Latest news with #assistivetechnology
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Robotic Pet Company Tombot Secures $6.1M Series A Funding to Support Groundbreaking Health and Senior Care Product Line
LOS ANGELES, June 12, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tombot, the robotics company that earned widespread acclaim at CES earlier this year for its lifelike robotic puppy, Jennie, announced today the successful close—and oversubscription—of its $6.1 million Series A funding round. "Tombot is entering a high-demand, underserved market at the intersection of mental health and assistive technology," said Tombot CEO and Co-Founder Tom Stevens. "Over 300 million seniors around the world with dementia and mild cognitive impairment are unable to care for a live animal at a time when they need the companionship of a pet more than ever. Millions of other individuals suffering from mental health adversities are in a similar predicament." With artistic design by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, and developed with the guidance of clinical experts, patients, and their families, Jennie provides many of the health benefits associated with live animal ownership, such as reduced stress and loneliness. Jennie will be used in private homes, assisted living and memory care communities, and other settings where live animals are not always safe or practical. Covered with sensors to respond to touch, voice commands, movement, and other sensory inputs, Jennie is rechargeable, fully cleanable, and comes with an optional caregiver app to customize behaviors and ease the burden of caregiving. With participation from both new and existing investors, the funding round was led by Caduceus Capital Partners, a Nashville-based team of veteran healthcare investors with a primary emphasis on accelerating growth of early-stage digital health startups. "We identified the growing need for robotic companions several years ago and believe the market is now on the brink of exponential expansion," said Dave Vreeland, senior managing partner, Caduceus Capital Partners. "By 2030, the U.S. is projected to have 73 million seniors – an aging population that will increasingly face challenges related to loneliness, companionship, and chronic disease management. These issues are rapidly surpassing the capacity of human caregivers alone. Tombot is uniquely positioned to lead this emerging sector and drive widespread adoption of robotic companions." "This investment will be rocket fuel for Tombot," said Stevens. "We are most appreciative of our company's Board of Directors for their ongoing guidance, and are especially grateful to Caduceus for recognizing and supporting Tombot's mission of creating robotic animals that transform the daily lives of individuals, families, and communities facing health adversities." According to Stevens, this milestone investment will be used to expand Tombot's team, finalize engineering, complete regulatory and safety certifications, and prepare its first robotic pet for customer shipments to its more than 16,000 pre-order and waitlist customers. About Tombot Tombot, Inc., established in 2017, designs realistic robotic companion animals for individuals unable to safely or practically care for a live animal. After Tom Stevens' own mother's progressive dementia necessitated the rehoming of her beloved pet dog for safety reasons, Tom launched Tombot. Tombot's flagship product, Jennie, was designed specifically to treat the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). The Tombot founding team built a prior startup into one of the world's largest legal automation companies and was successfully acquired. View source version on Contacts Media Contacts: Brotman•Winter•Fried Consulting Laura Runcielaura@ (201)707-9372 Steve Winterswinter@ (202) 468-8100
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
UC Davis breakthrough lets ALS patient speak using only his thoughts
Allowing people with disabilities to talk by just thinking about a word, that's what UC Davis researchers hope to accomplish with new cutting-edge technology. It can be a breakthrough for people with ALS and other nonverbal conditions. One UC Davis Health patient has been diagnosed with ALS, a neurological disease that makes it impossible to speak out loud. Scientists have now directly wired his brain into a computer, allowing him to speak through it using only his thoughts. "It has been very exciting to see the system work," said Maitreyee Wairagkar, a UC Davis neuroprosthetics lab project scientist. The technology involves surgically implanting small electrodes. Artificial intelligence can then translate the neural activity into words. UC Davis researchers say it took the patient, who's not being publicly named, very little time to learn the technology. "Within 30 minutes, he was able to use this system to speak with a restricted vocabulary," Wairagkar said. It takes just milliseconds for brain waves to be interpreted by the computer, making it possible to hold a real-time conversation. "[The patient] has said that the voice that is synthesized with the system sounds like his own voice and that makes him happy," Wairagkar said. And it's not just words. The technology can even be used to sing. "These are just very simple melodies that we designed to see whether the system can capture his intention to change the pitch," Wairagkar said. Previously, ALS patients would use muscle or eye movements to type on a computer and generate a synthesized voice. That's how physicist Stephen Hawking, who also had ALS, was able to slowly speak. This new technology is faster but has only been used on one patient so far. Now, there's hope that these microchip implants could one day help other people with spinal cord and brain stem injuries. "There are millions of people around the world who live with speech disabilities," Wairagkar said. The UC Davis scientific study was just published in the journal "Nature," and researchers are looking for other volunteers to participate in the program.
Irish Times
05-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
How an Irish firm is using AI to make websites accessible to people with a disability
Kyran O'Mahoney comes from a computer science background and, during a career spanning 20 years, he has held senior technical roles with some of the biggest names in Irish business including Ryanair, Dunnes Stores and AIB. In 2024, O'Mahoney took the plunge into entrepreneurship and, with €2 million in private backing, set up software company Nexus Inclusion to improve digital world accessibility for people of all abilities. Those without a disability take the navigation of digital tools, such as websites, for granted. But for those with visual or motor impairment, for example, it can be quite a challenge if the selection tabs are not in the right order, there are glitches with the payment process or a site requires a mouse to operate the controls. O'Mahoney completely understands the frustration and exclusion this causes. He is significantly visually impaired and has negotiated an often unfriendly digital world with less than 17 per cent vision. READ MORE As things stand, he says fewer than 5 per cent of the top million websites globally are accessible to people with disabilities. 'Learning to use technology transformed my world as a young person. Technology was an enabler and a game-changer but most people with a disability are not afforded the same opportunity,' he says. 'I want technology to transform lives and AI is taking the possibilities to a new level. 'People with disabilities don't want to be accommodated. They want to be included,' he says. In a nutshell Nexus Inclusion's technology can identify anomalies, missing tabs and other accessibility glitches across the digital product spectrum. However, unlike existing systems that only identify the problem and recommend remediation, the Co-Pilot tool will analyse the issue, show a business exactly where it is exposed and spell out the best solution – for example, adding an extra line of code to ensure sizing and colour choices flow smoothly. Problems with digital channels are not isolated. O'Mahoney says they affect up to 80 per cent of ecommerce sites in Ireland. 'AI has allowed us to develop a ground-breaking solution to make the world more digitally inclusive and our first-of-its-kind SaaS platform – powered by GenAI (generative artificial intelligence) – can analyse digital accessibility across websites, images, videos, audio, social media channels and content on any digital platform,' he says. 'The Nexus Inclusion tools are built to cover the full product development life cycle, supporting designs, developers, content managers and executives.' As things stand, fewer than 5 per cent of the top million websites globally are accessible to people with disabilities — Kyran O'Mahoney The company's B2B solution is aimed at organisations of all sizes that want to build digital inclusion into their products or services from the get-go and comply with upcoming legislation. 'The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines compliance standards are a set of guidelines established by the World Wide Web Consortium to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. In practice, this means that all businesses trading in Europe are required to have a digitally accessible product from this month,' O'Mahoney explains. [ Businesses run risk of legal action under new digital accessibility rules Opens in new window ] His prime commitment is to inclusivity and this extends to the company's pricing, which starts at €49 a month for small enterprises. The Co-Pilot tool will be officially launched later this month and the company's team of seven (which includes seasoned IT executive Eric Neville and Jonathan Sinden, the former head of user experience at Bank of Ireland) is set to grow to 30 by the end of 2026. Unusually, Nexus didn't have a MPV (minimum viable product) when it went looking for investment. Despite this, the money flowed in 'largely because everyone knows someone who struggles with technology for whatever reason and the concept resonated with them', O'Mahoney says. Dublin LEO got things going with a feasibility grant and once O'Mahoney pushed the 'go' button, the launch product was developed in a rapid five months. 'This is only the beginning,' he says. 'It will take us about three years to build out the complete vision for Nexus Inclusion.'
Phone Arena
13-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Apple wants certain users to navigate their iPhones, iPads, and Macs using mind-control
Apple device users can navigate the screen on their devices with their fingers and even their voices. Vision Pro can open an app with the user's eyes. Eventually, Apple wants its customers to control their devices with their minds. This isn't a new concept. Back in 2011, we told you about a company named PLX Devices that created the XWave brainwave detecting headset for mobile devices. The company said at the time that the headset "can sense and detect human brainwaves, interpret them and connect it to everyday technology." At the time, the PLX website said that with its technology, the headset" can sense and detect human brainwaves, interpret them and connect it to everyday technology." The company is now in bankruptcy. However, The Wall Street Journal today reports that Apple is working on brain computer interfaces that one day would allow iPhone users to use their minds to run their phones. Apple believes that by coming up with these interfaces, it will allow many disabled people to use brain implants as a way to send out neural signals. These signals would help those who can't move their hands control their iPhone and other Apple devices. Using brainwaves to navigate their Apple devices would be a major quality of life improvement for those suffering from serious spinal cord injuries or diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease). The Stentrode interface is placed on top of a person's brain to help him control his iPhone using neural signals. | Image credit-Stentrode Apple is working with Synchron, and the new technology means that instead of seeing a user signal his intention by watching his movement, the devices use decoded brain signals to figure out what the user wants to happen next. Synchron makes a stent-like device placed on top of the brain called Stentrode that uses electrodes to read brain signals. The signals are translated and help select icons on a screen. Mark Jackson was an early tester of the Stentrode implant, and wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset, he was able to feel as though he was on the ledge of a mountain in the Swiss Alps and feel his legs shake. In reality, Jackson suffers from ALS, can't travel out of his home in Pittsburgh, and cannot stand up. He is learning how to control his iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro using a connection between his Stentrode implant and Apple's various operating systems. We first wrote about Mark last July. Brain interface computer companies have the job of tricking computers into thinking that the signals coming from the brain implants are coming from a computer mouse. Apple plans on introducing a standard for the implants later this year that will allow them to do more. Since 2019, Synchron has implanted Stentrode in 10 people. The first person to have Elon Musk's Neuralink implanted can move a cursor faster with his thoughts than some people can move it using a mouse. The company's N1 implant can collect more data from the user's brain than Synchron's implant. That's because the N1 has 1,000 electrodes that pick up neural activity compared to 16 for the Stentrode. Additionally, the former's electrodes are placed inside the brain rather than on top of it as is done with the Stentrode. According to Morgan Stanley, as many as 150,000 people in the U.S. who suffer from critical upper-limb impairments would be early candidates to use this technology. The financial services firm sees the first commercial approval for one of the implanted systems taking place no earlier than 2030. Synchron Chief Executive Tom Oxley says he expects his company to receive approval before that year. It should be noted that Elon Musk believes that these implants have the ability to help everyone, not just those disabled or suffering with a crippling disease. Musk sees this technology improving the capabilities of the brain, enabling people to compete with super-intelligent AI systems.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wheelchair Market Projected to Hit USD 9.68 Billion by 2032 Fueled by Aging Population & Tech-Powered Mobility Solutions
Rising disability rates, elderly care demand, and smarter electric wheelchair innovations are transforming the global wheelchair market landscape. Austin, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wheelchair Market Size & Growth Analysis: According to SNS Insider, the global was valued at USD 5.18 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 9.68 billion by 2032, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.21% over the forecast period. The wheelchair industry is gaining momentum, driven by the demand for assistive mobility aids triggered by an aging population, rising disability levels, and technological advancements in mobility devices. Enhanced government assistance of disability care and reimbursement policies is further stimulating global market a Sample Report of Wheelchair Market@ Market Overview Wheelchairs are increasingly being sought after around the globe as the growing needs of the aging population for mobility aids interact with rising rates of chronic disease and physical disability. Additionally, significant improvements in lightweight manual models and electric wheelchair technology are enhancing user ease and mobility. Government funding of accessible facilities and favorable insurance reimbursement for mobility aids continue to fuel the market. Indicating a 6.34% CAGR, the US wheelchair market will grow to USD 2.65 billion in 2032 from USD 1.53 billion currently. This regional growth is being spurred by increased awareness of mobility aid accessibility, along with improved product personalization and intelligent wheelchair functionality. Homecare products designed for elderly and mobility-impaired individuals are also under close observation by market players. Major Players Analysis Listed in this Report are: Carex Health Brands, Inc. – Carex Classic Wheelchair, Carex Transport Chair Drive Medical Design & Manufacturing – Silver Sport Wheelchair, Cruiser III Wheelchair, Fly Lite Transport Chair, IntelliPAP Travel Wheelchair Graham-Field Health Products Inc. – Everest & Jennings Advantage Wheelchair, Lumex Hybrid LX Rollator/Transport Chair Invacare Corporation – Tracer SX5, TDX SP2 Power Wheelchair, Top End Crossfire All Terrain, AVIVA FX Power Wheelchair Medline Industries, LP – Medline K4 Lightweight Wheelchair, Excel 2000 Wheelchair, Medline Ultralight Transport Chair Sunrise Medical LLC – Quickie Q500 M Power Wheelchair, Zippie Voyage, Quickie 2, Breezy Ultra 4 Karman Healthcare – Ergo Flight, S-115 Ergonomic Wheelchair, XO-202 Standing Wheelchair, KM5000 Reclining Wheelchair Quantum Rehab – Edge 3 Power Chair, 4Front 2 Power Wheelchair, Q6 Edge Z Numotion – Custom Manual Wheelchairs, Power Assist Devices, Complex Power Chairs (via OEM partnerships) Pride Mobility Products Corp. – Jazzy Elite ES, Go Chair, Jazzy Air 2, Jazzy Passport Seating Matters – Phoenix Chair, Monaco Chair, Atlanta Chair, Sorrento Chair Wheelchair Market Report Scope Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2023 US$ 5.18 billion Market Size by 2032 US$ 9.68 billion CAGR CAGR of 7.21% From 2024 to 2032 Base Year 2023 Forecast Period 2024-2032 Historical Data 2020-2022 Key Regional Coverage North America (US, Canada, Mexico), Europe (Eastern Europe [Poland, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Rest of Eastern Europe] Western Europe] Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Rest of Western Europe]), Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Rest of Asia Pacific), Middle East & Africa (Middle East [UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Rest of Middle East]), Africa [Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of Africa], Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia Rest of Latin America) Segment Analysis By Product: Grossing more than 67.4% in global revenue, manual wheelchairs dominated the market in 2023. Their easy maintenance, ease of use, and affordability serve to account for their dominance. Especially where cost is an overriding consideration, such as low- to middle-income regions, hospitals and rehab facilities widely use manual wheelchairs for both short-term and long-term mobility support. Battery-operated wheelchairs, meanwhile, are bound to grow fastest as consumer preference for comfort and independence increases. Individuals who are severely handicapped or aged people seeking indoor-outdoor mobility via batteries, in particular, favor them. Improvements in battery life, joystick operations, and advanced navigation technology promote their increased acceptance. By Category: With 74.4% market share, adults were the largest consumer base in 2023. The growing world geriatric population and the rise of age-related musculoskeletal disorders are the main reasons behind this segment's predominance. Disorders such as arthritis, spinal cord damage, and post-stroke disability bring with them a demand for movement aids among this population. With manufacturers and medical professionals focusing on ergonomically shaped, customizable, and lightweight mobility solutions for disabled children, the pediatric wheelchairs segment is likely to grow rapidly. The growth of the segment is also assisted by enhanced identification and treatment of congenital mobility issues and cerebral palsy. By Application: At a 38.4% value share, rehab centers emerged as the highest-grossing application sector in 2023. Wheelchairs are usually employed in such centers, both temporary and long-term, for patient recovery programs. Increasing numbers of rehab centers and postoperative recovery programs, including mobility training, contribute further to driving demand. Hospitals will most probably experience the fastest growth because the need for wheelchairs in long-term care facilities, emergency departments, and surgical recovery rooms increases. Demand is increasing directly from the global growth of hospital infrastructure and acute care therapies. For A Detailed Briefing Session with Our Team of Analysts, Connect with Us Now@ Wheelchair Market Segmentation By Product Manual Electric By Category Adult Pediatric By Application Homecare Hospitals Ambulatory Surgical Centers Rehabilitation Centers Regional Analysis The North American region dominated the global wheelchair market in 2023, owing to large healthcare spending, advanced infrastructure, and sound refund systems. Key market players and widespread acceptance of technologically enhanced wheelchairs have contributed to emphasizing this dominance even more. During the forecast period, Asia-Pacific will experience the highest growth. This is due to fast population aging in countries such as China and Japan, greater awareness of healthcare concerns, and government spending on disability and rehabilitation programs. In addition, promoting the adoption of premium mobility aids is rising disposable income levels in emerging economies. Recent Developments December 2024: Pride Mobility introduced the Go Go Super Portable and Jazzy Ultra-Light power wheelchairs at Medtrade. Both products are designed for utmost portability and convenience, and they are lightweight and compact. September 2024: Sunrise Medical launched the Empulse R90, a Red Dot award-winning push-assist device for hand-propelled wheelchairs, thus facilitating greater distances covered and reduced shoulder fatigue. Statistical Insights and Trends Reporting The World Health Organisation puts the number of people globally who require wheelchairs at 75 million, and more than a billion people suffer from some form of impairment in general. An estimated 3.3 million Americans alone use wheelchairs for daily mobility; figures set to increase with population aging trends. Institutions such as hospitals and rehabilitation facilities contributed to over 55% of the wheelchair needs in 2023. Particularly in North America and Western Europe, hospitals contributed to approximately 35% of yearly procurement in urban a Single-User PDF of Wheelchair Market Analysis & Outlook Report 2024-2032@ Table of Contents – Major Key Points 1. Introduction 2. Executive Summary 3. Research Methodology 4. Market Dynamics Impact Analysis 5. Statistical Insights and Trends Reporting 5.1 Prevalence of Mobility Impairments and Disability Rates (2023) 5.2 Wheelchair Usage Penetration and Adoption Trends (2023), by Region 5.3 Annual Wheelchair Units Sold, by Region (2020–2032) 5.4 Healthcare & Assistive Devices Spending, by Region (Government, Insurance, Private, Out-of-Pocket), 2023 5.5 Aging Population Trends and Impact on Wheelchair Demand (2020–2032) 5.6 Rehabilitation & Long-Term Care Facility Growth, by Region (2020–2032) 6. Competitive Landscape 7. Wheelchair Market by Product 8. Wheelchair Market by Category 9. Wheelchair Market by Application 10. Regional Analysis 11. Company Profiles 12. Use Cases and Best Practices 13. Conclusion Related Report Patient Handling Equipment Market Report Personal Mobility Device Market Report Walking Aids Market Report Assisted Walking Devices Market Report Electric Wheelchair Market Report About Us: SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world. CONTACT: Contact Us: Jagney Dave - Vice President of Client Engagement Phone: +1-315 636 4242 (US) | +44- 20 3290 5010 (UK)
