REDMOND, Wash., June 20, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 60% of runners will suffer some type of injury this year but what if there was a smart sock that could alert when they are running incorrectly? To the rescue comes wearable technology Sensoria Fitness Socks for runners that not only track steps, calories, speed and distance, but also how far and fast they run, where they land on their feet, and how they stride. This informs the runner on how to reach goals and potentially prevent injuries. Sensoria socks are powered by proprietary textile sensors and a Bluetooth-enabled, detachable anklet, which enables it to deliver superior accuracy compared to other fitness trackers on the market today. Developed by Redmond-based start-up Heapsylon, the company will launch an $87,000 crowd funding Indiegogo campaign on June 20 to complete product development and manufacturing.
A video accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=19462
A high resolution version of the video is available for download at http://media.globenewswire.com/cache/26832/file/20449.mp4
Heapsylon also announces today a partnership with Flextronics, a leading end-to-end supply chain solutions company with $24 billion in sales, who will invest electronic engineering, manufacturing services and production capabilities. Sensoria socks are expected to be available by Q1 2014.
According to ABI Research, annual shipments of wearable devices will grow to 485 million by 2018 and says Credit Suisse, this will be a $30-50 billion market over the next 3-5 years.
"Wearable technology is a new and fast-growing market. Heapsylon is a company that matches our commitment to quality, innovation, as well as appetite, to deliver products that improve how we live. Smart wearable computers such as Sensoria are the right product at the right time, and thanks to Flextronics best-in-class engineering and manufacturing capabilities, we will enable Sensoria Fitness to exceed customer expectations, hit the market on time, and according to requirements," said Lior Susan, Head of Flextronics Hardware Accelerator, FlexLabs.
In addition to foot landing and stride cadence, how far/fast they run, Sensoria Fitness smart socks, which were a finalist at the Wearable Technology Innovation World Cup in February, accurately track activity type and level, altitude gains, calories burnt, and more, then syncs that data with a mobile app that works like a "virtual coach."
Sold as Sensoria Fitness, the price of the instrumented socks, electronic anklet and virtual coach mobile app will be $149. An additional three-pair pack of Sensoria socks will also be available at $59 directly from Heapsylon.
During the Indiegogo campaign, the first 200 supporters will be able to pledge and get Sensoria Fitness at the discounted price of $99, with subsequent price increases as the rounds progress. Sensoria Fitness will be available in additional colors if the campaign over-achieves its goals. T-Shirts will also be available at $25, with a percentage of sales to support the Ironheart Foundation.
About Heapsylon, The Garment is the Computer™. Heapsylon is focused on delivering a family of body-sensing devices for health and fitness. Their wearable textile sensors capture, monitor and communicate data such as activity type, level and in-footwear pressure to the user. The data is presented and analyzed by an easy-to-use dashboard. Heapsylon products make it more fun and safer to exercise. They may also contribute to prevent certain injuries, and in case of injury or disease they track patient adherence and offloading data. Intrigued? For more information please visit www.heapsylon.com.