A wearable posture device inspired by a mother’s warning to “stand straight or you’ll become hunched” is now exported to 68 countries, its developer told Anadolu Agency.
Fatih Durmaz, a 32-year-old computer engineer and founder of Kodgem Teknoloji, said he developed an artificial intelligence–supported wearable device designed to improve posture and promote healthier habits.
Durmaz established the company in 2019 at Cappadocia Technopark at Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University, together with a group of health professionals and technology enthusiasts.
From childhood complaint to startup
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Durmaz said he had suffered from posture problems since childhood and searched for ways to correct them, first trying to keep a wooden board on his back and later using a corset.
During his university years, he removed the motor from his brother’s remote-controlled car and attached it to his back, creating a vibration alert system that warned him when he slouched.
“We develop AI-based wearable health technologies. We launched our first product in 2019 and became a finalist in the Technology for Humanity Competition at TEKNOFEST,” Durmaz said, adding that the company later joined the acceleration programs of the Türkiye Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation).
He said the company now exports to 68 countries.
Inspired by his mother’s words, “Stand up straight,” young entrepreneur Fatih Durmaz developed a device to fix his lifelong hunching problem and now exports it to 68 countries, Istanbul, Türkiye, February 25, 2026. (AA Photo)
AI model trained with 180 million hours of data
Durmaz said the product, called Kodgem Straight, evolved from his own need to correct his posture.
He recalled his mother frequently telling him to stand upright and said the device transforms that warning into technology.
The latest version integrates artificial intelligence trained on 180 million hours of data.
“This model, built using CNN, LSTM, and RNN algorithms, can detect whether I am upright, hunched, or leaning. It is the only device in the world that can do this,” he said.
When worn on the back, the device vibrates to alert the user if their posture deteriorates and analyzes posture throughout the day.
Durmaz said the device supports chest and back muscle development by encouraging an upright posture. While it does not claim to provide medical treatment, he noted that it may have corrective effects for users under 24 by helping them develop proper posture habits over time.
Collaboration with Stanford University
Durmaz said that posture problems affect eight out of 10 people, particularly due to the increased use of computers, smartphones, and tablets.
He said the company works with physiotherapists, spine surgeons, and orthopedists and continues to conduct scientific studies.
Durmaz also highlighted a collaboration with Michael Gardner, an orthopedic trauma specialist at Stanford University in the U.S., and his team.
“They discovered us and proposed working together after finding our product among the best in similar categories on LinkedIn,” he said.
The partnership allows Kodgem’s technology to be integrated into Stanford’s solutions, which Durmaz described as a technology transfer from Türkiye to the U.S.
Patents, awards and new investment round
Durmaz said the company has obtained utility model and patent certificates in Türkiye, Europe, and the U.S., and has begun new patent applications for upcoming products. He noted that competitors exist and that the product has been copied in some countries.
Kodgem received the “Entrepreneur Exporting to the Most Countries” award at Türkiye Innovation Week, organized by the Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TIM), after reaching 68 export markets, including the U.S., Russia, and several European countries.
The company made its first export in 2020, a year after its founding.
Durmaz said Kodgem is open to investment and has launched a new funding round with a $15 million valuation, aiming for significant growth with the new capital.
February 26, 2026 05:42 AM GMT+03:00