The Partnership for Economic Innovation (PEI), a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona’s economic opportunities, announced that five of its WearTech Applied Research Center’s 2022 cohort projects have successfully been brought to market. These new wearable tech projects include Biomotum’s Robotic Ankle Assist Device (RAAD) device, TF Health’s badge-like sensing devices and 8Chili’s medical training technology and headband. Additional projects include Movement Interactive’s acute head injury detecting headband and GoX Labs’ workforce exoskeleton.

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“At the WearTech Applied Research Center, we believe these Arizona-made projects have the potential to revolutionize the medical technology industry,” said Kathleen Lee, Director of Applied Research Centers for the Partnership for Economic Innovation. “We are grateful to the Arizona Legislature, the universities and our partners for helping us enhance the lives of millions through these trailblazing projects.”


Biomotum’s technology provides on-demand mobility assistance to aid at-home gait training for individuals with walking disabilities.(Photo courtesy of Biomotum)

The wearable tech projects that are currently in the market providing real and innovative solutions to healthcare and tech issues are:

  • Biomotum’s Robotic Ankle Assist Device (RAAD) device that provides on-demand mobility assistance to aid at-home gait training for individuals with walking disabilities.
  • TF Health’s sensing devices that promote overall health and wellness in the workplace and in daily life. 
  • Movement Interactive’s Hiji®Band, an integrated solution for measuring acute injury in individuals exposed to brain injury.
  • 8Chili’s Virtual Reality for Medical Training technology and headband, a virtual reality simulation of clinical studies for medical students.
  • GoX Labs’ PhenEx exoskeleton was developed to help workers squat and lift heavy loads promoting overall worker health and reducing the potential for workplace injuries.

As a result of the partnership with the WearTech Center, these projects have successfully reached the commercialization stage. Project leaders have each increased their teams to support this stage, worked with key players including various healthcare organizations and government entities to ensure user accessibility and increased funding to secure project continuity. 

“The WearTech Applied Research Center has been instrumental in GoX Labs’ growth by providing support and experts,” said Joe Hitt CEO and co-founder of GoX Labs. “Having the opportunity over the last several years to have matching funds and to be able to work on projects like this has really helped us to innovate and grow our business.”

Funds to successfully deliver these projects to completion were made possible by the State Legislature during its 2021 session and further supported by the Arizona Commerce Authority who collectively awarded $1.6 million to this second cohort of WearTech Applied Research Center projects.

PEI’s WearTech Center focuses on guiding wearable technology projects from the initial idea generation phase to project formation, research validation, and finally commercialization. In addition to partnering with the WearTech Center and the state’s three public universities, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and University of Arizona, project leaders worked alongside public and private partners to develop innovative technologies that each help address and resolve inequities within the healthcare and tech industries. Information on WearTech Center projects and more is available at azweartech.org. To learn more about the Partnership for Economic Innovation and its initiatives, visit azpei.org.