GaitQ receives £135k grant for Parkinson’s wearable device

Oxford University spinout, gaitQ, awarded £135k grant for wearable Parkinson’s medical device

GaitQ, a spinout from the University of Oxford, has been awarded a £135k grant from the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in bid to continue research for their wearable Parkinson’s device. The medical device aims to help people with Parkinson’s tackle gait freeze, an episodic absence or reduction of forward progression of the feet, hindering a person’s ability to walk.
The grant is an extension of the NIHR’s Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme which supports the necessary clinical procedures and development of MedTech in emerging areas of patient needs.
Tristan Collins, CEO of gaitQ shared the mission of the company with Grassroots stating:

Our aim is to deliver a device that can genuinely help restore mobility in people with Parkinson’s Disease by tackling gait freezing. Existing devices and methods for cueing have profound limitations, being indiscreet, clumsy and generally not fit for everyday use. GaitThaw is a discrete and silent device that aims to provide a non-invasive and convenient solution to address gait freezing in the home or everyday environment.

The grant will help gaitQ improve and optimise their wearable Parkinson’s medical device, and make sure the regulatory framework is confirmed before the product goes commercial.
In accordance with the mission of the grant-funded project, gaitQ, will collaborate with Parkinson’s UK to push the study forward.

Collins shared his excitement in in a press release:

We are pleased to receive this funding from the NIHR to accelerate our product development and support our business and commercial strategy. We consider this support a great validation of our technology and its potential to help tackle gait freeze and improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s.

Source: Med-Tech Innovation News