PROJECT HERO ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TO LAUNCH INNOVATIVE PTSD MONITOR
LOS ANGELES, CA (March 31, 2017) – Project Hero, the groundbreaking national non-profit veterans and first responders organization, will partner with Texas A&M Unviersity to introduce the first wearable health monitoring device specifically designed to help veterans and first responders with PTSD, it was announced today by John Wordin, president and founder of Project Hero.
The device will debut as part of Project Hero’s HERO Trak program during the organization’s upcoming 2017 UnitedHealthcare Texas Challenge April 3-8.
The partnership features the debut and first non-clinical use of a wristwatch-sized wearable health monitor programmed to respond to and learn the wearer’s PTSD-specific physical cues, such as changes in heart rate not associated with athletics or normal activities, and interact with the wearer to help manage the onset of the episode or contact support or assistance.
The unique device and its sophisticated monitoring software have been developed by the Engineering Department of Texas A&M University under the leadership of Dr. Farzan Sasangohar. Dr. Sasangohar has been working with the Project Hero Research Insitute of Mental Health to develop opportunities to test the device using highly-qualified subjects in non-clinical environments such as Project Hero events.
The organization has selected 30 riders taking part in the 2017 UnitedHealthcare Texas Challenge for the inaugural study. The riders will wear the device throughout the 500-plus mile journey through from San Antonio to Houston.
Riders will wear the HERO Trak device throughout the 2017 UnitedHealthcare Texas Challenge and allow data generated by the device to collected on an anonymous basis by Project Hero and Texas A&M after the Challenge has ended. Project Hero and Texas A&M are planing to use the device in the organization’s upcoming 2017 Challenge and Honor Ride events.
