The skeleton is one of the most important organs in the human body. Bone integrity plays a critical role in overall wellbeing, and the integrity of bones can greatly affect physical health. Despite playing a critical role in health, collecting data about the current state and quality of an individual’s bones has not always been a simple task. Active Life Scientific is working to change that. This medical device company developed an accurate technology that assesses bone health. Their goal is to help people maintain a healthier and active lifestyle.
Active Life Scientific was founded in 2007 by UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) physics undergraduate student Alexander Proctor, based on a fundamental discovery by Professor Paul Hansma, PhD. from the Department of Physics. Dr. Hansma discovered the “glue within our bones” and invented the Reference Point Indentation (RPI) method for clinically measuring tissue material properties, which inspired Proctor to apply for a research assistant position in the professor’s lab. There, Proctor produced the first prototypes for this technology, which were entered into UCSB’s New Venture Competition, ultimately winning two of the top awards. Proctor founded Active Life Scientific after graduating.
The Santa Barbara based company used RPI technology to develop OsteoProbe®, a portable handheld medical device that measures bone tissue directly. OsteoProbe® uses a single-use, acupuncture-like tip that takes a microscopic subcutaneous measurement on a patient’s shin. By gently touching the bone, OsteoProbe® quantifies physical resistance of bone tissue directly. A direct, physical measurement of bone tissue in a clinical exam has never been possible. Unlike OsteoProbe®, the current standard of care uses x-ray radiation, called the DEXA scan. The DEXA scan is a surrogate measure of bone mineral density or BMD. DEXA is excellent at identifying patients with low bone mass; in other words, patients who do not have enough mineralized calcium in their skeleton. However, DEXA misses over 50% of the patients who fracture. BMD changes slowly, and it can take over a year for a DEXA scan to reveal changes because of disease or treatment.
OsteoProbe® brings another key element to bone health assessment: the quality of the bone material itself. Just like better quality or stronger building materials for your home, good bone material is critical for a healthy skeleton. Bone material quality has never been measurable in a clinic. OsteoProbe® is the first medical device to measure physical properties related to the quality of bone. Rather than using intrusive methods like incisions or biopsies, the OsteoProbe® is an easy, safe, and radiation-free way to learn more about your bone health. Results are immediately obtained after the five-minute procedure. The output from the device is called the Bone Score™ which shows where a patient’s bone falls on the Bone Material Strength index.
In 2025, Active Life Scientific gained 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the OsteoProbe®, making the probe the first FDA-cleared device with an indication to measure the Bone Material Strength index (BMSi). OsteoProbe®’s FDA clearance was supported by a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study.
