Robotic glove pioneer Bioliberty based at National Robotarium grasps funding boost

A medtech start-up based on the outskirts of Edinburgh that has created a robotic glove to help rehabilitate stroke patients has received almost £500,000 of new funding to accelerate trials and expedite its market launch.

Bioliberty – which operates from the pioneering National Robotarium on Heriot-Watt University’s Riccarton campus – has secured a £435,000 project from the Biomedical Catalyst, national innovation agency Innovate UK’s flagship grant funding mechanism looking to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable businesses.

The capital injection will go towards developing the machine learning and data collection elements of the product, and comes as the firm makes major in-roads into the US with its soft robotic glove, which works by helping patients open and close their hand, actions that can be severely limited following a stroke. Developed in collaboration with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and clinicians, the device has built-in sensors that it says allow it to vary levels of resistance, to tailor rehabilitation exercises to the user.

Bioliberty, which adds that it has raised more than £3.5 million to date, and created eight highly skilled roles over the last six months alone, says new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published in October state that stroke victims should receive up to three hours of rehabilitation a day, five days a week. However, the firm also states that the Stroke Association – which says someone across the nation has a stroke every five minutes on average – has voiced concerns over the NHS’ ability to deliver on this target.

Bioliberty has secured a £435,000 boost from the Biomedical Catalyst, national innovation agency Innovate UK’s flagship grant funding mechanism. Picture: Ryan Blackwood.

Speaking ahead of the UK Stroke Forum this week in Birmingham, the start-up’s co-founder Conan Bradley said: “Bioliberty is on the verge of a revolutionary leap in rehabilitation technology. Our upcoming trials for our soft robotic glove are set to ignite the United States, with top rehab clinics eagerly in discussions. With this newfound funding, we're poised to accelerate trials and expedite our market launch. But we're not stopping at the US; the UK beckons, with a significant demand for innovative rehabilitation solutions amidst the latest NICE guidelines.”

Bioliberty is a tenant at the National Robotarium, which aims to define, develop and resolve industry challenges through the application of robotics and artificial intelligence. Bradley added: “Having access to the National Robotarium’s state-of-the-art office and lab facilities, including its ecosystem of collaborators, industry experts and academic teams, has been vital in helping us to develop our product.”

Lisa Farrell, business development manager at the National Robotarium, said: “With an ageing population, demand for robotic solutions to assist in the rehabilitation of those who’ve experienced a stroke will be in great demand. Stroke is the leading cause of disability worldwide, so Bioliberty’s product is addressing a global need, which is one of the core missions of the National Robotarium. [Our] mission is to develop robotic and AI solutions which make people safer, healthier and more productive.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord also commented: "This pioneering technology has the potential to become a vital tool for health professionals to help improve stroke patients' care during their rehabilitation process. The UK Government has invested £21m in the National Robotarium helping foster world-leading research and support high-quality jobs, investment and growth, as part of our more than £2.7 billion investment to level up across Scotland."