Steadiwear has launched its third-generation Steadi-3 glove designed to reduce hand tremors for people living with Essential Tremor and Parkinson's disease – and nearly half the size and weight of the previous device.

The Steadiwear team is showcasing the Steadi-3 today and tomorrow at the AGE-WELL Annual Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. Steadiwear is an AGE-WELL startup affiliate and has received support from the network through the development of its anti-tremor glove. Steadi-3 is registered with Health Canada and the FDA and is now available for pre-order in Canada and the U.S. at https://steadiwear.com/ for delivery in early 2025.

"Our team is driven to create technology that gives people with hand tremors back their independence. Steadi-3 is a significant step towards this vision—and we're incredibly excited to launch it," says Mark Elias, CEO of Steadiwear. "We designed Steadi-3 specifically so it's more effective and more comfortable to wear for users."

When Elias saw his grandmother spilling coffee on herself because of her hand tremors, he made it his mission to develop a solution. He applied his expertise in vibration mechanics, used for stabilizing buildings during earthquakes, to create a device to help people with tremors. In 2015, Elias co-founded Steadiwear with Emile Maamary, Chief Marketing Officer, whose grandparent also has hand tremors. The Canadian startup launched Steadi-1 in 2019, followed by Steadi-2 in 2021.

Like Steadi-2, Steadi-3 is a battery-free device that incorporates a novel magnet-based system that moves in the opposite direction of a person's tremor, designed to stabilize the wrist and forearm and minimize tremors. The glove's overall size has been reduced by nearly half, the weight has decreased from 550 grams to 275 grams, and it can target a much larger band of tremor frequencies.

Maamary explains, "The user feedback for Steadi-3 has been positive across the board. In our study of the new device, 85 per cent of users reported significant improvements with their tremors because of the Steadi-3 technology."

People with hand tremors can face challenges eating, drinking, dressing, handwriting and using a cell phone or computer, along with many other activities in their personal and professional lives. An estimated 10 million Americans have Essential Tremor, affecting people of all ages. Studies show that 30 per cent of people with tremors lose their jobs or retire early because of their condition.

Betty Faulkner of St. Albert, Alberta has lived with Essential Tremor for more than 50 years. Her tremors have slowly limited her daily activities more and more over time. A retired federal government auditor, Faulkner faced career roadblocks going out to audit businesses with her visible tremors. She made the tough decision mid-career to shift to office work doing problem resolution for auditors who engaged with businesses on-site.

Through the years, Faulkner tried prescription medications to manage her tremors without significant results. But it wasn't until she was introduced to Steadiwear that she had a solution to stop her hand from shaking. Faulkner started using Steadi-1 in 2020 and has beta-tested every version, including the new Steadi-3.

"I love it – it's fantastic," says Faulkner about the new Steadi-3. "The glove just gets better with each version."

The 'intelligent' glove allows Faulkner to do activities she hasn't done in years, like put on make-up, cook, handwrite, and eat soup.

Faulkner explains, "Steadi-3 gives me freedom and confidence to do things I haven't done in a long a time. I have more use of my fingers and can wear it for a longer period because it's smaller and lighter."

AGE-WELL, Canada's Technology and Aging Network, has funded Steadiwear over several years, helping to bring the device to market to enhance life for people who have Essential Tremor and Parkinson's disease, the most common movement disorders in the world.

"AGE-WELL has proudly supported Steadiwear from its early days to going to market with an exceptional solution that supports independence and quality of life for people with hand tremors," says Dr. Alex Mihailidis, Scientific Director and CEO of AGE-WELL. "Steadi-3 is an excellent example of AGE-WELL's commitment to fostering innovative products that benefit older adults and their caregivers, and promote healthy aging." 

In 2017, Steadiwear won a national ideathon competition hosted by AGE-WELL and HACKING HEALTH.

"AGE-WELL has supported Steadiwear through grants that allowed us to build prototypes for user feedback, connected us with multiple networks that shaped our approach to technological development, and introduced us to the right industry partners to take our products to the next level," says Elias.

The startup has also benefited from support and partnerships with the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), Ontario Brain Institute, Ontario Centres of Excellence, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto and the International Essential Tremor Foundation.