Able Innovations: Robotics take the pain out of patient transfers
Moving residents and patients from one surface to another is physically demanding work that takes a toll on workers in long-term care homes and hospitals — but a startup supported by AGE-WELL has developed a solution.
The ALTA Platform™ is a robotic patient transfer device similar to a hospital bed. Embedded sensors and strong motors make it easy to transfer the patient from bed to bed, or from a bed or stretcher onto an imaging table.
The device was created by Able Innovations, a Toronto startup working on an automated patient-transfer technology. The company was founded by U of T graduates Jayiesh Singh and Philip Chang, who wanted to use their background in mechanical engineering to address the challenges associated with patient transfers. They were inspired in part by Singh’s mother, who had worked in long-term care and had experienced these difficulties first-hand. The device also improves safety for patients.
The development of the platform has been supported by AGE-WELL in many ways: through the Strategic Investment Program Accelerator, the AGE-WELL SAM3 National Innovation Hub, the AgeTech Implementation Response program, and the AGE-WELL National Impact Challenge.
The first ALTA devices are already being used at Bruyère in Ottawa.