TechSAge RERC

What TechSAge RERC does

TechSAge RERC (The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging among People with Long-Term Disabilities) is a grant-funded collaborative research center established in 2013 and administratively headquartered at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with collaborating institutions Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, and Person In Design. The center conducts multidisciplinary research, development, and training projects aimed at understanding and addressing the needs of people aging with long-term vision, hearing, and mobility disabilities. Its work spans user needs assessment, telewellness and self-care technologies, and the engineering of assistive devices, with outputs disseminated through academic publications, open-access datasets, conferences, podcasts, and a participant registry.

Its technology portfolio comprises multiple development projects: the SmartBathroom Testbed (a research testbed for smart bathroom assistive technologies), WheelSafe (wheelchair safety), the Soft Robotic Shower Head (SoRoSh), WayBot (navigation and wayfinding), keystroke analysis tools, an MS Fall-Risk Health App, and DigiHand (hand function rehabilitation). Beyond hardware, the center has validated a virtual tai chi intervention (TechSAge Tele Tai Chi) in a single-arm clinical trial of 60 older adults with mobility disabilities, and runs training initiatives including a Blended Learning program and a Robotic Pitch Competition. Outputs are framed as research and educational resources rather than commercial products.

The entity is not a commercial company and has no disclosed revenue. Operations are funded primarily by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), Grant #90REGE0021, within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Research participation is voluntary and not commercially priced; outputs are released open-access. The business model is therefore grant-driven, with periodic federal renewal cycles determining continuity rather than market-based revenue mechanics.

Name

TechSAge RERC

Legal name

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging among People with Long-Term Disabilities (RERC TechSAge)

Website

https://techsagererc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TechSAge RERC is a grant-funded research center developing assistive technologies and virtual health interventions for older adults aging with long-term vision, hearing, and mobility disabilities, hosted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and funded by NIDILRR (HHS/ACL).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistive Technology Research

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Technology, Adaptive Equipment & Home Exercise Program Training In-Home (HSABADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology Assistance & Digital Support for Seniors (HSABAAAH), Digital Rehabilitation & Physical Therapy Therapeutics (HLACANAJ), Rehabilitation Therapy Equipment (PT/OT Modalities, Exercise & Balance Devices) (HLAHAMAG), Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) & Digital Rehabilitation Platforms (HLALABAK)

Keywords

• Assistive technology research
• Rehabilitation engineering
• Aging and disability
• Telehealth interventions
• Gerontechnology research

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TechSAge RERC (Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging among People with Long-Term Disabilities) is a grant-funded research center that conducts multidisciplinary research, development, and training projects to understand the needs of and build supportive technologies for older adults with long-term vision, hearing, and mobility disabilities. It develops prototype assistive technologies (e.g., SmartBathroom Testbed, WheelSafe, Soft Robotic Shower Head, WayBot, DigiHand), evaluates telewellness interventions such as Tele Tai Chi, and disseminates findings through publications, open-access datasets, user guides, and training programs.

Product overview

TechSAge RERC operates as a collaborative research center focused on developing assistive technologies for people aging with long-term vision, hearing, and mobility disabilities. The center's product portfolio spans multiple development projects (D1-D5) including SmartBathroom Testbed, WheelSafe, Soft Robotic Shower Head (SoRo-sh), WayBot, Keystroke, MS Fall-Risk Health App, and DigiHand. Beyond hardware-focused development, the center offers virtual intervention programs like TechSAge Tele Tai Chi, training programs including Blended Learning and Robotic Pitch Competition, and research resources such as publications, open-access datasets, Amazon Echo user guides, TechSAge Talks, and TechSAge Tips. The center also maintains a Participant Registry for recruiting individuals in research studies. TechSAge RERC is structured around multidisciplinary research, development, and training projects rather than a unified commercial product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SmartBathroom Testbed (D1) A development project providing a smart bathroom testing environment to evaluate assistive technologies for older adults with disabilities in bathroom settings.
• WheelSafe (D2) A development project focused on wheelchair safety technologies to support users aging with mobility disabilities.
• Soft Robotic Shower Head (SoRoSh) (D3) A soft robotic shower head designed to assist users with disabilities in personal care activities.
• WayBot (D4) A navigation assistance technology project to help users with disabilities navigate indoor and outdoor environments.
• Keystroke (D5.1) A development project focused on keystroke-based assistive technology solutions for users with mobility impairments.
• MS Fall-Risk Health App (D5.2) A mobile health application designed to assess and monitor fall risk for individuals with multiple sclerosis and other mobility disabilities.
• DigiHand (D5.3) A development project focused on digital/robotic hand function assistance for users with grip or dexterity impairments.
• TechSAge Tele Tai Chi An evidence-based virtual tai chi intervention program delivered online with a social component, designed to increase physical activity and social connectedness for older adults with mobility disabilities. Assessed through a single-arm clinical trial with 60 participants over 8 weeks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Virtual tai chi program associated with increases in physical activity and social participation among 60 older adults with mobility disabilities

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Georgia Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research partner collaborating on multidisciplinary projects including user needs assessment, telewellness technologies, and assistive robotics development.
• Georgia State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating university partner contributing expertise in aging and disability research, particularly in understanding needs of diverse populations.
• Person In DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign-focused partner contributing user-centered design expertise for developing assistive technologies that meet real-world needs of aging populations.
• University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution and primary research hub for TechSAge RERC, providing infrastructure, faculty, and administrative support for the center's operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hinge Health: Digital musculoskeletal care platform delivering exercise therapy and coaching virtually. Comparable in delivering digitally-mediated, evidence-based rehabilitation interventions — the same category as TechSAge Tele Tai Chi but at commercial scale.
• Kaia Health: Digital therapeutics company for MSK pain and COPD with self-management exercise programs. Comparable as a digital rehabilitation and self-care platform validated through clinical studies, mirroring TechSAge's telehealth intervention model.
• Sword Health: Digital physical therapy platform combining AI with clinician-supervised exercise programs. Closely comparable as a virtual, evidence-based rehabilitation platform targeting users with mobility limitations — the same end-user archetype as TechSAge's clinical trial population.
• AGE-WELL NCE: Canadian Networks of Centres of Excellence focused on technology and aging research. Directly comparable as a multidisciplinary research network developing assistive technologies and evaluating them with older adults — TechSAge's U.S. counterpart in scope and mission.
• Oregon Center for Aging and Technology (ORCATECH): OHSU-based research center developing and validating technologies for aging-in-place, with embedded sensors and remote monitoring. Comparable as an academic aging-technology research hub generating validated interventions for older adults.

Emerging players

• GrandPad: Simplified tablet and connected-care platform purpose-built for older adults. Comparable as a purpose-built assistive technology for seniors aging in place, sharing TechSAge's focus on usability for users with vision, hearing, and dexterity limitations.
• Intuition Robotics: Creator of ElliQ, an AI companion robot for older adults living independently. Comparable as an emerging aging-in-place technology with clinical evidence and a focus on social engagement — intersecting directly with TechSAge's social-participation outcome for Tele Tai Chi.
• Caregility: Telehealth platform specializing in virtual care delivery for older adults and post-acute settings. Comparable as a telehealth delivery infrastructure provider whose platform could host TechSAge-style telewellness interventions for older adults with mobility disabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Omada Health: Established digital therapeutics company for chronic conditions. Comparable as a broader digital health incumbent delivering clinically validated, evidence-based behavior-change and exercise interventions at scale — a potential commercialization pathway for TechSAge's interventions.

Others

• RESNA: Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America — the professional society and certification body for the assistive technology field. Comparable as an ecosystem hub that disseminates standards, training, and research relevant to TechSAge's outputs and audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/techsagererc
• Facebookfacebook.com/TechSAgeRERC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/techsage-rerc
• Instagraminstagram.com/techsagererc?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 TechSAge RERC