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AFrame Digital, Inc. Awarded Government Contract for Innovative Health Monitoring System

Posted on: Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 18:00 CDT

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- AFrame Digital Inc. is poised to help healthcare providers transform the way wounded American service members recover from injuries, thanks to a second contract for research and development of an innovative health monitoring system. AFrame Digital, which is based near Washington DC, was awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the project entitled "Non-Intrusive Health Monitoring for Post-Combat Wellness Management."

A prototype of the system was demonstrated to the attendees of the Battlefield Healthcare Conference earlier in 2007. The audience, including military medical officers, witnessed health monitoring data sent via secure wireless communications and accurately charted and automatically analyzed in real-time. The technology develops the patient's personal status, trend, and exception alerts that can also be escalated to a nurse's personal digital assist (PDA) or cell phone. The company also demonstrated unique concepts and features that can be used by therapists in individual and support group programs to assist recovery from the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD.

"There's a tremendous need for advanced health monitoring systems," said Sunil Saxena MD, FACEP and AFrame's Chief Medical Officer. "Physicians and caregivers will be very interested in the real-time feedback that this system can provide them to assist in knowing their patient's status and in improving medical outcomes."

The first phase of AFrame's work with DARPA demonstrated the feasibility of integrating non-intrusive wireless wearable sensor technology, intelligent software agents and secure global communications systems. "The second phase will demonstrate how the system allows the recovering individual to begin to go about their daily lives while providing a safety net for assistance if required. For the healthcare provider, it will help provide situational awareness for their patients that are in transition or require a higher level of long-term support," said Cindy Crump, the Chief Executive Officer of AFrame Digital, Inc.

DARPA is perhaps best known by the public for its bold creative challenges and innovations such as the Internet. "DARPA is interested in technology that allows DoD to provide a higher level of care at a lower cost. Our goal is a better recovery / healing process and ultimately more fit warfighters returning to duty or moving on to life as civilians. Our service men and women deserve the best that we can give them," said Dr. Tom Wagner of DARPA.

AFrame is collaborating with researchers at Brook Army Medical Center, iTelehealth and Virginia Tech's College of Engineering in preparation for field trials. iTelehealth is a specialist in developing patient care protocols enabled by new medical technology. "This visionary approach to remote monitoring of patients and use of software to improve data management and productivity helps to extend the reach of healthcare providers beyond the four walls of clinics, hospitals and doctor's offices. It truly leverages the capabilities of technology to transform data into clinically actionable information," said Loretta Schlachta-Fairchild, RN, PhD, LTC (retired), President and CEO of iTelehealth. "This dual-use system is also very promising to support the more than ten million veterans over age 65."

AFrame is also working with a veterans continuing care retirement community (CCRC). Kathy Martin, Rear Admiral (Ret) and CEO of Vinson Hall Corporation in McLean, VA states: "By participating in this field trial, we hope to enhance the quality of life for our seniors by keeping them as healthy and independent as possible. Our residents and staff embrace opportunities to partner with others in developing innovative solutions which will benefit health care delivery and our aging population."

Kathy Martin, Loretta Schlachta-Fairchild and Sunil Saxena will be discussing their research and field trials at the Medical Automation International Conference in Lansdowne, Virginia on October 29, 2007.

AFrame Digital, Inc. was founded in January 2005 to develop comprehensive, nonintrusive and intelligent medical health and wellness monitoring for individuals in rehabilitation and long term care. The company provides an innovative wireless wearable "Personal Help Device" called myPHD (TM) that works effectively in an institutional setting or at home. A system provides caregivers and health care personnel with physiological vital signs and personalized baselines and alerts. The company is working with healthcare personnel on monitoring strategies and treatment regimens. AFrame Digital Inc. may be contacted at (703) 560-0512 or info@aframedigital.com.

AFrame Digital Inc.

CONTACT: Patti Tripath for AFrame Digital Inc., +1-703-371-2007,Patti@TriPathMedia.com

Web site: info@aframedigital.com

Source: PRNewswire

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