Evolution Devices, Inc. Awarded Competitive Grant from the NSF

Oakland, CA, 09/28/2020 – EVOLUTION DEVICES, INC. has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $224,990 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on EvoVision - a markerless motion capture system that will automate gait analysis for rehabilitation centers.

EvoVision simplifies the process for collecting sophisticated motion data. Artificial intelligence and computer vision technology captures accurate joint data from affordable web-cameras. These data can be further processed to inform clinicians of detailed gait metrics; this gait analysis tool will enable clinicians to precisely track patient progress throughout the rehabilitation process and to hone effective treatment programs.

“NSF is proud to support the technology of the future by thinking beyond incremental developments and funding the most creative, impactful ideas across all markets and areas of science and engineering,” said Andrea Belz, Division Director of the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships at NSF. “With the support of our research funds, any deep technology startup or small business can guide basic science into meaningful solutions that address tremendous needs.”

“Current techniques for gait assessment in rehabilitation clinics are limited to stop watches and eye-ball observations,” said Andrew Ekelem, PhD, the Chief Product Officer and principal investigator at Evolution Devices. “We are excited to have the opportunity to develop our research grade motion tracking to be quick and easy for physical therapists to use to track patient progress at therapy centers.”

Once a small business is awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant (up to $256,000), it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II grant (up to $1,000,000). Small businesses with Phase II grants are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investment or sales.

Startups or entrepreneurs who submit a three-page Project Pitch will know within three weeks if they meet the program’s objectives to support innovative technologies that show promise of commercial and/or societal impact and involve a level of technical risk. Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions, and commercial potential are encouraged to apply. All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/

About the National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $1.75 million to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.1 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.