A patent has been secured for a new innovative splint from Alphapointe, one of the nation’s largest rehabilitation service providers, with a manufacturing facility in Richmond Hill.
Alphapointe has been working on designing the Rigid Immobilization System for Extremities (RISE) for four years in conjunction with the U.S. Army. What makes this splint different is its ability to fold, as it’s been designed ideally for soldiers in the army to carry around in their individual first aid kits.
Alphapointe has been around for over 100 years and has primarily hired and empowered people with vision loss. The company is one of the largest employers of people who are blind in the U.S., with nearly 400 employees, more than half of whom are blind or visually impaired.
The office in Richmond Hill has about 200 workers.
“While we do offer rehabilitation services, the focus of what we do is to create meaningful jobs and employment opportunities for people who are blind,” Alphapointe COO Ryan Williams said. “Alphapointe creating products for the tactical and medical space allows us to continue to create meaningful jobs for people with vision loss and especially in the Queens and New York area.”
The RISE splint has been tested by military personnel at both Fort Hood, Texas and Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii. The splints are also available to the general public, often used by hikers and mountain climbers.
“The RISE Splint is one of the most unique tactical/medical devices on the market,” Williams said.
Alphapointe President and CEO Reinhard Mabry said that the splint was in high demand before the company even secured the patent.
“The formal recognition of the patent is the latest step in Alphapointe becoming one of the premier tactical/medical manufacturers in the country,” Mabry said. “Prior to receiving this status, we had already received orders for tens of thousands of splints, which tells us that we are meeting a critical demand for an innovative product. And, we are thrilled that in creating a unique and essential product that we’re able to provide more great jobs to people who are blind.”
The RISE splint is valuable in triage situations due to its lightweight and compact design, allowing non-medical personnel to carry the item and treat soldiers on the battlefield. The splint also has the ability to be used for both limbs and pelvic stabilization.
According to Alphapointe, the company has produced nearly 500,000 lifesaving tactical and medical devices to date.
