Daegu Buk-gu Startup 'AIM' Wins 'CES 2027 Innovation Award'... Develops Wheelchair Fall-Prevention Device

Daegu Buk-gu Office announced on November 12 that AIM, a local startup supported through the Global Awards Consulting Support Program, had won a CES 2027 Innovation Award at the world’s largest IT and electronics trade show, CES.

AIM’s award-winning entry was CENTRA, a modular fall-prevention robot for manual wheelchairs. It won in the Accessibility&Longevity category, which recognizes technologies that support accessibility and independence for older adults and people with disabilities.

AIM Fall Prevention Device Mounted on a Manual Wheelchair

CENTRA automatically adjusts its center of gravity to prevent a wheelchair from tipping in any direction, forward, backward, or sideways. It can be attached to an existing manual wheelchair in about five minutes, eliminating the need to buy a new one. The wheelchair’s seat-height adjustment and folding functions remain unchanged, while balance correction is performed automatically. Users can also operate the device themselves at any time.

AIM is based at the Startup Playground in Buk-gu, Daegu. The award is significant because it recognizes a company that grew out of the region’s startup infrastructure with an internationally prestigious innovation award.

“Thanks to commercialization funding available to companies based at the Buk-gu Startup Playground, we were able to build equipment to test CENTRA’s key components,” said AIM CEO Joo Seongmin. “We will use this award as a stepping stone, prepare thoroughly for next year’s CES, and grow even further.”

At CES 2027, which will be held in Las Vegas, U.S., in January 2027, AIM plans to showcase CENTRA at its booth in the Kyungpook National University joint pavilion in Eureka Park, the dedicated area for startups. The company also plans to pursue entry into global markets and cooperation with distribution partners.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.