Zephyr - Founder
Zephyr is my Senior Design Capstone project.
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Inspiration for Zephyr started in the Spring of 2019, I was invited to video conference with Steve Gleason from the Gleason Institute. Steve Gleason has been diagnosed with ALS - instead of letting the disease control him, he has invested his life in fighting for a cure.
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Mr. Gleason uses technology to communicate, speaking by using a Microsoft Surface and eye tracking system to convey what he is thinking. This sparked my curiosity - I needed to find a way to help ALS patients regain independence.
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In the Fall of 2019, my team and I met with ALSSO - a support group for ALS patients and their families - to determine what kind of everyday problems they faced. They expressed that the most frustrating part of their lives was being unable to sleep.
Zephyr - CRO
As the Chief Revenue Officer of Zephyr, it is my responsibility to spread the word about our cause.
Click the icon to download our Quality Manual
Zephyr
A gentle southwestern breeze.
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Problem
18 million people in the United States suffer from mobility impairment due to ALS, Parkinson's, Duchenne & Becker Muscular Dystrophy, and Arthritis. Because of this, they are unable to sleep at night due to the inability to shift in bed. Additionally, moving patients in hospitals causes 25% of hospital worker injuries - costing hospitals more than $2 billion a year.
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In October of 2019, Zephyr travelled to Spokane to meet with an ALS support group to learn about the challenges they face and the solutions they desire.
Solution
Zephyr Mattress features a matrix of programmable oscillating cells that adjust the topography of the sleeping surface.
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Learn more about our prototype by clicking below.
Competitor Analysis
Other mattresses on the market feature a 'set it and forget it' design. They prevent users from changing settings during their sleep. Zephyr is reactive to the users' movements during sleep. Giving support and pressure as needed through Postural Topography Technology (TM). Zephyr is entirely customizable and allows the user to be in control.
UW Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge Pitch
Traction
University Of Washington Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge
Zephyr was chosen as one a Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge Finalist. Zephyr attended the competition and presented a booth at the trade show. To prepare for this event, we worked with our advisory board to craft a 1 minute pitch which I gave to over 100 judges. We also demonstrated a working prototype at our booth.
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Click here to read about the Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge Finalists
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Northwest Entrepreneur Competition
With over 100 entries, Zephyr placed in the Top 8 with our online submission of a 2 minute video pitch and our business plan. This earned us a spot in the formal pitch portion of the competition. Due to COVID-19, the pitch was delivered over Zoom. Zephyr earned 2nd place and won $3000 for our company.
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Because of our success at the Northwest Entrepreneur Competition, Zephyr has been invited to pitch for the Spokane Angel Alliance.