Texas Startup Jupe is Helping Covid-19 Efforts by Creating Pop-Up Hospital Rooms

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Potentially one of the most worrying parts of Covid-19, is the limited amount of space within hospitals. At a time when we’re encouraged to stay six feet apart, hospitals are at (if not exceeding) max capacity. Texas startup Jupe, is trying to solve this issue, and quickly, by creating portable isolation units. Jupe Health is a rapid-deployment recovery space designed for comfort, care and wellness. The three units are highly scalable, cost effective, and easily transportable. The intention is to have them as an immediate response for emergency bedding solutions, equipped with technology and amenities to support containment efforts in hospitals and clinics.

Pop-Up Hospital Rooms

‘REST’ units are 8.5 x 13 ft and contain beds, batteries, storage, waste containers, a personal Wi-Fi network, USB charging and lighting, with optional air filtration systems and climate control. They’re to be set up for medical professionals as a chance to rest near hospitals and/or isolated from their families.

‘CARE’ units add to this, being double the size as the ‘REST’ unit and with a full bathroom and simple kitchen. They’re also off-grid, meaning they can be set up even in the most remote of places.

‘PLUS’ units provide a minimal intensive care unit (ICU), equipped with all medical equipment necessary to treat someone in need: personal protection equipment (PPE) , ventilators and a connected don/doff chamber.

These units have better sanitation and comfort than a tent, but more transportability than containers (24 units can be transported by one truck). And, unlike tents that hospitals are using currently, Jupe’s units give each patient their own room, helping with isolation and decreasing the risk of spread. They’re also designed to be quiet and dark, to provide a more restful environment.

The Necessities of Covid-19

Potentially the most difficult component of this pandemic (or any), is the lack of forewarning. Which means that people, companies, and the health sector as a whole, have to react as quickly as possible to an ever-changing situation. So, when speed is key (and a hospital usually takes more than two years to build) it makes sense to turn to modular construction. This method of building – prefabricating standardized components in a factory, and then assembling them quickly on site – is a fast, flexible, less wasteful alternative to traditional construction.

Although Jupe would have surely preferred more time, and there is worry that the units won’t be commercially available until too late, the company’s on track for its units to hit the market in the fall (which is also when a potential second wave of Covid-19 cases is expected). And, this is a long term solution; this crisis affected us mostly because we weren’t prepared, but these units can be bought and stored, in the event of another global pandemic.

The Company

Jupe’s development has been fast-tracked, but was originally designed for a different purpose. The company’s portable units were to house those displaced by natural disasters, refugees, and those experiencing homelessness. The company plans to get back to that strategy, but for now recognized the more immediate need.

Are you developing an innovative product to help in the global crisis? Your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please  contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

WHO WE ARE:

Swanson Reed is Texas’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim prep & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Healthcare Workers can now get 3D Printed Prescription Protection Glasses

Hospital innovation

Fitz is a startup company that makes custom, 3D printed glasses, using an iOS app that measures faces. That sentence alone proves how innovative this company is. But, as if that weren’t enough, the company’s now using crowd funding to develop protective eyewear for healthcare workers.

With Covid-19 rampant across the world, we’re all encouraged to stay inside, and away from anyone who’s sick. Unfortunately, healthcare professionals don’t have that luxury. Instead, they’re taking measures to cover their faces, to limit the risk of infection being passed from patients. But, current personal protective equipment (PPE) consists of face shields (a sheet of plastic) or a fabric mouth and nose mask; neither offer full protection. Add to this that more than 60% of doctors need prescription glasses, and experts are warning against using contact lenses. And so, healthcare professionals are turning to all sorts of homemade solutions to fit around their glasses and protect their face.

In conjunction with these frontline medical professionals, Fitz developed its Fitz Protect range. They provide more coverage than traditional glasses, including the eyebrows, which can accumulate viral particles and infect the eyes. Also, each pair is custom measured and made to fit the face, so can provide full coverage and are comfortable for long 12-18 hour shifts. The company developed its unique software using Apple’s depth-sensing Face ID camera. With this, Fitz provides a virtual try-on feature, and gets accurate measurements (to the millimeter) for that custom fit.

The prototype design came from discussions with workers in New York and Texas, who were struggling to find protection solutions. Because they’re 3D printed, constant feedback and customization was available throughout the development. The initial responses have been fantastic; doctors, nurses and hospital staff appreciate the effective, comfortable protection that helps them feel safe and do their jobs. Fitz is in the process of scaling up its operations, to get these made and shipped as quickly as possible.

What’s more, Fitz believes that this PPE should be available at no charge to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers seeing Covid-19 patients. So, the glasses are 100% crown funded. Currently, the company’s almost a third of the way toward its $60,000 goal and more than 3,000 healthcare workers have registered for a pair.

Are you developing an innovative product to help in the global crisis? Your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

WHO WE ARE:

Swanson Reed is Texas’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim prep & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

From Fudge to Face Masks: How Businesses are Adapting During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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A health crisis, like the one we’re facing now, can very quickly turn into an economic crisis. Across the country, state governments have taken action in an effort to enforce social distancing. In some states, enforced business closures are taking place, and there’s an across-the-board push for people to stay home. But, as we retreat and self-isolate, many ‘non-essential’ businesses (basically anything other than grocery, gas or medical) are seeing a decrease in customers, and therefore income. Consequently, people are losing their jobs and companies are closing up shop.

So, in a time of chaos, how do we stay afloat? One Texas company says it’s all about adapting.

Sweet Shop USA has been hand-making chocolates for more than 40 years. And, with more than 100 varieties sold at 7,000 retailers nationwide, it’s the largest handmade chocolate manufacturer in the country. But when the entire global population is being told to stay home, chocolate, truffles, fudge and toffee aren’t seen as necessities. So the company was at a crossroads: try to get by, or adapt.

It took the adapt route.

A quarter of the company’s 80,000 square foot facility will now be dedicated to making PVC face masks, called ‘Waymaker Facial Shields’. This way, employees are kept, trained in a new skillset, and given plenty of work. And, it comes at a time when hygiene and safety is of great concern, and more worryingly, healthcare workers are seeing a massive shortage of PPE products. The FDA-approved shields are designed for environments where there’s a high splash risk, like pharmaceutical, laboratory science or manufacturing.

Sweet Shop USA’s Angie Moss told KTBS, “we’re just delighted to be able to help in this wartime effort so to speak. We’re just grateful for the opportunity and just to keep our employees working, pay our bills, and get us through this time. Chocolate is our business and we’re still making chocolate.”

It’s not the only company adapting to the situation:

Are you developing an innovative product to help in the global crisis? Your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses. To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is Texas’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim prep & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Meet the Company Innovating Ear Treatment

Global Microbiology Industry Projected to Grow Due to R&D Expenditure and Innovation

While the phrase ‘ear wax build up’ may bring about images of Shrek fastening himself a candle, for some people it brings that horrible itchy, painful feeling.  And ‘some people’ in this instance means millions of Americans;

  • roughly 10% of the U.S. adult population (25 million) has experienced tinnitus lasting at least five minutes in the past year,
  • approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) report some trouble hearing, and
  • five out of six children experience ear infection (otitis media) by the time they’re three years old.

With ear-related issues causing so much hassle and harm, logically there should be plenty of medical products to assist, right? Unfortunately this isn’t the case.

Texas based biotechnology company Eosera saw this market gap, and decided to do something about it. The company specializes in ear care products, with a focus on addressing underserved medical needs.

The Company’s Evolution

In 2015, Elyse Dickerson and Joe Griffin suddenly lost their jobs at a big pharma company, and rebounded by building a biotech company. The pair partnered with Tech Fort Worth and went through months of development and more than 200 formulations to create their first product, Earwax MD.  In 2017, the over-the-counter earwax solution went on sale on Amazon and in CVS stores all around the country. By the end of 2019, Eosera had added six more products to its line and expanded to a larger facility. Now, it sells its products in more than 13,000 stores across the U.S.

And rapid growth isn’t the only thing the company’s proud of. Eosera’s majority owned and operated by women, and empowering women in STEM is a big deal to the female CEO. It also manufactures all products in house, and practices ‘conscious capitalism’, a principle that companies should do more for their customers, investors, employees, and the environment than make money.

The company was founded because Elyse and Joe believed big pharma had it wrong. They believed people were worth more than just what they contributed to the bottom line, and they believed people were more than numbers. Creating a culture and an environment where people were valued, appreciated, heard, and treated fairly was and is extremely important to the pair. Before they even had a product, Elyse and Joe agreed upon starting their business that they wanted to put people first and money second. Echoed through the office is the manta “put people first and the profits will follow”. Having doubled Eosera’s sales year over year for the past 3 years, it’s safe to say they’re are doing something right. Eosera is innovating the industry by developing effective, long-lasting products and prioritizing people over profits.

The Products

The story behind Eosera’s products is actually simple; where there’s market need, the company finds a way to create it. A lot of products, specifically Ear Itch MD, Ear Itch MD Nighttime and Ear Clean MD, were created because of consumer market research. During this market research, the company found 77% of 25- to 44-year-olds reported that they are motivated to buy Eosera products to keep ears clean on a routine basis. 70% of consumers feel that ear health and cleaning ears consistently is important to them. With those statistics, how could Eosera not create a routine ear cleaning product? Additionally, in the same consumer market research, ear itch products were requested. So, Eosera delivered. And its premium ear care products are welcomed in a market where there aren’t a lot of options.

  • Earwax MD is the company’s core product – a specialized drop solution. It’s the only one of its kind designed to dissolve ear wax in 15 to 30 minutes with a once-off treatment.
  • Wax Blaster MD sounds futuristic, and in a way it kind of is; the ear irrigation kit is an innovative solution to help in extreme cases of ear wax impaction.  The spray-bottle-esk product includes a bottle, long spout, soft tips and a wash basin, eliminating the mess of cleaning ears, and allowing for safe, accurate spray.
  • Ear Itch MD was made to help overcome that annoying, itchy feeling, and the safety issues around sticking cotton buds or fingers in ear canals. And, because all heroes need a side kick, the company created Ear Itch MD Nighttime, to be used nightly to moisturize and soothe itchiness.
  • Ear Pain MD was made for when irritation passes the point of discomfort. Unlike most pain relief, this product is in the form of a drop, so can target the pain’s source. The company also developed a version for kids’ ears too, who are some of the worst impacted when it comes to ear infections and related issues.
  • Ear Clean MD is Eosera’s most recent development – a product designed for consistent weekly use. It came from many years of research, and a realization that we clean our face and teeth on a daily basis, but not our ears.
  • Earwax Pet means that furry friends are not left behind. This product is specially formulated for monthly cleaning of our pets’ ears (especially the ones likely to be rolling in dirt).

Product innovations are carefully thought out by scientists, tested, formulated, and marketed before they hit the shelves in stores like CVS and Rite Aid. Time is spent thinking and asking the market what it needs, and creating from there. Scientists at Eosera carefully and safely develop innovative products for consumers, in a market where there has been little to no innovation in decades.

Are you developing innovative health products? Did you know your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is Texas’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Battling Health Problems with Mother Earth

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With the world in utter turmoil over health concerns, we’re all looking to how we can improve our immune systems, and look after our bodies. But, this isn’t the start of this trend. In the past few years, there’s been a push for cleaner, healthier diets.  Whether it be vegan food or less chemicals, millions of people are making better choices, and it’s having twofold impacts on both health and the environment. In fact, now more than ever we’re realizing how vital it is to have fresh, healthy nutrients in our bodies.

Medical company Mother Earth Labs understands the value in this, and has done for more than 15 years. The company crafts premium nutritional health products using the earth’s finest whole food ingredients – superfoods, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and botanicals – to help people replenish naturally.

The Company

From its founding in 2003, the Texas based company has endeavored to combine natural ingredients with science. The company is made up of experts with backgrounds in health sciences, pharmaceutical and nutritional health industries. Not only that, but it prides itself on small batch production to guarantee fresh and pure products. And, these products are free from gluten, soy, GMOs, and artificial flavors, sweeteners, and colors. The company works with like-mind suppliers and growers who share values of sustainability and traceability, and take pride in producing pure, high-quality, organic and non-GMO products. Even vegans, gym junkies and pets are taken into account…

Mother Earth Labs creates:

  • multi vitamins – single, one-ounce shots that are filled with potent natural vitamins, ionic minerals and other whole food ingredients,
  • humic and fulvic acid solutions, for GI health,
  • hormone-free, grass-fed whey or plant based protein powders, and
  • pet supplements.

The Impacts on Bodies

Every ingredient Mother Earth Labs uses, should be in an average diet. But, the key word here is ‘should’. Many people have problems getting it all into their diet, for a number of different medical or life choice reasons. Hence, the company aims to provide people with naturally stimulating products.

For example: vitamins. Vitamins and minerals are often put together, but they’re very different. Vitamins are organic substances that people get through food (i.e. from plants and animals). Minerals, however, originate from rocks, soils or water, and can be absorbed indirectly from the environment. Both are micronutrients that are vital in keeping our bodies functional, healthy and free from disease.

Fulvic acid is a yellow-brown substance that’s formed when animals and plants decomposed. It’s usually found in soil, coal and/or bodies of water (i.e. streams and lakes). Though that sounds horrible, it’s being used to alleviate a number of issues, like allergy symptoms, brain disorders like dementia, inflammation and potentially to slow the growth of cancer. It also seems to have immune-stimulating and antioxidant effects.

Macronutrients, like protein, are needed at much larger quantities. Bodies use protein to build and repair tissues, and to make enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals. It’s also important in the process of building bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. Basically the entire body.

The Impacts on the Environment

‘Organic agriculture’ essentially means that synthetic inputs are not used in the growing process. Simply, food and nutrients are farmed without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation. ‘Sustainable agricultural practices’ by comparison, refer to the processes of focusing on a healthy environment, economic profitability, and social and economic equity during farming. Both involve taking a proactive approach to farming. The combination of the two has massive impacts on (pun definitely intended) mother earth, such as minimized pollution (both air and water); increased wildlife biodiversity; more nutrient-rich soil and water (i.e. faster growing, better tasting produce); and, long term farming sustainability.

Mother Earth Labs is a company concerned with not only our health, but also the health of the planet. And we should be too.

Are you developing innovative health products? Did you know your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is Texas’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Is Artificial Photosynthesis the Answer to Reducing Carbon Emissions?

Life Science Growth

It’s a harsh reality that Global Warming is no longer a future concern, but it’s rearing its ugly head now. And while many argue over the political neglect that’s brought us to this point, others are wondering what can be done moving forward. On a small scale, individuals can make ‘greener’ choices: use public transport or walk; eat less meat and more vegetables; use a reusable water bottle; or take shorter showers. But, in 2017, the Carbon Majors Report confirmed that 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies. So, while millions of people making small scale changes may help, it’s large corporations who need to change the most.

And so, hundreds of companies are making the move to be more sustainable, especially energy companies. More and more are investing in carbon dioxide capturing, also known as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). This technology can capture up to 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions pro­duced in electricity generation and industrial processes, preventing the CO2 from entering the atmosphere. But, even better is Carbon Capture Storage and Utilization (CCSU).

This is where a Houston based biotech startup may have the perfect answer. Cemvita created a CO2 utilization platform that merges electrochemical engineering and synthetic biology to mimic photosynthesis, turning carbon dioxide into glucose. The carbon negative company started with a brother and sister team; Moji Karimi has a background in oil and gas drilling, and Dr Tara Karimi in biochemistry. It was because of their mixed backgrounds that the co-founders began selling their technology to the oil and gas industry. The glucose is a great foundation for the creation of industrial chemicals and polymers. Oil and gas companies can specify what they want their CO2 converted to, and Cemvita will run a pilot program for less than $100,000. 

The technology, however, isn’t limited to energy companies; Cemvita has started selling its tech to the aerospace industry. Mars’ atmosphere is over 95 percent CO2, making it the perfect place to capture carbon and convert it into a direct food source. Or, it can be used to manufacture other nutrients and pharmaceuticals needed for deep space exploration. The company is thinking big, with a mission to ‘create a sustainable future on Earth and Mars’.

Are you developing a technology to make Earth greener? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

WHO WE ARE:

Swanson Reed is one of the Texas’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

How VR Tech is Helping Senior Living Communities Live Their Healthiest, Happiest Lives

The global population is aging, and with that comes a number of concerns. But MyndVR is proving you can teach old dogs new tricks. Or, more importantly, you can address serious elderly concerns with new tech. The Dallas based company is implementing its Virtual Reality (VR) technology into senior living communities and it’s showing amazing results combatting health and wellness issues.

Depression and Dementia

Dementia and depression often go hand in hand. While dementia affects 7% of adults aged 60 or older, it often looks like depression, or vice versa, because both illnesses share symptoms such as memory problems, sluggishness, and low motivation. Also, both can cause the other. Although the complex relationship between the two disorders is far from conclusive, the prevalence of depression in dementia patients is reportedly between 9% and 68%.

According to the CDC, depression affects up to 5% of the general elderly population. That number rises to 11.5% in older hospital patients, and 13.5% in those who require home healthcare. Why are these numbers so high?

Health Problems: Depression is more common in those with another illness, and about 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition. What’s more, certain medications are associated with depression, including blood pressure, arthritis, and high-cholesterol drugs.

Loss of Purpose & Social Isolation: Combine physical limitations with retirement and suddenly it’s harder, and less necessary, to leave the comfort of a home. This means many elderly people are spending more time alone, without a sense of purpose.

Misdiagnosis: Depression symptoms can look like regular aging: fatigue, difficulty concentrating or persistent aches or pains. Often this means that family and friends, health care professionals, and even the patients themselves miss the signs.

Companies like MyndVR are seeing the benefits of using VR to combat these illnesses. Studies and clinical trials have used the technology as a simulation and interaction tool, which can expose patients to their fears, and present interactive environments with cognitive-behavioral challenges. In doing so, these VR systems have been linked with: helping overcome mental illness; prompting cognitive and behavioral changes in patients with psychiatric disorders including autism and dementia; and reducing chronic pain and intensive stress.

Fear of Falling

Many older adults have a constant fear or falling, which cannot be explained by physical examination. Logically, it makes sense that seniors would be worried about fall-related injuries and how these can impact their lives, both in terms of life quality and health care costs. But for many, these concerns morph into a heightened psychological fear. This can result in mental or physical issues, such as anxiety or muscle depletion from self-induced mobility restrictions.

A 2016 study found that VR exposure therapy, in the form of serious games, can be used to treat the fear of falling. This is because it requires both sensory and cognitive processing. Top-down processing refers to cognitive perception, where your brain uses patterns to perceive and fill in information. Bottom-up processing requires piecing sensory information together to create a picture. VR requires the cognitive organization and execution of synchronized motion (top-down process), while serious games allow for embodiment (bottom-up process). The combination of these two had a positive effect on the psychological or phobic reaction that patients had to falling.

Quality of Life

MyndVR knows that not only can VR impact major health concerns, it’s also fun. The interactive technology encourages dancing, singing and laughing, often giving patients a sense of inclusion, relief and happiness. The company’s goal is to ‘lift spirits, improve quality of life, relive cherished memories, and create new ones’.

Are you developing technology with health benefits for elderly people? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is Texas’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firm, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program in Texas, from claim prep & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Less food waste = more good food, and more money

food and bev

When bananas get soft, I was always taught to put them in the freezer. They’re great in smoothies or even as healthy ‘ice cream’. Spoiling apples… maybe a pie? But moldy bread or off milk would go straight in the trash, and it feels like a massive waste of both food and money.

I’m not the only one concerned about waste. U.S. retailers are throwing out about eight million tons, or $18 billion worth, of wasted food each year. Fresh food is dynamic, and selling it is an enormous challenge that plagues even the biggest and best companies. Why? The trend for healthy eating (a.k.a. fresh fruit, vegetables, organic meat and dairy, freshly baked bread) is massive. But, these foods spoil fast and don’t store well. They vary in quality, taste and shelf life each season, and so does consumer demand, meaning it’s hard to know when they’ll sell best. They also don’t come with printed barcodes or expiration dates, so grocers often manually check their stock, a labor intensive job complete with human error.

So, what happens when selling fresh food is a must, but not at all easy? The result is stores ordering too much, or at the wrong time, and wasting both fresh food and money.

Afresh saw this issue, and decided to do something about it (other than making banana smoothies). The San Francisco based startup has developed AI technology that optimizes the fresh food supply chain. It’s built specifically to identify and analyze the perishability, quality and seasonality of fresh produce. The aim is to eliminate food waste, improve its partners’ profitability, and make fresher, healthier food more accessible.

So, how does the tech work? Firstly, staff input inventory into Afresh’s systems. Then, the machine learning platform uses this data, combined with an enormous amount of background data, to predict a number of probable future events. From this, it can recommend how much stock should be ordered and when. Over time, the algorithm can make larger predictions. The company is currently working on adding more insights into the tech, such as recent weather conditions near certain farms, and how this will affect the product and its sales. A number of stores are already trialing the AI tech and have seen great results; most stores have cut their food waste in half.

And for those who aren’t grocery giants, and aren’t overly concerned with the money, it’s also doing the earth a load of good.

Are you developing technology to reduce waste? Did you know your R&D experiments could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Wearable Pain Relief and Prosthetics for Pets

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In 2018, Americans spent $72 billion on their pets, according to the American Pet Products Association. It’s part of a trend of people ‘humanizing’ their pets: spending excess money on toys, beds, insurance, even day spas and gourmet meals. For many people, pets are the new children, or at least they’re being treating as such. And while the lavish splurges on pampering sessions may be a ridiculous use of money, this trend isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It also means more people are paying closer attention to what their animals need, and that extends beyond household pets.

Animal Ortho Care (AOC) is a vet tech company that stays away from the spa sessions and instead develops animal prosthetics and braces. The company’s not limiting itself to dogs either; it’s helped over 20,000 animals from elephants to birds. It’s revolutionizing the rehabilitation and pain management of animals in need with some high-tech products.

AOC

Owner Derrick Campana started out fitting orthotics and prosthetics for people, and got the idea for AOC when a vet brought her dog into the practice. In the 15 years since, the company has expanded its product range with varying treatments to help more animals. The company sends a casting kit to veterinarians and pet owners to take molds, and creates a customized brace or prosthetic once the mold is sent back. Its custom-fit braces sell for about $600, and the prosthetics around $1,000 to $1,700; both are a much cheaper alternative to surgery.

Campana told AOL that he’s glad people are giving their pets a second chance. “If you bring a dog in with a fractured toe, a traditional vet might amputate the entire limb… when you hop on one leg, the rest of your body can break down so quickly. We have proven that we can tack on at least two years to a dog’s life by adding a prosthetic.”

Innovative PEMF Therapy Tech

AOC’s products are designed to be comfortable and intuitive, because it understands that pets are family. The company’s braces are made with thermoforming medical grade foam, and have dynamic hinges and tensioning systems. But if that wasn’t enough, AOC pushed itself to provide ground-breaking technology in its medical devices. This led to the creation of the world’s first wearable pain relief system for pets using PEMF therapy.

It relieves pain by sending pulses to the body at specific frequencies to stimulate cells. This triggers electrical currents. These currents allow bodies to move and think, but they can become damaged because of disease, trauma or toxins. PEMF therapy restores positive and negative charges in the body’s cells and help speed up the recovery process. Unlike x-ray machines, PEMF waves are at extremely low frequencies, so are completely safe. The tech also has more than 60 years of clinical success behind it and been FDA approved for 25 years.

The result is a treatment that increases circulation, accelerates bone healing and enhances muscle function. It’s used on animals with joint and bone pain, after surgeries, or to ease pain from Hip Dysplasia, Osteoarthritis and In-vertebral Disc Disease.

Are you developing tech for animals? Did you know your R&D work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

Strawberry farming robots are oh so sweet

Crops automated farming equipment

There is nothing nicer than biting into a sweet, ripe strawberry. But, on the flip side, it doesn’t sound pleasant having to stand in the sun and bend over all day to pick them. Here’s another brilliant chance for robots. And intelligent companies, like Advanced Farm Technologies, are grasping it.

The founders of Advanced Farm Technologies previously owned Greenbotics, a company using robots to service and wash solar panels. So, it’s clear they’re not afraid of new technology. In fact the company prides itself on using robots to improve costs and quality for customers, and improve conditions for workers. And, it’s not afraid to impress us with what these bots can do.

The tech team

The company’s strawberry harvesting robots, T-6s, have multiple robotic arms topped with soft grips, to delicately handle the berries. The grips are easy to clean and replace, designed with food safety in mind. The robots also help pick for picky eaters: the stems come off, meaning the berries are ready to eat now. On America’s West Coast, strawberries are harvested 70 times each season. Hence, Advanced Farm Technologies has its robot prototypes in Oxnard, Santa Maria and the Salinas-Watsonville regions.

And it’s not the first company to bring robots into agriculture. Harvest CROO Robotics is doing a similar thing. The Florida based company is revolutionizing the agriculture industry with its automatic harvester, Berry 5 (B5). The B5 is expected to be put to work next harvesting season. It’ll need workers to pack the berries for now, but the aim is to provide a fully autonomous process. Vision Robotics has developed a robot with the ability to thin lettuce, prune grapevines and weed unwanted areas. Soon, these robots will be a common sight. The autonomous, or self-driving, tracker market was worth $648.9 million in 2016, and is expected to hit $4,389.8 million in the next five years.

It’s not just robotics

The agriculture industry is getting smarter at using its data too. Tech startup agtools is helping farmers maximize their crop, by using AI tools to plan their harvest. It then works as a communication system: consumer trends and crop data > farmer > product data > retailers and buyers. Buyers are given information about market availability, surplus and pricing shifts. In between, shipping companies receive data and insights, helping them plan the most efficient timing and routes. The final product is a smart, connected supply chain.

Startups in the industry saw a 43% increase in funding from 2017 to 2018, and it’s not expected to stop any time soon.

Are you developing agriculturural robotics or technology? Did you know your work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’s largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms, offering tax credibility assessments, claim preparation, and advisory services. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation & audit compliance to claim disputes. 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.