Devin Coldewey@techcrunch / 3:02 PM GMT+2•September 22, 2022 Anyone who has to use a wheelchair regularly runs the risk of incurring injury from poor circulation. Kalogon believes it can mitigate this common but potentially life-threatening condition with a smart cushion that prevents any one part of the body from being compressed for too long — and it has already caught the eye of the VA. Pressure injuries are caused when a part of the body can’t get enough blood to it and the tissue starts to die. Most people have experienced the beginnings of it, like something tightening around a finger and cutting off bloodflow, but it’s not always so external, painful or obvious. “Especially if they have reduced sensation, just about anyone who sits for an extended period is at risk for pressure injuries,” said Kalogon founder and CEO Tim Balz. Certainly the shift to remote work has everyone wondering whether sitting for too long is damaging their body in some way or another. But this goes well beyond a sore back; people who can’t stand up and stretch, or feel the pressure or pain that might signal a real problem, are at risk of serious harm. Pressure injuries affect millions and lead to the deaths of thousands of people every year. The solution, in theory, is to reduce the pressure on the various parts of the body that are most affected — essentially the butt, thighs and tailbone area. This can be done by the person if they can remember to “offload” by leaning this way for a few minutes to take the pressure off, then do it again on the other side, then forward, etc. — and do it constantly. Unsurprisingly, adherence to this kind of self-care is not particularly high. Getting a sculpted cushion is a step up — you buy an expensive foam one, then have it shaved down or compressed to accommodate the contours of your body. But Balz pointed out that this only really works for a little while — your body changes and the cushion doesn’t, so after a month or two you need to customize it again: costly and time-consuming. More recently there have been smart-adjacent cushions made of a pair of interwoven cushions that are filled and deflated in sequence, alternating so that pressure isn’t always on one spot. These may be better, but the problem with them is that they still allow pressure to build up in pain points because the area of pressure reduction is small. And as Balz pointed out, “the chance of injury on an IT vs a thigh is like an order of magnitude difference, so it makes no sense to treat them the same.” Kalogon’s app for adjusting the cushion’s pressure zones. Image Credits: Kalogon Kalogon’s solution, a cushion called the Orbiter, has five distinct regions, corresponding to the tailbone and left and right thigh and butt areas generally. By keeping four of the five inflated, the user is supported adequately and a whole area is relieved of pressure. Then a few minutes later it slowly shifts that pressure to the next region, and so on. Here’s a diagram of pressure being redistributed from the tailbone region to elsewhere (darker and green means higher pressure): “When you sit down on it, we have a basic machine learning algorithm that at its default settings does its best to accommodate your body, but you can customize it to fit,” Balz said, either using a companion app or with the help of a caregiver or clinician. After setting its normal sequence, the cushion also monitors pressure on the different regions so it can shift differently if the user is leaning forward or to the side for longer than usual (typing, for instance, or dozing). When the cushion deflates the rear center area, pressure is diverted to the front, allowing better bloodflow to the sacral area. Image Credits: Kalogon “By having five cells that are independently controllable, we can move one at a time and tune that movement — support the body but drop down one of the cells. If you look at a pressure map, you’ll see that the pressure drops below the commonly accepted threshold,” he continued. The whole thing is powered by a battery and pump unit that clips to the wheelchair, and has enough power built in to last for 14-16 hours at default settings (redistributing weight every three minutes). Users have complimented the Orbiter as a huge improvement over ordinary or semi-smart cushions. One said it allowed him to sit in his chair without discomfort for four hours, which he hadn’t done in years. You can see it being set up and demonstrated in the video below: Despite the glowing reviews, it’s difficult to prove the efficacy of this type of setup, Balz admitted, because there’s just not a lot of clinical data on it yet. While there are generally agreed-on helpful practices like offloading pressure, there isn’t some international board of cushion testers that evaluates these things. Though the company has conducted numerous case studies with users, there’s no big study saying the cushion reduces risk by some percentage. They can, however, say that it achieves a similar effect to offloading, which everyone agrees is a good practice. That said, the VA took a chance on Kalogon in a few cases where there was serious risk or an existing injury and Balz said they have been very happy with dozens of deployments. While the results aren’t official enough to be published, the fact that the VA is ordering more and working with them on a study using the device indicates confidence. The cushion launched in February starting at $2,000 and is classed as a medical device that can be paid for by a variety of means, though it isn’t going to be covered by insurance or Medicare or the like just yet. That’s in the cards, Balz hopes, but for now they’re focusing on the “dozens” of VA centers that are actively recommending Orbiters. Naturally there are many veterans who could use the product, and a VA clinician endorsing it makes it more affordable. Kalogon just raised $3.3 million in seed funding, led by SeedFundersOrlando, with participation from DeepWork Capital, VenVelo, and Sawmill Angels. It also collected federal grant money from the U.S. Air Force (make of that what you will). The funding will go toward scaling the company and, of course, meeting demand.

The company's smart cushion can analyze pressure points in real-time and redistribute pressure Pressure injuries develop due to unmitigated pressure applied to the skin and deep tissue when a person seated for a long periods of time, making people who use wheelchairs particularly susceptible and vulnerable. These injuries are the most preventable cause of death in wheelchair users, yet they kill more people each year than colon, breast or prostate cancer, said Tim Balz, founder and CEO of Kalogon, developer of a smart cushion that redistributes pressure points and improves blood flow. "We founded Kalogon to help prevent these injuries and give wheelchair users the freedom to stay active longer and do more of what they love. We believe everyone deserves to live an active seated life," he said. Now the company will be able to continue to develop and expand of its technology thanks to $3.3 million it has raised in seed funding and federal grants. The investor group includes Florida investors DeepWork Capital, SeedFundersOrlando and VenVelo, with additional investment from Sawmill Angels, while the federal grants came from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) and the U.S. Air Force. While traditional cushions can cause reduced blood flow, which may lead to painful and costly pressure sore injuries, Kalogon's Orbiter Smart Cushion uses a combination of machine learning and air cell technology to analyze pressure points in real-time, intelligently redistributing pressure, thereby increasing comfort and maintaining blood flow in wheelchair users. The cushion also comes with a connected app that users, caregivers, and clinicians can use to personalize the experience. "The cushion uses pressure sensors to detect applied pressures on the seat surface. The control system then takes this pressure information and compares it to the user’s settings from our app," Balz explained. "The system adjusts applied pressure as necessary to ensure pressure reliefs are provided in sensitive areas. The cushion connects via Bluetooth to our companion app. Additionally the system can receive software updates via a WiFi connection." The Kalogon Orbiter Smart Cushion, which has been on the market since February, can be purchased directly by wheelchair users, facilities, and clinicians; it's also available in more than 20 Veterans Affairs hospitals throughout the U.S. The company custom manufactures in partnership with BAC, a social enterprise dedicated to building communities that support members of unique abilities in growing their own personal success. In terms of ROI, Kalogon's customers with higher level injuries have been able, in some cases, to reduce healing time, which can take years and also cost patients thousands in out-of-pocket medical costs. "We have customers who went from needing to stay in bed to being cleared to swim again. That ROI is priceless," said Balz. The company will use the new funding to scale both domestically and internationally, and to build out its team, which is currently between 10 and 15 people. That means hiring across its sales team, as well as additional interns in engineering, sales, and marketing, and increasing its production team at BAC to keep up with manufacturing needs. The money will also be used to expand the product’s capabilities, including increasing the cushion’s ability to customize to their lifestyle and activities, and working on new algorithm improvements to increase the comfort and efficacy of the product. "We are on a mission to empower wheelchair users by helping them live a safe and active, seated life. This funding is the first step in our journey to revolutionize seating for everyone. As we continue to expand the seating space and improve our cushion, we strive to provide what will become the new standard of care," said Balz. > Read the full article here <

Written by Marco Santana September 23, 2022 It has been a whirlwind 24 hours for former SpaceX engineer Tim Balz, who now leads Melbourne-based Kalogon. Not only did the company punch a ticket to be a presenter at Synapse Florida next month by impressing a distinguished panel of judges during an event in downtown Orlando Thursday night. But the company also shared news Friday morning that it had raised $1.9 million for its medical-tech company. SeedFundersOrlando led the round, with Sawmill Angel Network, venVelo and DeepWork Capital also joining. Kalogon uses a combination of machine learning and “air cell technology,” which uses air pockets similarly to shock absorbers, in its smart wheelchair cushion design. The technology aims to increase comfort and blood flow for those using wheelchairs by adjusting the cushion and giving control to users through a mobile app. “We are on a mission to redesign wheelchair technology to help prevent these injuries and give wheelchair users the freedom to do what they love,” Balz said in a release announcing the investment. “This is the first step in our journey to revolutionize seating for everyone.” Balz worked for SpaceX’s Dragon, Starship and Falcon 9 projects during a nearly 4-year stint with the space giant previously. Through federal grants, Kalogon pushed its recent investment total to $3.3 million. Last year, Kalogon landed a much smaller round of $200,000, which was also led by SeedFundersOrlando. “They have demonstrated the ability to innovate and rapidly execute and have exceeded expectations,” SeedFundersOrlando CEO Dennis Pape said in the release. But first, an event win for the team On Thursday, the Kalogon team participated at the Orlando Economic Partnership’s TenX Tech event downtown. As part of the event, eight startups met the community and presented to judges who would select a winner. Kalogon, because of its win, will now have a stage to present at next month’s Synapse Orlando, a fast-growing tech event that returns this year. Orlando startup Overhead Intelligence won a crowd-based vote to also present there. “Being able to be part of this community has been awesome,” Balz said in an interview with Orlando Tech News. “It’s a great opportunity to celebrate with people who have helped us get here.” At Thursday’s event, hosted jointly by Orlando Economic Partnership and Orlando Tech Council, Orlando Tech Council chair and Blue Wave Resource Partners CEO and Founder Charlie Lewis said the Synapse tie-in was important to continue pushing the ecosystem forward. “If your goal is to get funding, find talent and clients then you need to be as connected in this ecosystem as you can be,” he said. “Everyone in the ecosystem will be at Synapse.” That’s why Christina Drake, CEO of the presenting startup Kismet Technologies, put her business up for consideration at the event. The company has developed a safe material that provides long-term virus and bactria protections for surfaces, something that became increasingly important during the COVID pandemic. Drake said the event was more general interest than others she has presented at but that this offered unique opportunities. “It’s definitely different from a typical show we’d be at because you have a wider range of people here,” she said. “The types of questions you get are different. It makes you think more about your business. It gives you a much different perspective.” For companies like Kalogon, it also sets up what could be a crucial appearance at Synapse. “Kalogon’s technology has created an entirely new market in smart seating, with applications in wheelchair mobility and beyond,” said Ben Patz, DeepWork Capital managing partner. “We are thrilled to help get their groundbreaking technology to everyone who needs it.” > Read the full article here <

Kalogon's smart cushion increases blood flow for people in wheelchairs, which makes them more comfortable while preventing deadly pressure sores. Westend61 By Alex Soderstrom - OBJ Staff Writer & Orlando Inno Reporter September 23, 2022, 03:02pm EDT Kalogon Inc. recently hauled in millions of dollars in new funds and was named a winner of an Orlando Tech Council startup competition — all in less than 24 hours. The Melbourne-based maker of a high-tech wheelchair cushion has raised $1.9 million in seed funds from a group of Orlando investment groups, led by SeedfundersOrlando. > Read full article here <

"Paralyzation is what you see and not what you're going through” says LeToi Adams, Army Veteran and wheelchair games athlete. In 2011 LeToi was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer originating in the lymphatic system. The tumor wrapped around her spinal cord, resulting in a T-10 spinal cord injury and paralysis from the waist down. After her year-long recovery, LeToi found adaptive sports, a form of competitive or recreational sports for people with disabilities. She soon fell in love with wheelchair basketball and has used it as an outlet throughout her journey. Wheelchair sports played an important role in LeToi’s mental health: being able to stay active and play the games she loved gave her the encouragement to push forward after her treatment. “When I found out about adaptive sports, it gave me a lot of motivation and courage to get out there and play with other competitive, disabled people,” says LeToi. “It was definitely an eye opener to see people that I look up to play adaptive sports like me.” Her Kalogon Orbiter cushion helps keep her on the court: “It makes being confined to my chair during the game okay because I don’t need to do as many pressure reliefs.” Whether playing on the court or in her chair at home, you can find LeToi using her Kalogon Orbiter smart cushion to help relieve pain and prevent pressure injuries. The relief brought by the Orbiter cushion has helped LeToi stay focused on her game. “The Kalogon cushion makes going out easier and more comfortable.” Hear more about LeToi’s experience with the Kalogon Orbiter Smart cushion in her own words in this video:

Alex Soderstrom, OrlandoInno SeedFundersOrlando has made its eighth Florida startup investment, which will boost a Space Coast company’s efforts to prevent pressure sores that kill tens of thousands of people every year. Early-stage investment group SeedFundersOrlando invested $195,000 in Melbourne-based Kalogon, SeedFundersOrlando announced Aug. 30. Read Full Article on Seedfundersorlando.com

Brittany Mulligan for Hometown News BREVARD COUNTY — An innovative idea is making a difference in the lives of wheelchair users by creating a smart wheelchair cushion. The company responsible is taking a further step forward by partnering with one of Brevard County’s largest employers for people with disabilities. Earlier in February, Kalogon announced the launch of the world’s first smart wheelchair cushion. It’s designed by a team of former SpaceX, NASA and Northrop Grumman employees to improve the comfort for extended wheelchair use. Kalogon has partnered with Brevard Achievement Center to manufacture the cushions, and this exciting opportunity will provide jobs to individuals with disabilities. READ FULL ARTICLE ON HOME TOWN NEWS BREVARD

Alex Soderstrom, Staff Writer for OrlandoInno This CEO built a wheelchair endorsed by Stephen Hawking before launching his new startup Tim Balz has worked on a long list of successful wheelchair innovations, landing his name on a patent and leading a project endorsed by renowned physicist Stephen Hawking. Balz’s latest efforts won’t revolutionize the wheelchair, but rather, the quality of life of the people who use them. Melbourne-based Kalogon, founded by Balz last year, developed a “smart cushion” meant to prevent pressure sores in people who sit too long, especially those in wheelchairs. The product is in use by some rehabilitation centers, assisted-living centers and hospitals across the Sunshine State. Read Full Article on simulationinformation.com

When Erin Field was just 21 years old, a chimney fell on top of her while hammocking on a roof. The accident caused damage to her C-5 and C-6 vertebrae, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down with no function in her fingers and very limited arm function. Like many wheelchair users, sitting for long periods of time can be difficult. In Erin’s case, she has autonomic dysreflexia, which causes her even more trouble when seated. Autonomic dysreflexia is an issue with the autonomic nervous system, the part of your nervous system that manages functions of the body that happen “automatically”: body temperature control, sweating, pain control, blood pressure regulation, etc. Autonomic dysreflexia occurs when there is damage to the nervous system, often making messages sent throughout the body absent, or misinterpreted. This can cause complications such as dangerously high blood pressure, difficulty maintaining heart and breathing rates, seizures, and fluid in your lungs, among many others. For Erin, Autonomic Dysreflexia causes uncomfortable sweating when seated for longer periods of time. “Prior to using the Kalogon Smart Cushion, I would start sweating after just 4 hours, even with a pressure relief. I could just tell my body needed to get out of my chair. With the Kalogon Cushion that just doesn’t happen.” Throughout her journey, Erin has strived to keep a positive outlook. Spending time with friends and family has played an important role in this attitude. Before using Kalogon, Erin had to worry about pressure sores when seated for longer periods of time. The Kalogon Orbiter Cushion senses how Erin is sitting and automatically adjusts itself in real time, allowing Erin to focus on what matters most. “Kalogon has helped me keep a positive outlook. I no longer stress in social situations where previously I had to step away to do a pressure relief. Now, I feel like I can be in the moment with friends and family without that constant worry.” Autonomic dysreflexia affects up to 90% of people with upper thoracic and cervical spinal cord injuries just like Erin. “Now I can do all of the activities I love without having to worry about doing a pressure relief,” says Erin. “I am beyond thankful.” Hear more about Erin’s Experience with the Kalogon Orbiter Smart Cushion in her own words in this video:

Steven Aquino Forbes Contributor Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Steven covers accessibility and assistive technology. Mobility Tech Startup Kalogon Introduces Its All-New Connected Smart Cushion For Wheelchair Users In a press release published on Tuesday, Florida-based mobility startup Kalogon announced what it calls the “world’s first smart wheelchair cushion.” Developed by ex-SpaceX engineers—the aerospace company started by Elon Musk—Kalogon describes the cushion as being designed to “assist in the healing and prevention of pressure ulcers or bedsores.” The company notes these injuries are the leading cause of preventable death for the more than 3 million Americans who use a wheelchair. Kalogon’s claim to fame is the company’s engineers have developed wheelchair technologies that were endorsed by esteemed late physicist Stephen Hawking. “For me, if Kalogon can solve major challenges that people in wheelchairs face in partnership with people of all abilities, then we are doing our job right from ideation to manufacturing and distribution,” said Kalogon founder and CEO Tim Balz in a recent interview with me conducted over email... Read Full Article on Forbes