Congressman Abercrombie recently announced that the House has authorized his requests for $67.45 million in defense funding in Hawaii that will go to various projects—some of which are being done by high-tech businesses in the islands. The benefits of this type of funding was illustrated by an article in Hawaii business magazine that looked how some of those Hawaii business receiving federal defense grants have produced “dual-use” results.

The article highlights Hoana Medical Inc. which created a “hospital bedding system that could read vital signs without any physical contact, reminiscent of Dr. McCoy’s sick-bay bed in Star Trek.” The technology, called “LifeBed,” is now on the commercial market but was originally developed for U.S. Army Medevac helicopters and could “accurately detect patients’ heart and respiratory rates through full body armor in spite of the extreme background noise and vibration.”

The Hoana LifeBed patient vigilance system provides a simple but highly effective solution for continuous observation of patient conditions. Unlike conventional monitoring systems that require attaching electrodes, cuffs, or sensors to the patient, no physical contact or connections are needed with the Hoana LifeBed system. To use the system, the patient simply lies on the bed. Within seconds, sensors embedded under a mattress cover let start capturing signals generated by the patient—even through bed linens and multiple layers of patient clothing.

Hoana is just one example of how defense dollars are boosting Hawaii’s high-tech businesses and our everyday quality of life.

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