What Ayuda Medical does

Ayuda Medical is a Seattle-based medical device company founded in 2019 that develops the ARMband, a wearable device designed to detect opioid overdoses in real time. The device integrates motion, respiratory, and oxygen/perfusion sensors with on-device logic to identify overdose events, and pairs with a companion mobile application for caregiver alerting and monitoring. The company is led by CEO Michael Hite and CMO/Principal Investigator Dr. Desislava Hite, supported by a small core team of approximately seven members, and has engaged more than 600 community voices during product research. The company is pre-revenue and is pursuing FDA regulatory clearance as the gating milestone before commercialization.

The business model is contingent on FDA approval; the company intends to reach individuals at risk of opioid overdose and their family or caregivers, with initial go-to-market focused on high-burden US geographies including California, Alaska, and Appalachia. Revenue mechanics (device pricing, subscription, or reimbursement pathway) are not yet disclosed, and distribution channels are expected to combine direct-to-consumer with community-based organizations. Funding to date is primarily non-dilutive, anchored by NIH/NIDA Phase I and Phase II grants and a $2.8 million SBIR award secured in December 2024. The intellectual property position includes 13 patents related to the ARMband plus 12 additional patents associated with the founders' broader wearable portfolio.

Name

Ayuda Medical

Legal name

Ayuda Medical

Website

https://thearmband.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ayuda Medical is a Seattle-based medical device company developing the ARMband, a wearable that detects opioid overdoses via integrated motion, respiratory, and oxygen sensors paired with a companion mobile app, serving at-risk individuals and caregivers pending FDA clearance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wearable Overdose Detection Medical Devices

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Substance Use Remote Monitoring (HLACAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wearable Medical Alert Devices (Pendants, Watches, Bands) (HSAHAHAI), Medical Alert / PERS Monitoring (Emergency Response) (BPAKAFAD)

Keywords

• Wearable medical devices
• Overdose detection technology
• Opioid monitoring wearables
• Medical sensor devices
• Emergency alert wearables

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. ARMband Hardware Sales: Revenue from sale of the ARMband wearable device, a compact overdose detection wearable worn on the upper arm
2. Mobile App Services: Potential revenue from companion mobile app services including usage tracking, health metrics monitoring, and emergency contact features

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ayuda Medical develops and sells the ARMband, a compact, upper-arm wearable medical device that uses multi-sensor physiologic monitoring (motion, breathing patterns, oxygen saturation) to detect signs of an active opioid overdose and trigger a loud escalating audible alarm with voice prompts guiding naloxone use. The device is paired with a companion mobile app that sends voice or text alerts to preselected designated contacts during an overdose event and supports usage tracking and resource access. The product is currently in development and pursuing FDA approval.

Product overview

Ayuda Medical offers a single unified product—the ARMband wearable overdose detection device—paired with its companion mobile application. The ARMband is a compact, discreet wearable worn on the upper arm that continuously monitors physiologic signs to detect potential opioid overdoses. When an overdose is suspected, the device activates a loud audible alarm and sends alerts through the ARMband App to designated emergency contacts and services. The product is currently in development and awaiting FDA approval.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARMband: A compact wearable device designed to detect overdoses and call for help promptly. Features physiologic monitoring, loud alarms, and companion mobile app integration.

Products and services

• ARMband A compact, upper-arm wearable medical device that continuously monitors motion, breathing patterns, and oxygen levels to detect active opioid overdoses; when an overdose is suspected, it emits a loud escalating audible alarm with voice prompts guiding naloxone use and triggers alerts via the companion mobile app. Designed for individuals 18 and older at risk of opioid overdose.
• ARMband App A mobile companion application that enables ARMband device setup, sends voice or text alerts to preselected designated contacts during an overdose event, allows tracking of usage patterns and health metrics, and provides access to tailored resources for patients managing opioid use disorder. Aimed at ARMband wearers and their designated emergency contacts/families.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of ODs happen at home with others nearby but unaware
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• iRhythm Technologies: iRhythm is a wearable biosensor company (Zio cardiac monitor) that pairs a small on-body patch with cloud-based analytics and an FDA-cleared diagnostic claim. Ayuda's advisor Ahmad Saleh developed products at iRhythm, and the ARMband follows the same playbook: small wearable, multi-sensor physiology capture, FDA pathway, and physician/payer channels.
• AliveCor: AliveCor makes KardiaMobile, a consumer and clinical-grade wearable ECG paired with a smartphone app and AI analysis, with FDA-cleared indications. The company is a direct parallel to Ayuda: small on-body sensor, FDA-cleared, companion app, and advisor Ahmad Saleh contributed to its product development.
• VivaLNK: VivaLNK manufactures connected wearable patches and sensors for continuous vital sign monitoring used in clinical and remote-patient-monitoring applications. Ayuda's advisor Ahmad Saleh also developed products at VivaLNK, making it a close technological peer in multi-sensor wearable hardware for medical use cases.

Emerging players

• Sonar: Sonar (formerly Pivot) is an early-stage company focused on opioid overdose detection, working on technology to identify overdoses and notify responders. It is one of the few direct competitors to Ayuda in opioid-specific overdose detection and represents the most direct emerging threat to ARMband's first-mover position.
• Oura: Oura makes a consumer ring with continuous biometric monitoring (heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, sleep) and a subscription analytics layer. Comparable to Ayuda on continuous wearable physiology capture and app-based insights, though Oura is in the general wellness category rather than a regulated medical device.
• Whoop: Whoop is a subscription-based wearable that captures continuous physiological signals (heart rate, respiratory rate, SpO2, sleep) and delivers health insights via an app. It shares Ayuda's wearable-plus-subscription commercial logic and multi-sensor physiology approach, though in the consumer fitness/recovery category rather than clinical overdose detection.

Broad incumbents

• Masimo: Masimo is a leading patient monitoring company whose pulse oximetry, capnography, and respiration sensors are used across hospitals and increasingly in wearables. It is a broad incumbent that could enter the overdose-detection wearable space with its existing FDA-cleared vital sign technology and significant commercial reach.
• Philips Lifeline: Philips Lifeline is the largest US Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) provider, offering wearable alert buttons and 24/7 monitoring centers. It is comparable to Ayuda on the "wearable that detects an emergency and calls for help" axis, but focused on falls rather than overdose and operating at incumbent scale with established reimbursement.
• Medical Guardian: Medical Guardian is one of the largest US PERS providers, offering wearable alert devices, fall detection, and 24/7 monitoring for older adults. Comparable to Ayuda on the wearable alert and emergency response business model, with established direct-to-consumer distribution that a future ARMband consumer launch would have to compete with.
• BioIntellisense: BioIntellisense offers a continuous vital sign monitoring wearable (BioButton) plus data analytics for remote patient monitoring. It overlaps with Ayuda's multi-sensor continuous monitoring approach and FDA-cleared RPM positioning, but at a much broader scale and across multiple clinical use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ayuda Medical