Dr. Rageen Rajendram* | NeuroAI Team
Every innovation in health technology begins not with scale, but with one. One family, one clinician, one system willing to try something new. For BRIDGES Engage, this was our starting point.
In research, we often talk about the importance of sample size. Large numbers give confidence, but the first “N of 1” carries a different kind of weight. It represents possibility. It tests whether an idea can leave the lab and survive in the real world.
“Building a prototype is easy; production is hard”. Designing software in theory is straightforward compared to implementing it in a clinical setting. The transition forces us to confront barriers such as ethical oversight, regulatory safeguards, institutional workflows, and the human realities of care. These barriers exist for good reason, but they also make the work slower, more uncertain, and at times uncomfortable.
Yet it is in this process that real learning happens. Feedback from families and clinicians has not just been welcomed, it has been essential. Their insights have reshaped how we build, what we prioritize, and how we measure success. Every point of friction has been a teacher, pushing us toward solutions that are safer, more usable, and more meaningful.
Partnership and co-creation are not optional in this space – they are the only way forward. Artificial intelligence may accelerate our tools, but it cannot replace the trust required to implement them. The journey to our first client has reminded us that transformation in healthcare is not just about algorithms or code, but about the relationships that make technology truly matter.
N of 1 is not the end goal, but it is the proof of possibility. If we can change the experience of one family, in partnership and with integrity, then we are on the right path to change many more.
We would like to thank @realworldABA and the families they serve for being our N of 1 and taking this first step with us.
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* Dr. Rageen Rajendram is a Developmental Pediatrician and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. He is also a Clinical AI Researcher, Physician Lead for TamilKidsHealth (OurKidsHealth Network), the Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of NeuroAI, and the sibling of an adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).