Engineering with Empathy: Reinventing Compression Gloves from the Ground Up
When Téa Phillips began her mechanical engineering degree at Tennessee Tech University, she wasn’t planning to reinvent hand therapy. Like many students driven by curiosity and capability, she enrolled because she was “good at math and physics” and wanted to build “robots and rocket ships.”
But that trajectory shifted dramatically the day she watched her grandmother—once vibrant, active, and independent—struggle with arthritis so severe she could no longer hold a knitting needle or enjoy time in her garden.
“My grandma had really bad arthritis and I watched her lose her mobility,” Téa explains. “She told me she used to go to sleep every night holding a tennis ball inside a sock just to keep her hand from curling into a stiff fist. I realized something had to be done.”
That "something" would become Metaflex—a groundbreaking compression glove that combines passive stretching, active strengthening, and everyday comfort into a single, wearable solution.
Discovering the Gap in Arthritis Care
In a student innovation club that brought together engineering and healthcare students to solve real-world problems, Téa found the spark of what would eventually become her startup, ATS Innovations.
“We found compression and grip strengthening were two of the most recommended therapies that were non-medicinal. Compression was easy enough, but people weren’t doing their grip strengthening exercises. It’s burdensome, tedious. You’ve got to do 15 reps with a stress ball. People just don’t do it.”
Téa and her co-founders had a bold idea: What if strengthening could happen automatically—while someone went about their day?
“We made a wearable grip strengthener that allows you to build that strength, mobility, and range of motion as you're going about your day,” she says. “You're strengthening when you're moving. You're stretching when you're resting.”
Designing Simplicity: Where Science Meets Intuition
What sets Metaflex apart isn’t just what it does—it's how it feels.
“We use stretchy elastic bands on adjustable Velcro straps to mimic the tendons in the hand. It’s a natural hand motion design. The compression reduces pain, the resistance builds strength, and it’s always gently stretching when you’re at rest.”
This multifunctional approach—all packed into a single intuitive glove—is no accident.
“People tell me that it’s intuitive. That’s such a compliment. It means it’s easy to use. Less failure points. More elegant design. That’s the kind of engineering I love.”
While Téa has no formal background in biomedical engineering, she brings a rare hybrid of technical precision and emotional intelligence to the design process.
“I use the engineering side to understand forces, joints, and compression... and the creative side to make something beautiful—something people actually want to use.”
Helping More Than Just Arthritis Sufferers
Though originally designed for arthritis patients like her grandmother, Téa quickly discovered the glove had broader applications.
“We got it to market last year to help people with arthritis, and it’s helped so many more people—like athletes, musicians, or folks recovering from hand injuries.”
She’s been surprised and inspired by how her users have made the glove their own.
“About half of them wear it at night to keep their fingers extended. Some say they couldn’t sleep before using it. I’ve had customers tell me, ‘You changed my life. I can sleep again.’ That kind of feedback—it’s mind-blowing. It keeps me going.”
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Metaflex
Téa isn’t done iterating. Far from it.
“We’ve got about eight to ten new versions of Metaflex in the notebook. Two of them are coming out this year. One is based on user feedback. Another hits the same goal but with a different design approach.”
Her ultimate goal? To evolve the Metaflex concept into a versatile platform that could support knees, ankles, and beyond.
“We’re focused on the hands now, but we’re definitely going to support other joints too. There’s a whole range of possibilities we can address with this kind of technology.”
A New Standard for Medtech Design
What Téa Phillips is building isn’t just a glove—it’s a new kind of healthcare product: one rooted in accessibility, usability, and empathy. Her design choices are informed by real life, her grandmother’s pain, and her own relentless pursuit of solutions that actually work.
“Simple is elegant. If it’s hard to use, people won’t use it. If it fails often, it won’t last. We’re trying to make healthcare that’s affordable and effective—and human.”
In a space often crowded with sterile devices and profit-driven patents, Téa’s story reminds us what innovation really looks like: compassion, creativity, and courage—stitched together, one glove at a time.