A research team from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington was selected on May 13 to receive funding from NCInnovation for their work on an at-home, fabric-based neural sleep monitoring platform. The NCInnovation Board of Directors unanimously approved $7.9 million in funding to support nine applied research projects across North Carolina.
The UNC Wilmington project is led by Department of Computer Science Professor Karl Ricanek Jr. and School of Health and Applied Human Sciences Associate Professor Alex McDaniel. Their initiative, titled NeuroWeaveAI NeuroHealth Platform, aims to address a gap in access to brain-based sleep diagnostics. Many people with conditions such as traumatic brain injury, PTSD, epilepsy, and sleep disorders do not have access to long-term neurological monitoring because current EEG systems are expensive and typically limited to specialized clinical centers.
The new technology uses four main components: Fabric as a Sensor (FaaS) technology, algorithms and artificial intelligence, neural data security measures, and a mobile application. These elements work together to capture brain activity through fabric-based sensors, analyze signals using AI tools, secure sensitive neurodata, and deliver personalized feedback via a mobile platform. The award will help support clinical validation studies as well as real-world testing toward commercialization.
Chancellor Aswani K. Volety said: “This project captures the innovative energy that drives UNCW today. Drs. Ricanek and McDaniel exemplify our faculty’s dedication to creative partnerships, curiosity and cutting-edge research. What makes their work so powerful is its potential to change lives by bringing accessible, long-term brain health monitoring out of the clinic and into everyday settings. This technology could open new pathways for individual healthcare, and UNCW is proud to help lead that progress.”
Ricanek and McDaniel’s team is working with industry partners including Nuream Inc., which developed the patented FaaS technology in Wilmington. The first commercial product is expected to be a pillowcase capable of capturing brain activity during sleep.
Associate Provost for Research and Innovation Stuart R. Borrett said: “This award highlights the power of connecting UNCW research with startup partners to drive real-world impact… Through UNCW’s collaboration with Nuream, we are advancing AI-enabled neurohealth solutions that move beyond the lab to expand access to care while strengthening North Carolina’s innovation economy.”
NCInnovation CEO Michelle Bolas said: “Dr. Ricanek and Dr. McDaniel’s AI-powered sleep sensor could transform how we monitor serious neurological conditions, making diagnostics accessible outside of a clinical setting for the first time.”
