Issues with walking are common after stroke, and healthcare providers need more data to help.
Spiddal-based Fortis Medical Devices has secured €2.1m from the Irish Government’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) to develop a wearable device to help people suffering from gait problems after stroke.
The University of Galway spin-out will lead a consortium that includes RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and Smart Electronics to further develop their CueStim-Stroke device.
Long-term post-stroke gait irregularities affect nearly 20m people globally, with the consortium describing this as a “pressing healthcare challenge”.
Fortis aims to support home-based rehabilitation with the new device, providing clinicians with real-time data on patient progress.
RCSI will contribute its expertise in stroke medicine, management and rehabilitation, with the head of RCSI’s School of Physiotherapy, Prof Suzanne McDonough, describing the collaboration as “important”, and saying it has the potential to improve the quality of life for the millions of people suffering from these post-stroke complications.
Shannon-based Smart Electronics brings to the project its capabilities in manufacturing wearable devices and managing global supply chains.
“Our mission is to significantly improve the quality of life for stroke survivors,” said Fortis CEO Thomas Gutierrez.
“With this DTIF award, we can accelerate the development of CueStim-Stroke to bring real-world solutions to patients and clinicians.”
Fortis was founded in 2024 as a neuroscience and cardiovascular spin-out from University of Galway, with Gearóid Ó Laighin retiring as professor of electronic engineering to take up the role of chief scientific officer in the new company.
As well as stroke devices, the company plans to extend its patented platform stimulator tech to other chronic illnesses. Its Parkinson’s disease ‘freezing of gait’ reduction technology is currently in late-stage development and has been designated a ‘breakthrough device’ by the US FDA.
Fortis is a client company of Údarás na Gaeltachta, a Government agency that aims to support jobs, innovation, culture and the Irish language in the Gaeltacht.
Údarás na Gaeltachta CEO Tomás Ó Síocháin described Fortis as “an excellent example of the innovation and entrepreneurship taking place in the Gaeltacht”.
DTIF is a €500m challenge fund established in 2018 under Project Ireland 2040 to drive collaboration between researchers and industry to develop commercially viable technologies and applications.
This CueStim-Stroke project was awarded under call seven of the fund. To date, €455m has been allocated to 118 projects. While call seven is now closed, the Government’s DTIF webpage states that “more calls are expected”.
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A view of Spiddal. Image: Pottercomuneo/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
