At the Wearable Biosensing Lab (WBL), we are driven by a deep passion for creating technologies that care for the body, brain, and behavior. As a team of engineers, scientists, and technologists, we design wearable and health tech systems that bring real-world impact—whether helping newborns, supporting older adults, or empowering people with chronic conditions.

Our work bridges research and reality, making health tech more accessible, personal, and meaningful. With support from agencies like NSF, NIH, RI state gov, and foundations, and partnerships across academia and industry, we are building the future of health and med tech.

We love what we do, and we are always excited to see technologies going into the hands of the people (patients, clinicians, nurses, healthcare workers, and caregivers) who need them the most.

2014

• Founded the Wearable Biosensing Lab at URI in July 2014.

• Began interdisciplinary research in wearables, embedded systems, and smart textiles.

2015

• Recruited the first PhD student, Mohammadreza Abtahi. 

• Received the first external grant fund from the RI Foundation. 

• Launched the Wearable Internet-of-Things Course funded by VentureWell.

• Organized the first URI hack-a-thon on IoT.  

2016

• Received the first NSF grant from the CISE/CRII program

• Received the first NIH R01 grant in collaboration with RI Hospital

• Received a large collaborative NSF EPSCoR RII Track-2 grant project (among various institutions). 

• 1st master's student with thesis graduated

• Organized the first HealthHacks. 

2017

• Received the NSF CAREER Award from the CPS program.

•  Received the first international fund with Colombia to design 3D-printed motorized prosthetics. 

• Collaborated with RI-based companies through the RI Commerce Innovation Voucher funds. 

• Recognized with the "Innovator of the Year" by the Future Textile Awards 2017, Frankfurt, Germany 

2018

• 1st PhD graduated

• Received the first Champlin Foundation fund to build The Artificial Intelligence Lab

• Recognized with the TechConnect Innovation Award

2019

• Smart Gloves for Parkinson’s Disease project funded by NSF Partnership for Innovation - Technology Transition

• Received an NIH R21 Grant in collaboration with the RI Hospital

• Collaborated with RI-based companies through the RI Commerce Innovation Voucher funds. 

• Instrumented the 1st large technical embroidery machine in the lab. 

• 2nd PhD graduated 

2020

• Involved in COVID RapidSolvers - 3D printing manufacturing of PPEs. 

• Completed the 1st NSF National I-Corps Cohort (Customer Discovery).

2021

• Spun the translation of the 1st startup, WellAware (previously known as EchoWear).

• Graduated several PhDs and masters.

2022

• Welcomed the new co-director of the lab

• Received a grant from Epilepsy Foundation New England in collaboration with RI Hospital.

• Received a Champlin Foundation grant for an industrial knitting machine (collaboration with the dept of textiles)

2023

• Received an NIH/NIBIB R01 project in collaboration with UMass Medical

2024

• Received a cross-country, USA-India grant fund from NSF CPS.

• Received the 1st funding from the RI Life Sciences Hub.

• Received a URI Research Office Grant

• Organized the 1st Symposium on Smart Health & Wearables at URI.

2025

• Completed the 2nd NSF National I-Corps Cohort (Customer Discovery).

• Received an NIH T32 Doctoral Training Program grant. 

• Received a workforce development grant from the RI Life Sciences Hub.