Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. (FLXT) and Bend Tech Unveil Smartphone Linked In-Shoe Analytics Platform

Flexpoint Sensor Systems, developers of the Bend Sensor®, a flexible single-layer thin film sensor which can be produced in a broad range of custom configurations and offers engineers a way to measure tiny, discrete variations by registering the fine detail of bending or movement which occurs, was pleased to report completion today via their sports division of the software and in-shoe electronics required for a new running shoe application of the Bend Sensor technology.

Developed in conjunction with fellow industry operator, Bend Tech, LLC, which is located just north of the Draper-headquartered FLXT in Sandy, Utah, this newly created solution has broad ranging potential impact for the footwear industry as a whole, and the sport shoe related category in particular will no doubt become a sizeable customer. Utilizing a combination of ruggedized microelectronics, including tiny circuit boards and a small wireless node, the set up runs off a small wireless rechargeable battery and they have already created an intuitive smartphone interface for further development purposes.

Implementations are already hitting the web for this brilliant little solution and the implications for this technology from watching the YouTube video demo should be immediately apparent. We are talking live feed foot sensor technology here folks and the sports science market implications are immense, with potential impact in everything from golf stance analytics to football and Olympic Athlete performance tuning. There are multiple media content driving and raw functionality analytics implications here for future development, enough to whet any savvy investors whistle and the only thing missing now is a sweet deal with a big shoe brand.

The FLXT and Bend Tech duo is now positioned perfectly to aggressively pursue the major shoe manufacturers and Bend Tech is already in touch with several big name manufacturers over tech demos of the new solution. Real-time feedback on a runner or other athlete’s performance is an app developer’s dream come true and the broader consumer market for such a simple yet robust solution is huge. Bringing the same suite of training and proper technique teaching tools the pros will use to the Average Joe runner or golfer is a no brainer from a sales standpoint and even the lay investor can immediately recognize the numerous potential applications for this new implementation of the FLXT Bend Sensor.

The sensitivity of the Bend Sensor allows for more granular data than one might expect even, opening the door to real-time analytics on aspects like balance, cadence, ground-contact interval, shoe-load profile and other performance characteristic data sets (again, the software development bonanza here is obvious), bringing the same kind of workflows that professional race car drivers have used for years to fine tune their machines and driving for the circuit, now into the world of athletic footwear. Sensitive technology like this simply wasn’t possible for footwear applications until FLXT’s Bend Sensor, whose extremely robust shielded single-layer design prevents degradation from dirt and other particulate matter, while also protecting the sensor from water, mud, sweat, or chemicals and other fluids it may be exposed to during use.

Extremely fast response time from the sensor is another key performance aspect here and the sheer amount of actionable performance intelligence that can be derived from the copious, extremely dense data that is captured and stored, is enough to provide real, immediate benefit for training and competition injury prevention markets. Trainers can now more easily identify performance risks embedded in the nuanced technique long before they develop into habits and the athletes themselves will no doubt soon have access to even better data visualizations than the current incarnation, really giving them an easy to grasp and interpret expression of their performance, one which can be more easily applied to altering their technique.

You tack on rich social media integration and training logs that can become a leaping off point for audience engagement, as well as rapid feedback or analysis, and this new shoe tech really starts to sell itself. Clark Mower, President of FLXT, spoke warmly of the innumerable applications for this technology and couldn’t hold back his genuine excitement at the prospects, emphasizing in particular the real-time linking to smartphones and other currently available technologies, further stressing that we should see a market release for the new offering within the course of this year.

Impressive new application for the Bend Sensor, which already has widespread potential across the automotive sector for a variety of detection roles (FLXT currently holds two patents in horn switch applications for instance), as well as in the industrial controls sector, among medical device technology and even in children’s toys.

More info on Flexpoint Sensor Systems is available at www.Flexpoint.com

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