AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Along with
AT&T*, Hanger, Inc. (OTC PINK: HNGR) today announced the two
companies have developed a trailblazing proof of concept for the
industry's first standalone, network-connected device for
prosthetic limbs. The prototype, designed to attach to
below-the-knee prostheses, is simple and highly mobile as it syncs
directly to the cloud via AT&T's network without relying on
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or a separate mobile device. This connectivity
allows Hanger Clinic, the patient care subsidiary of Hanger, to
receive data on patients' prosthetic usage beyond the clinical
setting. Equipped with these insights, Hanger Clinic clinicians can
proactively contact patients to address potential issues impacting
prosthesis usage, such as fit and comfort, to in turn increase
mobility.
Physical mobility is intrinsic to our everyday lives – running,
bathing, dressing, driving. Now imagine losing a limb. When
professional acrobat Andrew "AJ" Montgomery underwent a below-the-knee
amputation following a motorcycle accident three years ago, he
didn't just have to re-learn once-instinctual movements. He also
faced the uncertainty of continuing his acrobatic career with a
prosthesis.
"After my amputation, I wasn't sure how to tackle my life –
where I'd left off, where I'd be going," Montgomery said.
Those experiencing limb loss face an unfamiliar journey to
finding their way to restored mobility. Some who don't know where
to begin might not communicate their challenges with their
prosthetic clinicians, potentially leading to lack of use of their
prosthesis.
But what if the prosthesis could talk directly to the patients'
caregivers? If this data feed could be relevant, automated and more
detailed, caregivers could provide patients with better, targeted
assistance. The AT&T Foundry, which is designed for
collaborative innovation projects just like this, was the ideal
venue for this venture with Hanger. The resulting prototype is
designed to collect data on prosthetic usage and mobility in
near-real time. The device is connected via AT&T's LTE-M
cellular network, and has an accompanying interactive mobile
app.
"Becoming an amputee can be an emotional, traumatic experience,"
said Aaron Flores, PhD, Hanger
Clinic Vice President, who is responsible for the company's
fabrication network. "Transitioning from living with a fully
functioning leg to a prosthesis requires re-learning how to walk
entirely. Unfortunately, not everyone knows when or how to talk to
us about potential challenges. This device will give us a window
into patients' daily experiences and equip us with a level of
connectivity we've never had before, and in turn, provide even
better patient care."
Getting to an intuitive, seamless prototype required a flexible
and nimble design process, collaboration and rapid iterations,
which is how the AT&T Foundry approaches all its projects. In
this case, combining an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer and
an LTE-M modem into a compact device resulted in multiple test
versions of the prototype. With each version we provided new
information – where to install the different components, how to
balance the weight to make the prosthetic device comfortable with
the prototype, the best way to capture and transmit data about
speed of motion, impact force, direction, rotation, and more. In
the span of just a few months, we'd gone from a concept to a
prototype that was ready for real-world testing.
To put this data into action, we also prototyped an iOS app
equipped with patient and clinician portals. The app will allow
patients to view their day-to-day progress, such as number of steps
taken. It also includes a video calling feature so patients can
talk with Hanger Clinic providers about potential issues with their
device. Likewise, clinicians can view their patients' activity
levels and contact those whose user data shows low activity or
irregularities.
"Because this device is intended to become a physical part of
Hanger's patients, the technology driving it needed to be intuitive
and seamless while providing benefits to both the patient and the
caregiver," said Vishy
Gopalakrishnan, vice president of AT&T Ecosystem &
Innovation. "The AT&T Foundry is uniquely suited to help
customers like Hanger quickly solve these types of challenges.
Through close customer collaboration, a proven ability to rapidly
prototype the test solutions, and our advanced knowledge of
connectivity, we're able to move these revolutionary concepts to
market faster than once possible."
What's next
Hanger is currently trialing five of
these devices with existing patients. In the coming months, Hanger
and AT&T will continue to take the best components of this
proof of concept to create a fully functional product for the next
phase of this project.
"At Hanger, we know to best meet our patients' needs, we need to
be the most digitally connected company in O&P, so we can
connect with our patients wherever they may be," said Vinit Asar, Hanger President and Chief Executive
Officer. "Collaborating with AT&T on this prototype not only
allows us to equip our patients with the tools they need to get
their lives back on track faster, but also helps us solidify our
life-long commitment to them."
About Hanger, Inc.
Built on the legacy
of James Edward Hanger, the first amputee of the American
Civil War, Hanger, Inc. (OTC PINK: HNGR) delivers
orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) patient care, and distributes
O&P products and rehabilitative solutions to the broader
market. Hanger's Patient Care segment is the largest owner and
operator of O&P patient care clinics with approximately
800 patient care locations nationwide. Through its
Products & Services segment, Hanger distributes branded and
private label O&P devices, products and components, and
provides rehabilitative solutions. With over 150 years of clinical
excellence and innovation, Hanger's vision is to lead the orthotic
& prosthetic markets by providing superior patient care,
outcomes, services and value. For more information on Hanger,
visit www.hanger.com.
*About AT&T Communications
We help family,
friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From
the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we
innovate to improve lives. We have the nation's largest and most
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we deliver entertainment people love to talk about. Our smart,
highly secure solutions serve over 3 million global businesses –
nearly all of the Fortune 1000. And worldwide, our spirit of
service drives employees to give back to their communities.
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AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
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© 2018 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service
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**Coverage not available everywhere. Based on overall coverage
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performance from independent 3rd party data.
For more information, contact:
Krisita Burket
Hanger, Inc.
Phone: 904-239-4627
Email: kburket@hanger.com
Katie Franklin
AT&T Corporate Communications
Phone: 469-203-0729
Email: ks586h@att.com
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SOURCE Hanger, Inc.