[IT Dong-A Reporter Cha Ju-kyung] Undergoing tests that measure the body's vital signs, such as polysomnography or electrocardiograms, at a hospital is complicated in many ways. Patients must set aside time to visit the hospital, wait for a long time, and undergo measurements over several hours while various sensors connected by wires are attached all over their bodies. It is also uncomfortable to have to remain still for a long period with cold gel applied and tape and sensors attached. As a result, there are many cases where test results are inaccurate because patients become too anxious or uncomfortable.
 

Lee Sung Hoon, CEO of the healthcare startup Wis Medical, realized these practical inconveniences while studying electrical and electronic engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Believing that he could solve this by utilizing the flexible devices and biosensor technologies he was researching, he founded Wis Medical together with Yeo Woon-Hong, a distinguished professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.

 

 

Lee Sung Hoon, CEO of Wis Medical / Source: IT Donga
 

Wis Medical makes various biosignal measurement devices using flexible elements that are highly pliable and soft to the touch. By adding artificial intelligence data analysis technology, it accurately captures and precisely analyzes numerous biosignals. Its flagship device is the wireless sleep diagnostic wearable device 'Tedream'.

 

Humans spend one-third of their lives sleeping. It is during sleep that we recover from fatigue and gain the energy to start a new day. Consequently, poor sleep leads to easy exhaustion and leaves one vulnerable to various chronic diseases. A polysomnography (sleep study) is used to determine whether someone is sleeping well, but as mentioned previously, this requires visiting a hospital, attaching over 30 sensors to the body, and staying for an extended period. It also requires the assistance of a sleep technician.

 

 

Difference between conventional polysomnography (left) and Wis Medical Tedream (right) / Source: Wis Medical

 

Wis Medical states that there are approximately 8.4 million patients with sleep disorders in Korea alone, and that about 7.4 million of them, or 85%, have not yet received a clear diagnosis. They further emphasize that by utilizing their developed Tedream, biosignal measurement devices, and artificial intelligence analysis technology, these patients can receive a clear sleep diagnosis in a much easier, simpler, and more affordable way.

 

Unlike conventional wired measuring devices, Wis Medical’s Tedream biosignal measuring device is a very small wireless device. Thanks to its soft and flexible body, it adheres to the body much better and causes minimal discomfort. There is no need to apply cold gel either. As a result, it rarely detaches even when the patient tosses and turns, moves, or even runs. Since it remains constantly attached to the patient's body, it accurately captures and records various biosignals. 

 

 

Flexible device biosignal measuring device developed by Wis Medical / Source: Wis Medical
 

Adding AI signal analysis technology to this increases its utility severalfold. Until now, sleep technicians have manually analyzed signals detected by bio-signal measuring devices. Consequently, the analysis process took anywhere from several days to several weeks, with errors occurring at times. However, AI works tirelessly and more accurately than humans. Hence, Wis Medical’s Tedream accurately analyzes sleep signals in just 30 minutes (95% accuracy). It also instantly generates a comprehensive report based on the analysis.

 

Using Wis Medical Tedream is convenient for both hospitals and patients. Hospitals can improve test accuracy by adopting only Wis Medical Tedream, instead of expensive and complex polysomnography equipment. Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, it quickly and accurately analyzes sleep signals and even generates reports. It reduces overall costs and time required for polysomnography while increasing accuracy.

 

 

Wis Medical CEO Lee Sung Hoon (far right) and employees during R&D / Source: IT Dong-a
 

According to Wis Medical, performing polysomnography with Tedream increases diagnostic efficiency by 3.4 times and shortens the time to produce results by 240 times. Thanks to the precise diagnosis of a patient's sleep state using artificial intelligence, it is possible to suggest not only personalized diagnoses but also customized treatment methods.

 

The benefits for patients are even greater. They can easily perform polysomnography at home without visiting a hospital. The biosignal measuring device is made of soft material that adheres well to the body with minimal discomfort, making the test much more convenient. There is no need to wait for hours at the hospital. Accurate testing is performed simply by attaching three of Wis Medical's Tedream measuring devices to the body while going about daily life or sleeping.

 

 

Wis Medical showcasing technology at CES 2026 / Source: Wis Medical
 

Following the development of Tedream, CEO Lee Sung Hoon planned to advance flexible devices and AI analysis technologies to play an active role in a wider range of biosignal measurement sectors. In fact, the flexible devices developed by Wis Medical measure not only movement and snoring sounds but also brainwaves (EEG), electromyography (EMG), electrooculography (EOG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and oxygen saturation (SpO2). The company has already formed a Soft Electronics Business Group with major hospitals in Korea and the Wearable Electronics Center at Georgia Tech in the United States. Subsequently, it is collaborating with neurology, psychiatry, and intensive care units to demonstrate the flexible devices and further advance its AI capabilities.

 

Another notable feature is that, unlike existing devices which could only identify a single biosignal per unit, Wis Medical's flexible device can measure multiple biosignals with just a single unit. CEO Lee Sung Hoon added that, theoretically, almost all biosignal measurement equipment is manufactured using Wis Medical's flexible devices. He also emphasized that through countless hours of research and experimentation to create a finished product that fits the human body perfectly, they have achieved a rare case of commercializing flexible elements—something that remains very uncommon globally.

 

 

Wis Medical introducing their technology to international officials / Source: Wis Medical
 

The employees of Wis Medical, including CEO Lee Sung Hoon and Co-CEO Yeo Woon-Hong, are actively involved in the entire product commercialization cycle, taking charge of wearable sensor design and signal processing, software development and artificial intelligence, and clinical research. They share two core values. The first is to move beyond the research stage and 'create clinically applicable technology' that enters actual medical settings to provide real utility to patients and the second is to engage in 'data-driven decision-making.' The intent is to simultaneously enhance both performance and reliability based on the data gathered during product development and improvement processes.

 

By rapidly completing technical development and commercialization under these values, Wis Medical has achieved significant milestones in a short period. Immediately after its founding, the company strengthened its technological foundation by participating in TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startups) and government R&D projects, while also showcasing its capabilities at major global tech exhibitions like CES. Consequently, following the Korea Digital Innovation Award, the company secured an Innovation Award at CES 2026 and was also named a 'Medical Innovation Company' by Fortune Korea.

 

 

Wis Medical, winner of the CES 2026 Innovation Award / Source: Wis Medical

​​​​​

Based on its achievements, Wis Medical is addressing the challenges necessary for growth one by one. It is already partnering with various hospitals to secure clinical data in preparation for medical device regulatory approval. Several hospitals, clinics, and medical institutions in Korea are already utilizing Wis Medical's flexible device products for research purposes. At the same time, the company is proceeding with the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approval process with the goal of entering the U.S. market. By engaging regulatory agencies as partners, it is establishing regulatory strategies for both domestic and international markets. Through the clinical data obtained during this process, Wis Medical aims to raise awareness of its devices while simultaneously enhancing the reliability and performance of its artificial intelligence.

 

The company is also accelerating the advancement of its AI, which serves as the central pillar of its business. It has already secured approximately 15,000 hours of sleep data in collaboration with major Korean hospitals. By integrating additional sleep data from patients with underlying conditions—such as stroke and dementia—the company is currently refining its AI models. The ultimate goal is to enable the AI to identify not only a patient's existing conditions but also potential underlying diseases in advance.

 

Following polysomnography, the company is further enhancing its capabilities in collecting and analyzing various biosignals, such as brainwaves, heart rate, and electromyography. This will enable Wis Medical's technology to play a significant role not only in sleep disorders but also in the treatment of dementia and depression, as well as in the field of heart disease. Research and development of artificial intelligence technology to improve diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility in these sectors is already underway. In line with this, the company is continuing collaborations with construction firms and bed manufacturers. The goal is to jointly research biosignal detection for construction workers and functional beds enhanced with sleep induction and massage capabilities. Once these challenges are resolved, preparations for mass production based on a GMP manufacturing system have been completed to ensure a rapid market entry and product supply.

 

 

Wis Medical employees / Source: IT Donga
 

Joint research and project execution with research institutions are also expected to become a key capability of Wis Medical. An example is the ongoing research project supported by the Institute of Information & Communication Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), titled "Construction of a Robust and Generalizable Bioelectrical Signal Foundation Model and Study on the Clinical Utility of Disease Diagnostic Models Utilizing It." The purpose of this research, conducted in collaboration with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Georgia Institute of Technology in the U.S., and Chungnam National University Hospital, is to generate clear data in areas where data is scarce, such as electroencephalograms (EEGs) and electromyograms (EMGs), and to build a foundation model based on this data for use in artificial intelligence research. Furthermore, Wis Medical has established plans to strengthen its technology by linking this research to clinical applications.

 

CEO Lee Sung Hoon stated, “We will deploy our technology in the sleep diagnosis sector to accumulate diverse data. We will strengthen our capabilities in wearable sensors and artificial intelligence data analysis to apply them to the overall monitoring of chronic and metabolic diseases. Based on this foundation, we aim to grow into an integrated healthcare company that provides personalized health management services. We will create a medical environment where people prevent diseases rather than react to them, in their daily lives rather than at medical institutions, leading the way for everyone around the world to easily manage and protect their health.”

 

 

 

IT Donga Reporter Cha Ju-kyung
(racingcar@itdonga.com)

2026.04.01.
https://it.donga.com/108649/