VA to Award Contract for AI-Powered Physical Therapy App

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to award app developer JumpStart a contract to create a platform that uses artificial intelligence to improve the physical therapy process.

VA needs an app capable of mitigating repetitive stress and over-exertion injuries using an adaptive user interface that can receive input from a variety of wearable technology, according to a request for information posted on SAM .gov.

The department plans to integrate the AI Based Physical Therapy App with existing physical therapies to prevent or treat chronic injuries.

AIPTA would also be able to provide recommendations, notifications, adaptive training plans, reports and rationale to users.

VA said that JumpStart has already proven the capabilities of its technology during a tech sprint hosted by the department’s National AI Institute from December 2020 to June 2021.

NAII works on large-scale AI research and development initiatives, national AI policy and partnerships across agencies, industries and academia, according to its website.

JumpStart was deemed to have the highest AI-based physical therapy biofeedback and analytical capabilities in relation to physical therapy and musculoskeletal rehabilitation, VA added.

The department said that it has already vetted other AI health applications and found no other vendor with similar capabilities to JumpStart.

VA said it intends to award a sole-source contract to the company but has given interested parties until the afternoon of Dec. 8 to propose alternatives.