XO Armor, an organization that focuses on on-site 3D printing of custom-fit protecting orthotics, has been chosen for the primary cohort of Montgomery TechLab’s Protection Accelerator. The corporate, which started as a small challenge at Auburn College in 2019, initially targeted on serving to injured soccer gamers return to the sphere extra shortly. XO Armor now supplies its 3D printing companies to dozens {of professional} and school sports activities groups.
The corporate is increasing its know-how purposes past athletics into healthcare and army contexts. Its choice for the eight-week accelerator program signifies a strategic transfer into the protection sector. The U.S. Military has been investing in additive manufacturing as an answer for provide challenges in contested logistics environments.
“This program not solely will increase our interplay with the Division of Protection stakeholders, but in addition helps us refine our enterprise mannequin and strategic strategy to commercialization,” mentioned Joe Bingold, XO Armor CEO. Bingold, a Navy veteran, famous that the accelerator will assist the corporate construct connections with the U.S. Air Pressure. This system goals to facilitate broader engagement throughout the Division of Protection.
The know-how was developed in Auburn College’s Biomechanical Engineering Laboratory (AUBE LAB). Michael Zabala, Auburn Alumni Engineering Council Affiliate Professor, AUBE Lab director and XO Armor’s founder and chief analysis officer, expressed pleasure within the know-how’s evolution. “To see one thing that started within the AUBE Lab as an effort to assist Auburn soccer gamers now rising right into a know-how that may instantly help the U.S. army makes me fairly proud,” he mentioned.
Charisse Stokes, government director of TechMGM and accomplice liaison for Montgomery TechLab, highlighted the potential influence of the accelerator’s individuals. “The businesses chosen for our first protection accelerator cohort reveal unimaginable promise to strengthen our nation’s protection posture whereas rising Alabama’s innovation economic system,” Stokes mentioned. The Military has just lately directed important funding into Auburn’s additive manufacturing analysis for fight techniques.
Supply: eng.auburn.edu
