Shoe insert helps clinicians evaluate how patients walk
Seattle startup will use Samsung’s new Artik chips to turn ordinary sneakers into smart shoes.
Reflx Labs, the Seattle startup behind the Boogio bionic foot sensor, is one of the first companies using Samsung’s Artik chips – leveraging a new platform unveiled by the electronics giant today as part of its expansion into the Internet of Things.
Early concept showing the Boogio smart shoe technology. Reflx Labs
By Blair Hanley Frank, GeekWire
Boogio is a paper-thin shoe insert with tens of thousands of layers of pressure sensitivity. It connects to a small device that attaches to any shoe, containing an accelerometer, gyroscope and Bluetooth connectivity. Jose Torres, the Reflx Labs CEO, says the use of Samsung’s Artik-1 miniature system-on-a-chip will allow the wearable technology company to shift from a relatively large prototype device to a much smaller module on the shoe.
| Samsung Artik Module |
Torres was on stage at Samsung’s event today to announce that Reflx is working with Florida Hospital to develop new rehab solutions for pediatric patients using the Boogio foot sensors. The two teams will work together to make applications for the Boogio sensors, which slip into a user’s shoe and can then transmit data about how someone is walking for logging and evaluation.
“Our initial observation of Boogio as a ‘smart shoe’ with children is very intriguing,” Julie Sexton, the administrative director of Florida Hospital Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, said in a press release. “We see the potential to develop interactive and engaging treatments not only for children, but for adults and athletes as well.”
The new Artik chips, which were announced today, provide a system on a chip that’s designed for wearable use at a low price point. With the new chips, Samsung is jumping into a market that’s heating up, with existing solutions from Qualcomm, Intel and other chip manufacturers.
Reflx last year announced a partnership with Intellectual Ventures to work on further developing and commercializing the technology. Reflx originally spun out of the Qi2 engineering and development company, which is the majority stakeholder in Reflx.
| Blair Hanley Frank is GeekWire’s Bay Area Correspondent. He has also worked for Macworld, PCWorld and TechHive. Follow him on Twitter @belril and email him at blair@geekwire.com. |
Source GeekWire
