Sean Fenske, Editor01.28.16
Wearables have become practically synonymous with today’s workout regimine. At the gym, most are going through their routine with the aid of a fitness band on their wrist or arm. They offer a convenient way of keeping track of performance without having to rely on pen and paper or memory. They’ve become so common, that it’s more rare to find someone without such a device on.
Unfortunately, a wristband is still not the most convenient option for a tracking device. While a number of developers are attempting to create smart workout shirts, shorts, or shoes, one company, Sensoria, has already released a pair of smart socks that offer a number of benefits to users, primarily runners, to track progress and even make suggestions that will ideally prevent injury or improve form.
Even more interesting, other developers are seeing an opportunity to leverage the company’s core technology and use it for other healthcare applications. ODT spoke with Sensoria’s director of marketing and business development, Alick Law, about the technology, these other developers’ projects, and the company’s recent attendance at the CES show.
Sean Fenske: What does Sensoria do? What is the core technology?
Alick Law: Headquartered in Redmond, Wash., Sensoria Inc. is a leading developer of Internet of Everyone wearable solutions that improve people's lives. Our proprietary e-textile sensor platform enables Sensoria-powered smart garments to deliver actionable information to health and fitness users in real-time. We currently offer a smart garment running system consisting of:
Fenske: Can you share some insights on the Smart Fitness Socks? What is their purpose?
Law: Each Smart Sock is equipped with three thin, soft textile pressure sensors that connect to a Bluetooth Smart equipped electronic anklet. The sensors measure plantar pressure under the calcaneus bone and metatarsal joints one and five (MTB1 and MTB5) and wirelessly transmits the data to the Sensoria Fitness mobile app.
It’s estimated that 50 to 80 percent of runners are injured each year. Studies suggest that this may be related to particular styles of running. The smart socks system measures things such as cadence, foot landing (heel or ball striking), foot contact time on the ground, foot impact force, pace, and more.
Fenske: What has been the response to them?
Law: We have received positive response from runners, coaches and physical therapists who work with injured runners.
Quote from a therapist, “I have really loved the entire system. I have already suggested it to five patients who seemed very into it. A few things I really enjoyed: the socks feel fantastic, they hold well, and wick extremely well. I did a very muddy, wet trail run with no loss in signal and my feet felt great the whole time. The app and online interface is very intuitive and easy to work through."
Fenske: How did you go from smart socks to a smart orthotic? What is the Smart Moore Balance Brace?
Law: We recognized that the components of our technology platform in the smart garment running system can be applied to multiple scenarios. To that end, Sensoria makes its technology platform available to IoT-enable third party products, particularly in the apparel and footwear categories. We have also identified a few healthcare scenarios where our technology may apply, including orthotics.
The Smart Moore Balance Brace is an internet-connected version of the Moore Balance Brace (MBB), a medical device offered by Orthotics Holdings Inc. The foot and ankle support was designed to help reduce the risk of falls in the elderly by improving balance and stability for its wearers. The Smart MBB is a sensor-embedded version of the MBB to help clinicians monitor their patients' adherence, activity levels, and gait parameters.
Fenske: There are a couple new projects involving your technology that were just announced at CES. Can you tell me about the upBED?
Law: upBed is an Android-based mobile app powered by Sensoria’s smart sock, anklet, and development platform. The solution leverages Sensoria’s smart sock and Bluetooth electronics to detect when a patient is falling asleep, sleeping, and awake, and can send a text message to up to three people in the circle of care. The patient simply wears the smart socks infused with textile pressure sensors while sleeping. The application is currently in beta and is expected to be released early this year. upBed was created by three brothers leveraging the Sensoria Developer Kit to target caregivers and patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Fenske: What is the Sensoria Walk project?
Law: Sensoria Walk is a new app that works with the smart socks and anklet to help its wearers track their daily activity including steps, cadence, and distance during rehabilitation after a stroke or post-surgery—with the ultimate goal of speeding up overall recovery time. The Sensoria Walk app, and smart socks, provide a more accurate way to monitor activity even when slow cadence, short stride length, or use of walking aids is required.
Fenske: What was the response from visitors at CES to your technology and these unique initiatives?
Law: Visitors to the Sensoria booth recognized the extensibility and flexibility of the Sensoria platform that can be directed toward different goals.
Fenske: Are you getting interest from others about new ideas of how to leverage your technology?
Law: Absolutely. We receive inquiries on a regular basis and we take time to evaluate these opportunities and the associated feasibility. These encompass a broad range of topics, including various sports and fitness activities, medical and wellness related activities, and some industrial-use scenarios.
Fenske: What’s your response to those who feel that all the data we’re collecting with all these monitoring devices is relatively useless?
Law: There have been some criticisms about the usefulness of wearable data. Some studies that have been cited point out that some users of wearable devices stop usage after three to six months. Sensoria is, in fact, focusing on a differentiated experience that provides actionable feedback in real-time while the runners are exercising. We believe this is the approach that offers runners an opportunity to learn a new running style. This is consistent with the feedback I have cited above. In addition to just telling you how fast and how far you run (which is what many systems offer today), the Sensoria app also tells you how well you are running. The virtual coach within the app monitors parameters related to your running form and provides real-time feedback during your run. The system monitors your running style and helps reduce the risk of running injuries.
Fenske: What’s on the horizon for Sensoria? Will you be updating the core technology or are you looking in a completely new direction?
Law: We announced a host of updates to the Sensoria running system at CES2016. This includes new capabilities in the mobile app and Web dashboard. In addition, Sensoria will be offering new styles and colors of the smart upper garments, including short and long-sleeve shirts, and a new medium support bra.
For the Sensoria technology platform, we are also introducing a new electronic, called the Sensoria Core, as a key component of the platform. Sensoria Core features best of breed, ultra-low power system-on-chip, storage, the ability to connect to multiple footwear and garment embedded sensors, and also boasts a nine-axis MEMS sensor. This new embeddable technology will be integrated into Sensoria’s smart garment products, and will also get embedded into third-party footwear and clothing. One application of the Sensoria Core is to replace the existing electronic anklet that snaps to the front of the award-winning Sensoria socks. Just like the anklet, Sensoria Core will collect data about a user’s run and transmit it wirelessly to Sensoria’s mobile app. However, Sensoria Core is half the weight and size of the current anklet, has approximately twice the battery life and has on-board storage. Users will have the option to use the system with or without a smartphone.
Unfortunately, a wristband is still not the most convenient option for a tracking device. While a number of developers are attempting to create smart workout shirts, shorts, or shoes, one company, Sensoria, has already released a pair of smart socks that offer a number of benefits to users, primarily runners, to track progress and even make suggestions that will ideally prevent injury or improve form.
Even more interesting, other developers are seeing an opportunity to leverage the company’s core technology and use it for other healthcare applications. ODT spoke with Sensoria’s director of marketing and business development, Alick Law, about the technology, these other developers’ projects, and the company’s recent attendance at the CES show.
Sean Fenske: What does Sensoria do? What is the core technology?
Alick Law: Headquartered in Redmond, Wash., Sensoria Inc. is a leading developer of Internet of Everyone wearable solutions that improve people's lives. Our proprietary e-textile sensor platform enables Sensoria-powered smart garments to deliver actionable information to health and fitness users in real-time. We currently offer a smart garment running system consisting of:
- Sensoria smart socks that enable runners to monitor their running form and help reduce the risk of injuries
- Smart upper body garments (t-shirt for men, sports bra for women) with integrated heart-rate sensing capabilities that is comfortable and avoids the need to wear chest straps
- The Sensoria Fitness mobile app continuously monitors data from the garments and provides real-time coaching and feedback to encourage correction and improvement.
- Sensoria Web dashboard that offers detailed analytics and trend analyses
Fenske: Can you share some insights on the Smart Fitness Socks? What is their purpose?
Law: Each Smart Sock is equipped with three thin, soft textile pressure sensors that connect to a Bluetooth Smart equipped electronic anklet. The sensors measure plantar pressure under the calcaneus bone and metatarsal joints one and five (MTB1 and MTB5) and wirelessly transmits the data to the Sensoria Fitness mobile app.
It’s estimated that 50 to 80 percent of runners are injured each year. Studies suggest that this may be related to particular styles of running. The smart socks system measures things such as cadence, foot landing (heel or ball striking), foot contact time on the ground, foot impact force, pace, and more.
Fenske: What has been the response to them?
Law: We have received positive response from runners, coaches and physical therapists who work with injured runners.
Quote from a therapist, “I have really loved the entire system. I have already suggested it to five patients who seemed very into it. A few things I really enjoyed: the socks feel fantastic, they hold well, and wick extremely well. I did a very muddy, wet trail run with no loss in signal and my feet felt great the whole time. The app and online interface is very intuitive and easy to work through."
Fenske: How did you go from smart socks to a smart orthotic? What is the Smart Moore Balance Brace?
Law: We recognized that the components of our technology platform in the smart garment running system can be applied to multiple scenarios. To that end, Sensoria makes its technology platform available to IoT-enable third party products, particularly in the apparel and footwear categories. We have also identified a few healthcare scenarios where our technology may apply, including orthotics.
The Smart Moore Balance Brace is an internet-connected version of the Moore Balance Brace (MBB), a medical device offered by Orthotics Holdings Inc. The foot and ankle support was designed to help reduce the risk of falls in the elderly by improving balance and stability for its wearers. The Smart MBB is a sensor-embedded version of the MBB to help clinicians monitor their patients' adherence, activity levels, and gait parameters.
Fenske: There are a couple new projects involving your technology that were just announced at CES. Can you tell me about the upBED?
Law: upBed is an Android-based mobile app powered by Sensoria’s smart sock, anklet, and development platform. The solution leverages Sensoria’s smart sock and Bluetooth electronics to detect when a patient is falling asleep, sleeping, and awake, and can send a text message to up to three people in the circle of care. The patient simply wears the smart socks infused with textile pressure sensors while sleeping. The application is currently in beta and is expected to be released early this year. upBed was created by three brothers leveraging the Sensoria Developer Kit to target caregivers and patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Fenske: What is the Sensoria Walk project?
Law: Sensoria Walk is a new app that works with the smart socks and anklet to help its wearers track their daily activity including steps, cadence, and distance during rehabilitation after a stroke or post-surgery—with the ultimate goal of speeding up overall recovery time. The Sensoria Walk app, and smart socks, provide a more accurate way to monitor activity even when slow cadence, short stride length, or use of walking aids is required.
Fenske: What was the response from visitors at CES to your technology and these unique initiatives?
Law: Visitors to the Sensoria booth recognized the extensibility and flexibility of the Sensoria platform that can be directed toward different goals.
Fenske: Are you getting interest from others about new ideas of how to leverage your technology?
Law: Absolutely. We receive inquiries on a regular basis and we take time to evaluate these opportunities and the associated feasibility. These encompass a broad range of topics, including various sports and fitness activities, medical and wellness related activities, and some industrial-use scenarios.
Fenske: What’s your response to those who feel that all the data we’re collecting with all these monitoring devices is relatively useless?
Law: There have been some criticisms about the usefulness of wearable data. Some studies that have been cited point out that some users of wearable devices stop usage after three to six months. Sensoria is, in fact, focusing on a differentiated experience that provides actionable feedback in real-time while the runners are exercising. We believe this is the approach that offers runners an opportunity to learn a new running style. This is consistent with the feedback I have cited above. In addition to just telling you how fast and how far you run (which is what many systems offer today), the Sensoria app also tells you how well you are running. The virtual coach within the app monitors parameters related to your running form and provides real-time feedback during your run. The system monitors your running style and helps reduce the risk of running injuries.
Fenske: What’s on the horizon for Sensoria? Will you be updating the core technology or are you looking in a completely new direction?
Law: We announced a host of updates to the Sensoria running system at CES2016. This includes new capabilities in the mobile app and Web dashboard. In addition, Sensoria will be offering new styles and colors of the smart upper garments, including short and long-sleeve shirts, and a new medium support bra.
For the Sensoria technology platform, we are also introducing a new electronic, called the Sensoria Core, as a key component of the platform. Sensoria Core features best of breed, ultra-low power system-on-chip, storage, the ability to connect to multiple footwear and garment embedded sensors, and also boasts a nine-axis MEMS sensor. This new embeddable technology will be integrated into Sensoria’s smart garment products, and will also get embedded into third-party footwear and clothing. One application of the Sensoria Core is to replace the existing electronic anklet that snaps to the front of the award-winning Sensoria socks. Just like the anklet, Sensoria Core will collect data about a user’s run and transmit it wirelessly to Sensoria’s mobile app. However, Sensoria Core is half the weight and size of the current anklet, has approximately twice the battery life and has on-board storage. Users will have the option to use the system with or without a smartphone.