StretchSense wins world recognition in wearable tech space 21 Jan 2015
Related articles
- NZ consumers grow more upbeat, may resume spending Business
- All Whites claim historic point Sport
- Prime Minister to travel to South Africa News
- New Zealand-Russia begin FTA scoping discussions News
- NZ looking at all avenues on whaling issue News
- Knowles quits as CEO of KiwiBank Business
- NZ migration bolstered by British invasion Migration
- NZ manufacturing activity reaches highest since 04 Business
- NZ dollar hits 22-month high vs euro Business
- Budget provides $321m for RS&T activities News
Start-up StretchSense wins world recognition in wearable technology space
By Fiona Rotherham
Jan. 21 (BusinessDesk) - StretchSense, a start-up which develops and manufactures wearable sensors, has been selected by an international jury as one of the world’s most innovative wearable technology companies.
The Auckland-based company was named a finalist from more than 500 global entries in the WT Innovation World Cup 14/15, the leading worldwide innovation competition in the fast-growing wearable technologies industry. One of its partners Heddoko, which has incorporated StretchSense technology into its 3D sensing sports body suit, was also being named a finalist in the Cup’s sports and fitness category.
Stretch sensor technology is the next breakthrough innovation in wearable technology, providing real-time precision information for soft objects. The sensors are worn on the body or on clothing and when a user moves, the sensor stretches, transmitting motion information to an app.
StretchSense has a platform enabling technology that is already being used by more than 80 customers in 15 countries who are incorporating its sensors in a wide range of applications in areas including healthcare, sports and motion capture. A consumer product has not yet been developed using its technology but StretchSense chief executive Ben O’Brien says several are at the prototype stage.
Founded in 2012 by O’Brien, Todd Gisby, and Iain Anderson, StretchSense is a spin-out company commercialising technology originally developed at the Biomimetics Laboratory at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute.
O’Brien, who won the 2013 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize, says they saw a market opportunity early on for the technology and the rest of the world is now waking up to what stretch sensors have to offer.
Globally, wearable technologies is a rapidly emerging industry with key analysts predicting 2015 will be when wearable devices gain broad traction among consumers. Research from Kantar Media shows that the health and fitness wearable tech market in Great Britain will rise to an estimated 13.1 million users this year.
The winner of the WT Innovation World Cup will be announced at one of the world’s biggest wearable technology conferences, the WT Conference, being held in Germany early next month. StretchSense will use the event to launch a new sensing product that optimises sports and fitness applications which has been under development for the past year.
O’Brien said Germany was an important market because of its powerhouse position in the medical devices sector, an area which holds good potential for using stretch sensors. Other sectors being targeted by the company include animation, augmented reality, sport and prosthetics.
The company is already involved in incorporating its technology into an intelligent arm brace being created in a collaboration between University of Auckland bio-engineers and leading scientists at the Stuttgart-based Fraunhofer.
Last month StretchSense raised $500,000 in capital, with investors including Flying Kiwi Angels and the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund, which will be used for business development, increasing production capacity, and securing intellectual property. It has also had a $20,000 project grant from Callaghan Innovation and the Royal Society of New Zealand is funding a PhD student to work on developing a motional curve body suit.
BusinessDesk receives funding from Callaghan Innovation to write about the commercialisation of innovation
(BusinessDesk)
News
Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students
29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more
New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process
7 Mar 2020 News
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more
Business
NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19
17 Mar 2020 Business News
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more
NZ Government announces aviation relief package
19 Mar 2020 Business News
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more
Living
Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London
6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall.
It was the first... more
Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate
12 Jan 2022 Arts
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...
New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more
Property
Fairer rules for tenants and landlords
17 Nov 2019 Property
17 NOVEMBER 2019
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more
New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax
17 Apr 2019 Property
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more
Migration
Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued
19 Nov 2019 Migration
19 NOVEMBER 2019
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more
Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location
18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018
HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY
The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more
Travel
Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
more
Sport
The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners
27 Oct 2019 Cricket
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more
PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final
26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
First published on Werewolf
The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more
Kiwi Success
Congratulations to Loder Cup winner
26 Sep 2018 People
25 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more
Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
HON JENNY SALESA
Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more
Recruitment
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
14 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
22 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more