Voting for the Coolest Thing Made in Delaware? Here’s Why Avtrach Stands Out

Some of the most meaningful innovation starts close to home.

Avtrach, Avkin’s wearable tracheostomy simulator, is currently nominated for Coolest Thing Made in Delaware. Its story begins exactly where real innovation should. Inside a university simulation lab, built to solve a real training challenge faced by clinicians and educators.

Avtrach was the first product developed by Avkin specifically for use in a University of Delaware simulation environment. It was created not as a concept piece or a future roadmap idea, but as a working solution to improve how clinicians-in-training learn critical airway skills in realistic, human-centered ways.

That origin matters. It is also why Avtrach deserves your vote.

Avtrach was developed through direct collaboration with educators, engineers, and clinicians at the University of Delaware. The goal was simple… but ambitious.

Create a tracheostomy training solution that:

• Integrates seamlessly with standardized patients

• Allows learners to practice technical skills and communication at the same time

• Reduces unnecessary learner stress while maintaining realism

• Better prepares clinicians for real patient care

Traditional methods could not fully support that vision. Wearable simulation could.

Avtrach became the foundation for Avkin’s approach to human-to-human simulation. It proved that realism does not have to come at the expense of psychological safety, and that learning outcomes improve when learners train the way they practice.

Avtrach is not just innovative by design. It is supported by peer-reviewed research that looks at something many simulation tools overlook.

Physiological stress during learning.

Research comparing Avtrach wearable simulation to traditional high-fidelity manikins examined learner stress responses using cortisol levels, a hormone closely tied to stress, attention, and memory formation.

What the research showed was meaningful.

Learners trained with Avtrach experienced more regulated cortisol responses during simulation and when transitioning to clinical practice. In simple terms, learners were better able to manage stress while maintaining performance.

That matters because excessive stress during training can interfere with learning, retention, and confidence. Simulation should challenge learners, not overwhelm them.

You can explore the Avtrach research in detail here.

Cortisol is not inherently bad. It helps learners stay alert and engaged. But when cortisol spikes too high, cognitive processing and memory formation suffer.

Stable cortisol levels during simulation are associated with:

• Improved skill retention

• Better decision-making under pressure

• Increased learner confidence

• Smoother transition from simulation to clinical practice

By combining wearable simulation with standardized patients, Avtrach allows learners to experience realistic scenarios while maintaining a level of stress that supports learning instead of blocking it.

That balance is where meaningful education happens.

Avtrach’s nomination for Coolest Thing Made in Delaware reflects more than state pride. It highlights what is possible when academic institutions and local innovators work together to solve real problems in healthcare education.

Avkin CEO Amy Cowperthwait discussed this journey in a recent interview with WDEL, sharing how Avtrach grew from a university-based solution into a nationally recognized training tool.

In the interview, Amy emphasized that wearable simulation is not about replacing technology. It is about improving how learners engage with it. By centering training around human interaction, Avtrach supports both technical skill development and clinical confidence.

You can listen to the WDEL interview with Amy Cowperthwait here: Listen Now.

Avtrach represents what makes Delaware innovation stand out.

• Developed in partnership with a leading university

• Manufactured with purpose and intention

• Backed by research that prioritizes learner outcomes

• Designed to train clinicians the way care is actually delivered

Being named the Coolest Thing Made in Delaware would recognize not just a product, but a philosophy. One that values realism, psychological safety, and evidence-based education.

If you are voting for the Coolest Thing Made in Delaware, Avtrach is proof that innovation built locally can improve healthcare training everywhere.