MediaBalance, an East Lansing company that fuses high tech and behavioral psychology to address the country's major health problems, is working with more than $1 million in federal grants to develop programs addressing obesity, autism and ADHD.
MediaBalance has received five grants worth $200,000 each from the National Institute of Health (NIH). Most of the money is being used to research food imaging, which will eventually allow customers to take a picture of the food on their plate and immediately see how many calories they're ingesting.
"I kind of have a feeling this will be bought by Weight Watchers," says MediaBalance Founder Alex Terrazas.
MediaBalance is also using a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop technology that will measure the behaviors of children with autism and ADHD.
Terrazas started MediaBalance in his garage in East Lansing. He decided to grow his company in East Lansing because he says it offers a good quality of life.
"My wife is from the area and we though it was a pretty kid-friendly place," he says. "We decided to stay put and enjoy the low cost of living."
Source: Alex Terrazas, MediaBalance
Ivy Hughes is the development news editor for Capital Gains. She can be reached at
ivy@capitalgainsmedia.com.
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