Excite Medical wins global USF license for ACL-injury prediction tech

Excite Medical and Orca Medical Technologies secured an exclusive worldwide license from the University of South Florida Research Foundation to commercialize patented biomechanical monitoring and rehabilitation technologies. The deal could push an AI-enabled wearable system, ARMOR-Knee, from USF research into Tampa Bay manufacturing and global distribution.

Why it matters: - The license gives Excite Medical access to university-developed technology that could help predict ACL injury risk before an injury happens. - The company plans to pair the technology with U.S.-based medical textile and electronics manufacturing. - The deal could keep research, product development and production centered in Tampa Bay instead of moving manufacturing overseas.

What happened: - Excite Medical said Orca Medical Technologies secured an exclusive worldwide license from the University of South Florida Research Foundation. - The license covers patented technologies developed by USF researchers in biomechanical monitoring, rehabilitation and performance. - ARMOR-Knee is being developed as an AI-enabled wearable system around USF research on high-risk biomechanical movement patterns tied to ACL injury. - USF research has shown machine-learning models can identify biomechanical conditions associated with ACL rupture and conditions that precede an injury event.

The details: - ARMOR-Knee is intended to recognize when an athlete's movement approaches dangerous biomechanical conditions. - The system is designed to train athletes to move differently before an injury-producing event occurs. - Excite Medical said its Tampa Bay manufacturing base gives the company a direct path from university lab work to commercial production. - Saleem N. Musallam, founder and CEO of Excite Medical and Orca Medical Technologies, said the company already has medical textile manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, regulatory experience and domestic and international distribution. - Musallam also said the organization has an established relationship supplying products to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. - U.S. Orthotics, a Tampa medical device manufacturer founded in 1979, makes knee supports, spinal orthoses, cervical collars and other medical textile products. - U.S. Orthotics is an established supplier to the VA through the VA Federal Supply Schedule. - Electronic Manufacturing Company, established in 1996, provides printed circuit board assembly, circuit board population, custom cable manufacturing and small electronic assemblies. - Excite Medical handles commercialization, including medical device manufacturing, regulatory affairs, sales, marketing and distribution. - The companies said the combined capabilities could support a vertically integrated model with wearable components, electronics, final assembly and commercialization all made in the Tampa Bay region. - Musallam said the company wants to develop the technology in Tampa Bay, manufacture it in Tampa Bay and distribute it worldwide. - Musallam is joining USF's Medical Engineering program as an adjunct professor. - Musallam created and will teach a course called Global MedTech Market Strategies. - The course focuses on moving medical technologies from innovation through intellectual property, regulation, manufacturing and global commercialization. - Excite Medical's DRX9000 technology is installed in more than 1,200 hospitals and healthcare centers worldwide. - The company's DRX9000-SL is described as the world's first non-surgical spinal decompression system to incorporate advanced automation. - The DRX9000-SL is also described as the first in about 20 years to receive both design and utility patent protection. - The January 2025 acquisition of Electronic Manufacturing Company added in-house circuit board assembly, circuit board population, custom cable manufacturing and small electronic assembly capabilities. - U.S. Orthotics is FDA-registered and specializes in American-made orthopedic and precision medical textile products.

Between the lines: - The licensing deal extends a broader relationship between Musallam, Excite Medical and USF. - The company is positioning the agreement as a test case for a university-to-industry pipeline that keeps intellectual property, engineering and manufacturing local. - The emphasis on vertical integration suggests Excite Medical wants tighter control over quality, speed and regulatory execution. - The partnership also reflects a wider push to commercialize wearable medical technology in the United States rather than relying on offshore production.

What's next: - The companies plan to continue technical evaluation, engineering and product development. - Next steps include regulatory strategy, validation and commercialization planning. - If development advances, Excite Medical expects the system to move from research to manufacturing and then to domestic and international markets. - The company says the long-term goal is to build the technology in Tampa Bay and bring it to market globally.

The bottom line: - Excite Medical has secured the rights to turn USF research into an AI-enabled wearable aimed at preventing ACL injuries, with Tampa Bay manufacturing at the center of the plan.