor.
The next product in the pipeline is an auto-stop skull drill for emergency neurosurgical access, followed by further surgical drilling applications. SVAN’s mission is to work in close partnership with clinicians to identify and address unmet medical needs that existing devices simply cannot address.
The spin-off SVAN Technologies GmbH was founded in September 2025 by Gunpreet Coudert Oberoi (CEO) and Ewald Unger from the Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering at the Medical University of Vienna. As early as 2024, the project received support from the FFG’s Spin-off Fellowship. The Houska Prize now underscores the technology’s potential for the application-oriented further development of medical innovations.
Mariella Schurz Prize
In addition, the project was awarded the Mariella Schurz Prize. A high school class serves as the jury and evaluates the projects.
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