The start-up RELiYOO is developing an intelligent wheelchair seat cushion to prevent pressure sores. This innovative technology is not only designed to prevent pressure sores from developing on the skin, it also enables recovery and monitoring while seated.
Bedsores are a painful and incisive condition for wheelchair users. These so-called pressure sores are difficult to heal and often require extensive surgery. This is a lengthy ordeal for those affected. Carers and insurance companies also have to cope with an enormous expense, both financially and in terms of time. To counteract this, RELiYOO has developed a new technical innovation.
The young start-up based in Winterthur is developing an intelligent wheelchair seat cushion. Unlike conventional solutions, air chambers and technology built into the cushion ensure excellent pressure distribution on the buttocks at all times. This means that chronic pressure sores on the skin can not only be prevented, but can even partially heal while sitting. The relief of the buttocks on the cushion goes completely unnoticed by the user. The RELiYOO wheelchair seat cushion also enables real-time monitoring of the pressure distribution, which makes it possible to check the correct function and the pressure effect at any time.
«Airbag» against soreness
Co-founder Uwe Schonhardt realised during his daily work as an occupational therapist that there are currently no effective solutions to prevent sore sitting, let alone ensure recovery while sitting. «Over the last 30 years, the principles of the seat cushions used have remained the same. With the anti-decubitus seat cushions that have been commonly used up to now, we keep finding that pressure sores can still occur and there are no sufficiently preventative solutions,» says the occupational therapist and qualified mechanical engineer. To change this, Uwe Schonhardt began developing initial concepts in 2017, which have matured into fully functional prototypes over the years together with his current business partners Marcel Kalberer and Sven Krauß and led to the founding of RELiYOO in 2023. According to Marcel Kalberer, the three are united by their diverse expertise in mechanical engineering and occupational therapy, product development and sales as well as programming and electronics, but also by their desire to make life easier for wheelchair users and revolutionise the provision of seating.
RELiYOO’s innovative technology automatically ensures the correct distribution of pressure and continuously relieves pressure on vulnerable areas of the buttocks. (Image: RELiYOO).
Broad support and committed experts
RELiYOO is sponsored by the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, among others, which is already supporting the development progress with its second funding programme. Uwe Schonhardt’s employer, REHAB Basel, also supports RELiYOO. «My chief doctor, Mrs Dr Hund, granted us the first funding as time, which I used to develop the underlying concepts. Without this investment, we would not be where we stand today,» says co-founder Uwe Schonhardt. Furthermore, the dialogue at REHAB Basel with specialists and future users is a decisive success factor for the advanced usability of the current prototypes. The first devices are already being used by patients under the close supervision of RELiYOO and specialists.
With the upcoming pre-series, RELiYOO will test the product extensively, achieve market readiness and medical device conformity and push ahead with marketing. RELiYOO will also be attending the Swiss Abilities trade fair in Lucerne this year, as well as a number of specialist congresses.
