Dr. Angelo Karunaratne — Biomedical Engineer & HealthTech Leader

About

Multidisciplinary
Leader

Dr. Angelo Karunaratne is a HealthTech and MedTech leader with 15+ years across industry and academia — 3 granted patents, 40+ peer-reviewed publications, and over $6M in secured research funding. A proven track record turning elite biomedical research into commercialised products: from $1.2M+ Spryng launch revenue and ISPO 2020 Best Start-up award, to clinical-grade elderly-care wearables.

Currently leading DSTL-funded research on blast-resistant protective wearables at Swansea University, while serving as CSIO at VitalProbe Inc., CTO at B-CAN Solutions, and Senior Consultant at Milbotix. Holds a PhD and MEng in Biomedical Engineering from Queen Mary University of London, and is Chartered Engineer with both IMechE (UK) and Engineers Australia.

Winner of the Best Doctoral Thesis in Biomechanics, European Society of Biomechanics Congress 2013. CIMA Managerial Level. Leadership Development Programme, NUS Business School, Singapore.

Biomedical Engineering Wearable Technology Biomaterials Clinical Trials Regulatory Strategy R&D Leadership Compression Therapy Biomechanics MedTech Commercialisation IP & Patents

Current Roles

Research Officer — Swansea University, UK
CSIO — VitalProbe Inc., USA
CTO — B-CAN Solutions
Senior Consultant — Milbotix, Bristol UK
Honorary Professor — Lyceum Campus, Sri Lanka

Affiliations

Imperial College London
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Queen Mary University of London
Diamond Light Source, Harwell
UWE Bristol

Consulting Services

MedTech Product Development
Business Model Scaling
Regulatory Pathways
Clinical Validation

Work with me → LinkedIn ↗

Selected Work

Research & Ventures

HealthTech · Wearables · AI

$1.2M

Spryng — Patented WaveTec Compression Wearable

Led tech development and commercial launch of Spryng, the world's most advanced wireless pneumatic compression wrap featuring the patented WaveTec technology. Raised $1M+ on Kickstarter/Indiegogo. Launched at NYC Marathon & CES 2019. ISPO 2020 Best Start-up. FDA Class I.

Elderly Care · Wearables

Milbotix SmartSocks®

AI-enabled wearable socks for continuous gait analysis, fall prevention, and calmness monitoring in dementia and elderly care. Clinical studies with UWE Bristol and UK social-care networks.

Defence · Biomaterials · DSTL

Blast-Resistant Protective Wearables

DSTL-funded research integrating biomaterials, high-strain-rate tissue mechanics, and advanced imaging for defence and clinical protective applications. Co-Investigator, 2025–present.

HealthTech · Multimodal · Elderly

VitalProbe — Physiology Intelligence

Clinical-grade wrist wearable integrating ECG, fall detection, and sleep analytics. Leading IP development, R&D roadmap, and clinical validation as Chief Science & Innovation Officer.

Oncology · Diagnostics

BCan Smart Bra

Self-charging, washable smart bra for early breast cancer detection. Leading feasibility, investor engagement, and market entry across UK, EU, and South Asia as CTO.

NIHR · Global Health

NIHR ProTECT & iProTeCT

Supervising biomaterials research for NIHR-funded protective technologies in collaboration with Imperial College London. Engineering health solutions in conflict zones and low-resource settings.

Journey

From Colombo
to the World

2009

PhD & MEng, Biomedical Engineering

Queen Mary University of London, UK

Nanoscale imaging of bone with synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Best Doctoral Thesis in Biomechanics, European Society of Biomechanics Congress, Patras, Greece, 2013.

2012

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Imperial College London, UK

High-strain-rate mechanics of human connective tissues for blast-injury mitigation. Lab manager for biological-tissue testing facility. ImpactQM Scholarship; integrated mechanical test machine with synchrotron diffraction beamline at Diamond Light Source.

2015

Senior Lecturer & Industry Liaison Officer

University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Returned to Sri Lanka. Lectured in Biomedical Engineering and Biomechanics. Secured NIHR funding (£50M+) to initiate biomedical engineering PhD programmes. Co-led Imperial College–Moratuwa collaboration on 3D-printed hybrid scaffolds.

2018

HealthTech Lead — Spryng / Twinery Innovation

MAS Holdings, Sri Lanka & Global

Led a team of engineers, athletes, and medical professionals to develop Spryng compression wrap — now recognised as one of the world's most advanced muscle recovery tools. Launched at NYC Marathon, CES 2019. ISPO 2020 Best Start-up. $1.2M+ revenue.

2020

Founder / Chief Scientific Officer — Wavetec

B2B Compression Therapy, Sri Lanka

Co-founded Wavetec, developing patented WaveTec compression technology for clinical and wellness markets.

2024

CTO — B-CAN Solutions

Remote / Global

Strategic direction for AI-powered diagnostic wearables including the BCan Bra — a self-charging, washable smart bra for early breast cancer detection. Led feasibility, investor engagement, and market-entry planning across UK, EU, and South Asia.

2025

Research Officer, Biomedical Engineering

Swansea University, UK

Leading DSTL-funded research on blast-resistant protective wearables. Simultaneously serving as CSIO at VitalProbe Inc. and Senior Consultant at Milbotix (SmartSocks®), supervising PhD and postdoctoral researchers across biomaterials and wearable diagnostics.

Research

Selected
Publications

01

Bone Mechanics · Ageing

A Cross-Sectional Study of Bone Nanomechanics in Hip Fracture and Aging

Life (MDPI) · Karunaratne A., et al.

2023

02

Nanomechanics · Hip Fracture

Nanoscale Mechanisms in Age-Related Hip Fractures

Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing) · Karunaratne A., et al.

2020

03

Bone Matrix · Osteoporosis

Bone Matrix Development in Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis: Consistently Reduced Fibrillar Stiffness

Acta Biomaterialia · Xi L., Karunaratne A., et al.

2018

04

Ligament · Strain Rate

Nano-Scale Mechanisms Explain the Stiffening and Strengthening of Ligament Tissue with Increasing Strain Rate

Scientific Reports · Karunaratne A., et al.

2016

05

Toughness · Antler Bone

Intrafibrillar Plasticity Through Mineral/Collagen Sliding is the Dominant Mechanism for the Extreme Toughness of Antler Bone

Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials · Gupta H.S., Karunaratne A., et al.

2013

06

Cartilage · Collagen · ACS

The Secret Life of Collagen: Temporal Changes in Nanoscale Fibrillar Pre-Strain During Physiological Loading of Cartilage

ACS Nano · Inamdar S.R., Karunaratne A., et al.

2017

07

Blast Injury · Digital Volume Correlation

Microstructural Consequences of Blast Lung Injury Characterized with Digital Volume Correlation

Frontiers in Materials · Arora H., Karunaratne A., et al.

2017

08

Bisphosphonate · Bone

Long-Term Effects of Bisphosphonate Therapy: Perforations, Microcracks and Mechanical Properties

Scientific Reports (Nature) · Ma S., Karunaratne A., et al.

2017

09

Rickets · Bone Development

Significant Deterioration in Nanomechanical Quality Through Incomplete Extrafibrillar Mineralization in Rachitic Bone

Journal of Bone and Mineral Research · Karunaratne A., Esapa C.R., et al.

2012

10

Synchrotron · Methods

Synchrotron X-Ray Nanomechanical Imaging of Mineralized Fiber Composites

Methods in Enzymology (Book Chapter) · Karunaratne A., Terrill N.J., Gupta H.S.

2013

Full Publication List

40+ peer-reviewed journal articles
2 book chapters
Multiple conference proceedings
Nature, Scientific Reports, Acta Biomaterialia, Bone, ACS Nano

Google Scholar ↗ ORCID ↗ ResearchGate ↗

Patents

WaveTec Compression Pattern — Spryng / Wavetec
Biosensor-Integrated Smart Garment Technology
Pneumatic Compression Wearable System

Speaking & Events

Global Stage

Keynotes,
Panels & Talks

From TEDx to IEEE conferences, FIME Miami to Health 2.0 Dubai — Angelo brings research-backed insight to global audiences.

Book Angelo to speak →

2025

Conference

BSSM International Conference on Experimental Mechanics

Imperial College London, UK

2024

Panellist

Engineering Health Solutions in Conflict Zones

Protect Stakeholder Convention, Imperial College London

2024

Keynote · TEDx

Wearable Technology & Lab-to-Market

ChapterX, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

2024

Keynote · IEEE CINEC

Future of Wearable Healthcare

TechnoVerse, CINEC Campus, Sri Lanka

2023

Keynote

Materials Science & Nanotechnology in Medicine

6th Int'l Conf., Rome, Italy

2023

Keynote · IEEE MedTech

Healthcare Innovation & Wearable Tech

University of Sri Jayewardenepura

2022

Keynote

MedTech Innovation & Wearable Commercialisation

FIME Florida International Medical Expo, Miami

2022

Keynote · Leadership Award

HealthTech Innovation in the Post-Pandemic World

Health 2.0 Conference, Dubai

YouTube

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Meet Dr. Angelo Karunaratne | Biomedical Engineer & HealthTech Leader

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Introduction

Meet Dr. Angelo Karunaratne | Biomedical Engineer & HealthTech Leader

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Podcast & Media

YouTube & Conversations

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Wearable Technology & Lab-to-Market — TEDx Gavel Club, Univ. of Moratuwa

2024

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Future of Wearable Healthcare — TechnoVerse IEEE CINEC

2024

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TechTalk 360 Podcast — Future of Wearable Technology and Biomaterials

2024

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National Career Guidance Podcast — Innovations & Technology

2024

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Healthcare Innovation & Wearable Tech — IEEE EMBS Sri Lanka Chapter

2024

Contact

Get in Touch

Whether you're looking to collaborate on research, explore consulting opportunities, book a speaking engagement, or simply connect — I'd love to hear from you.

✉

Email (Personal)

drangelokarunaratne@gmail.com

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Email (Academic)

a.karunaratne@swansea.ac.uk