Florida Blue award supports health and wellness research and outreach at IHMC

Published 5.21.25

Florida Blue, the state’s Blue Cross and Blue shield plan, has announced an award to the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) to further health and wellness research and community outreach.

The investment reflects a continuing collaboration between the two entities and will help support education and outreach efforts that further IHMC’s mission to advance the human condition. The community room in IHMC’s new Healthspan, Resilience, and Performance Research Complex will be named in recognition of Florida Blue’s support.

“Florida Blue is committed to improving the health of our communities,” says Hong Potomski, market leader for Florida Blue in Northwest Florida. “IHMC’s innovative research and approach to advancing the human condition aligns with our mission, and we are excited to support their efforts.”

Dr. Morley Stone, IHMC’s Chief Executive Officer, notes that the Institute’s purpose is research that improves healthspan and resilience for all. That aligns to Florida Blue’s commitment to building healthy communities across the state.

“Understanding the human body and how we can prevent the progression of disease is how we improve quality of life for all. This collaboration reflects Florida Blue’s commitment to the community and the important work that we can do together,” Stone says. “We are grateful to work with Florida Blue on something that will benefit the community at large over the long term.”

This contribution reflects the way the community has answered the call to support IHMC and its decades-long effort to use innovative work in three research pillars — artificial intelligence and human-machine teaming, robotics and exoskeletons, and healthspan, resilience, and performance — to push the boundaries of science and technology forward.

“Advancing the human condition is at the root of our mission,” says Carol Carlan, IHMC’s Director of Philanthropy. “We can’t do what we do without the community and the support of partners like Florida Blue who embrace that mission, see its value, and want to help further it.” 

Florida Blue, the leading health insurer in Florida, has been providing health solutions to residents of Florida for more than 80 years. Driven by its mission of helping people and communities achieve better health, the company serves more than six million members and all 67 Florida counties. With regional offices across Florida and headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

IHMC is a not-for-profit research institute of the Florida University System where researchers pioneer science and technology aimed at leveraging and extending human capabilities. IHMC researchers and staff collaborate extensively with the government, industry and academia to help develop breakthrough technologies. IHMC research partners have included: DARPA, the National Science Foundation, NASA, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Institutes of Health, IBM, Microsoft, Honda, Boeing, Lockheed, and many others.