Yale medical device start-up 109 Design has received a $100,000 grant to help begin manufacturing a feedback device which attaches to scoliosis orthoses and provides real-time feedback on wear-time and tightness.
The company was founded by Yale students Ellen Su, Levi DeLuke and Sebastian Monzon.
“It is so important to be able to see the data every day,” Su stated in the release. “Currently you don’t see the data until 3 months later. We think this device and app will help kids be more engaged in their own treatment.”
The team is currently working with physicians at Yale New Haven Hospital collecting data from patients using the device. The next step is a clinical trial.
The funding will also help 109 Design manufacture a number of devices to be used in research studies for the students to figure out how best to scale up. They are working with a development firm on the related app and intend to include a built-in incentive program so that children who wear their orthoses as directed are automatically rewarded. The students also hope their device and software might be adapted to track other health conditions.
