Startup companies showcase wheelchair cushions at CES
Two startup companies are hoping to situate themselves into the wheelchair seat cushion market after showcasing their products at Thursday’s opening day of the giant consumer electronics show known as CES in Las Vegas.
Kalogon Inc., and Wave Therapeutics each highlighted their wheelchair seat cushion options inside the Venetian Expo Hall in the Venetian Hotel.
The Kalogon Orbiter Smart Cushion developed by Kalogon Inc., reduces pain, improves posture and increases blood flow using both machine learning and air cell technology to redistribute air flow, which eliminates direct pressure on sensitive areas.
When a wheelchair user sits down, the cushion is powered on and it senses how the user is sitting. According to the company’s website, it electronically adjusts itself every few minutes to decrease pressure from a user’s backside, maintain healthy blood flow and keep a user’s skin healthy. It automatically turns off when no pressure is applied.
Kalogon was one of five winners of the Consumer Technology Association Foundation’s 2023 Eureka Park Accessibility contest, which focused on technologies that have the potential to enhance the lives of older adults or people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, Wave Therapeutics, a startup company based in Nashville, Ind., debuted its Wave Therapeutic Cushion. While Kalogon’s is based on air cells, Wave’s pressure cushion has a microprocessor-controlled peristaltic pump, which is designed to safely and effectively eliminate pressure “hot spots,” restore blood flow to tissues and improve return blood flow to the heart and lungs, according to the company’s website. The Wave Therapeutic Cushion runs on lithium ion-batteries.
It also has a smart analytics backend, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with sensors and real-time data. It has active cooling with cool air promoted through the body to keep tissues cooler and drier.
Wave Therapeutics plans to price the Wave Therapeutic Cushion at $450, and it’s ready to manufacture. If the company reaches its fundraising goal, it hopes to launch the pressure cushion later this quarter.
Pressure sores are a common issue among paralyzed veterans, those with spinal-cord injuries and wheelchair users, and approximately 60,000 individuals die from pressure injuries each year.
