EaseAlert Awarded SBIR by the NIH/NHLBI
EaseAlert has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute within the National Institute of Health (NIH/NHLBI). The grant aims to conduct the first-ever clinical study of the impact of tactile alerting compared to audible alarms on firefighter stress reactivity and sleep efficiency. The $384,782 award (1R43HL164225-01A1) will fund further product development of EaseAlert’s patented system and research expenses required for the clinical study.
EaseAlert Co-founder, Blake Richardson, presented at the NFFF Innovation in Safety Symposium with Sara Jahnke, PhD from the CFREHR, NDRI-USA. The duo discussed the science behind the alert and alerting solutions that can help emergency responders.
The Center for Fire, Rescue, & EMS Health Research (CFREHR) and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) have partnered with EaseAlert to conduct the study. The CFREHR is an NDRI-USA center. EaseAlert cofounders, Elezar Tonev and Blake Richardson will further develop the Fire Fighter Alerting System (FFAS) which has received positive feedback from firefighters in the field already. Researchers Joel Billings, Ph.D. (ERAU) and Sara Jahnke, Ph.D., (CFREHR) will monitor firefighters at two different fire departments as they respond to emergencies with their audible alerting systems and then with the EaseAlert™ FFAS. The team at the CFREHR, including Keith Haddock, Ph.D. and Carlos Poston, Ph.D. will assist throughout the process as well.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to explore the benefits of EaseAlert from a scientific perspective,” Richardson stated. “These passionate researchers have devoted their careers to improving health conditions for firefighters. Elezar and I are proud to join them on the cutting edge of firefighter health and safety with EaseAlert.”
EaseAlert uses wearables and low-impact lights to deliver less stressful and more efficient alerts. As the first tactile alerting system of its kind, EaseAlert has delivered tens of thousands of tactile alerts to emergency responders in the United States.
Visit www.easealert.com for more information about EaseAlert. Fill out the EA Interest form here if you want EaseAlert at your department.
The NIH dedicates more than $1.2 billion in non-dilutive funding per year through its small business programs. This support presents opportunities for companies like EaseAlert to develop an idea into a potentially life-saving solution. Learn more about NIH/NHBLI SBIR opportunities here.