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HardTech for Health, Dignity, and Care
The hardware frontier is reshaping what it means to put people first and look after one another.
And not a moment too soon—because as life expectancy rises and healthcare staff shortages grow more dire (across the globe), rural clinics, long-term care homes, and overburdened facilities aren’t looking for yet another app. They’re looking for real solutions. Something that pulls its weight—without adding to theirs.
We’ve arrived at Part 4 of our 5 part series on the Top 20 HardTech Award winners of 2025. The following group of innovators are creating technologies that don’t just move fast and break things—they move thoughtfully and build better systems of care when healthcare systems are strained to the breaking point.
An Eyebot self-guided vision test kiosk
Matthias Hofmann: Revolutionizing vision care with 90-second vision test kiosks
For millions of people, a simple vision test is anything but simple. There are approximately 40,000 unfilled positions for eye doctors in the US alone, meaning long wait times, limited availability, and logistical barriers that leave deteriorating vision unchecked. Eyebot, co-founded by Matthias Hofmann and Jack Moldave, is tackling this quietly urgent problem with a self-guided vision test kiosk.
Designed to expand access to care while maintaining clinical accuracy, Eyebot’s self-guided kiosks allow anyone to walk up, get a high-quality vision test in minutes, and receive a doctor-reviewed prescription—no technician needed. With early deployments in high-traffic retail spaces and community centers, Eyebot is already proving its potential to fill critical gaps in basic healthcare infrastructure.
“We’re not just streamlining vision testing”, said Hofmann. “We’re rethinking how care is delivered. By combining clinical-grade accuracy with true walk-up convenience, we’re bringing prescriptions within reach for millions of people who’ve historically faced barriers to access.”
According to Hofmann, it’s about more than technology: “It’s about making basic vision care a reality for everyone.”
The Vitaliti Continuous Vital Sign Monitor System from Cloud DX. Source: Cortex Design
Anthony Kaul: Remote patient monitoring that scales with the system
Healthcare systems everywhere are under pressure. The world is also heading toward a shortfall of over 10 million healthcare workers by 2030—just as demand for care is set to surge, according to the World Health Organization.
Cloud DX, led by co-founder Anthony Kaul, is easing the burden with a suite of remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices that bring hospital-grade diagnostics into the home. At the heart of Cloud DX’s platform is the sleek, medical-grade wearable Vitaliti Continuous Vital Sign Monitor System that tracks ECG, respiration and blood oxygen in real time. Paired with a smart clinician dashboard and secure data syncing, Vitaliti fills the gap between hospital and home without anyone having to leave the office (or the couch), and is currently deployed in a multi-site, multi-year clinical study.
This isn’t just a high-tech convenience play. In pilot studies, Cloud DX has helped cut down hospital re-admissions and improved outcomes for patients managing chronic conditions. The platform is already in use across Canadian health systems and parts of the US, with a strong focus on equitable access and strict regulatory compliance.
For Kaul, the mission is simple: scale care without sacrificing quality—and make healthcare actually work for more people.
Kalogon’s patent-pending air cell technology intelligently adapts to meet wheelchair users’ needs
Tim Balz: Smart seating that prevents injury and restores freedom
For wheelchair users, the wrong seat isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s dangerous. Pressure injuries are one of the leading causes of hospitalization, with studies estimating that 12–20% will experience pressure ulcers due to prolonged seating. Despite the risk, seating technology has seen little innovation in decades—but longtime mobility tech innovator Tim Balz founded Kalogon to change that.
Kalogon’s Orbiter smart cushions use embedded sensors and AI to continuously adjust air pressure under a seated user, redistributing weight and reducing risk without the need for manual repositioning. These systems also adjust according to someone’s posture and pressure over time, giving clinicians new tools while empowering users with greater comfort and independence.
What makes Kalogon special is not just the tech, but the team’s deep commitment to designing with, not just for, the disability community. “At our core, we believe that solving real-world problems requires hardware that is as thoughtful as it is innovative,” says Balz, who previously worked with SpaceX and brings an aerospace-level systems approach to human mobility.
“Winning a HardTech Award is a testament to the engineers, designers, and clinical partners who have helped us bring smart seating technology to life. We’re proud to be part of a growing ecosystem that understands hardware innovation is essential to shaping a better future.”
In a market often overlooked, Kalogon is setting a new standard for dignity through design.
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The science behind Soovu HeatWave™ technology
Allan Stephan: Medical devices that put relief in the hands of patients
Pain management is one of medicine’s oldest challenges, dating back to ancient civilizations using opium poppies for relief as early as 3400 BC. Yet even today, millions live with chronic pain that’s poorly managed by existing treatments, whether due to side effects, addiction risks, or limited access to care.
Soovu Labs, co-founded by Allan Stephan, is building a new platform that helps patients manage chronic pain without drugs or invasive procedures: a wearable heat therapy device that delivers precision-targeted relief using real-time feedback and mobile control. Think of it as a smart heating pad, but with the brains (and UX) of a next-gen medical device.
But Soovu isn’t just stopping at heat. The team is building a full platform for non-invasive neuromodulation that will adapt to different body types and pain conditions through software updates and modular attachments.
With a decade of experience bringing medical technologies to market, Stephan is betting on something radical: giving patients control, comfort, and care that fits into real life. Soovu’s philosophy? Relief should be simple, smart, and actually feel good.
Intuition Robotics is empowering older adults with empathetic digital companions
Assaf Gad: Building an AI companion that listens, learns and cares
Loneliness. It’s a public health crisis, it’s a silent stressor, and for many older adults, it’s a daily reality. And while getting a cat might help, Assaf Gad and the team at Intuition Robotics have responded with ElliQ, an AI-powered, proactive and personalized robotic companion that listens, adapts, and supports.
ElliQ isn’t just another piece of tech—it’s an assistant that learns how you like to be spoken to, when you’re most receptive, and what matters to you. It chats, nudges you to take your meds or drink some water, and gently guides you into healthier routines. With expressive movements, a friendly voice, and an intuitive screen interface, ElliQ feels less like a robot and more like someone genuinely looking out for you.
Rolled out in senior care programs across the US, ElliQ has done more than provide reminders—it’s helped people feel less alone, stick to their care plans, and re-engage with the world around them. As VP of Strategy, Gad has helped bring this vision to scale—not as a Silicon Valley experiment, but as a real, working tool for improving lives.
Designing with dignity in mind
The future of care won’t be built on speed alone, but on empathy, accessibility, and intelligent design. However, the real innovation isn’t in the hardware itself—it’s in how that hardware serves people and can empower a healthier and more resilient society.
We have one more part to our series on the 2025 HardTech Award winners still to come.
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