Soterya, Inc.

Driven by a profound commitment to addressing the risks associated with Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), Dr. Jong Woo Lee, deeply affected by the loss of six patients, joined forces with product innovator Andrés Rodríguez. This collaboration created a groundbreaking mattress designed to autonomously reposition patients, eliminating the need for human intervention. This innovative mattress is engineered to shift individuals into a safer sleeping posture in under 30 seconds, a crucial capability given that sleeping face down significantly elevates the risk of SUDEP by up to 85% for those with epilepsy. During a seizure, patients have a critical three-minute window wherein immediate repositioning can be lifesaving. This technological advancement not only promises greater independence for patients but also aims to enhance sleep quality universally. During their development work, Lee and Rodríguez discovered that numerous patients experience considerable difficulty in bed, relying on others for repositioning. This issue affects a broad spectrum of individuals, including those with disabilities, limited mobility, individuals recovering from various conditions, and even those suffering from chronic snoring or back pain. Recognizing the universal need for a solution that adapts to the specific positional needs of everyone during sleep. Korus is designed to respond to various sleep-related challenges while prioritizing nighttime safety. Some of the benefits of this system include: • Versatile Health Benefits: From combating snoring and back pain to aiding recovery and supporting those with disabilities, Korus addresses health issues by ensuring optimal sleep positioning. • Caregiver Relief: By automating patient positioning, Korus significantly reduces caregivers' physical and emotional strain, transforming care standards. • Cost Reduction: Korus is a game-changer in healthcare economics, slashing medical costs by minimizing the need for constant, hands-on patient care. • Quality of Life: Beyond the numbers and features, Korus enhances the overall quality of sleep and, by extension, life for its users. The development of the current version of Korus was propelled forward with the support of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant in 2021 and an Epilepsy Foundation Shark Tank grant in 2020. It boasts an impressive 96.8% accuracy rate in detecting when a person is lying in a prone position. Preliminary results of Its repositioning mechanism, which can be activated via a smartphone or tablet app, have demonstrated a 100% success rate in moving individuals from prone to recovery positions across all trials. The goal of Korus is to facilitate fully and precisely autonomous repositioning of patients when no one is around when they are most vulnerable; Korus offers a significant jump forward in patient care and sleep technology.