TL;DR:
- Plantiga Technologies introduces AI-powered sensor pods for shoes, orthotics, and insoles.
- The company presents its fifth-generation sensor pod, Arc5, at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023.
- Founded in 2017, Plantiga aims to revolutionize health monitoring and injury prevention.
- Their AI movement coach, “Norman,” analyzes user movement patterns and predicts health outcomes.
- The Arc5 can collect 12 hours of movement data to aid health professionals.
- Plantiga targets elite athletes, healthcare professionals and aims to enter the broader consumer market.
- Collaboration with major footwear brands for co-development and distribution is underway.
- The global sports tech and wearable tech markets show significant growth potential.
- Plantiga is raising another round of funding and anticipates profitability in six months.
Main AI News:
In a world where health and well-being are paramount, Plantiga Technologies emerges as a game-changer. This Vancouver-based movement analytics company is poised to transform how we perceive rehabilitation and mitigate injury risks, all thanks to its cutting-edge artificial intelligence-powered monitoring sensor pod. What sets it apart? It seamlessly integrates into shoes, orthotics, or insoles, offering in-depth analysis of users’ movement patterns.
Plantiga Technologies is making waves at the Startup Battlefield during TechCrunch Disrupt 2023. Although the company has been on the scene for a while and recently unveiled the fifth-generation sensor pod, Arc5, in June, it has remained somewhat under the radar. With just around $5.2 million in funding to date, Plantiga is gearing up to take its innovative product to the next level.
The journey began in 2017 when Quin Sandler, co-founder and CEO of Plantiga, embarked on this venture as a side project with his late father, Norman McKay. Tragically, Norman passed away from aggressive prostate cancer shortly after Plantiga secured a proof-of-concept pilot project with the Seattle Mariners and LA Lakers. During this time, the company was also navigating the Creative Destruction Lab’s accelerator program as part of the 2017 cohort.
Norman McKay, with his years of experience in gait labs, envisioned a future where a gait lab could be integrated into a shoe. This, he believed, would revolutionize the way we monitor people’s health, movement, and wellness—a “blue-sky opportunity for a variety of populations,” as Sandler eloquently puts it. Plantiga’s AI movement coach, aptly named Norman in honor of Quin’s late father, embodies this vision.
The Arc5 boasts the ability to collect movement data for up to 12 hours. This invaluable data empowers health experts, ranging from foot doctors to sports team specialists, to gain insights into an individual’s movements. As Plantiga aptly states, “Movement is a biomarker for human health.” It can predict rehabilitation outcomes, identify injury and fall risks, track disease progression, and optimize performance.
Sandler elaborates on their groundbreaking approach, stating, “We have developed models that will learn how a person moves from four to five sessions, then predict when they move differently from their baseline. Our AI learns how a person moves, then can monitor for changes, suggest areas that need to be strengthened, assess limb strength and more.”
The core challenge Plantiga tackles is one that has persisted despite the proliferation of quantified self-technology. Measuring biomechanics in real-world settings is inherently challenging. Unlike other wearables that focus on organs like the heart or lungs, Plantiga’s monitoring sensor pod, part of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, seamlessly integrates into any type of footwear. It captures ecologically relevant movement data without the need for cameras, cables, or additional sensors. Whether you’re at the gym, on the field, or anywhere in between, Plantiga’s solution has you covered.
With approximately 90 customers on board, including elite athletes across major sports leagues and various healthcare professionals, Plantiga is setting its sights on the broader consumer market. The potential is immense, with the global sports tech market projected to reach $55.14 billion by 2030, up from $14.72 billion in 2023. Additionally, the global wearable tech market is set to soar to $186.14 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.6% from 2023.
Plantiga is not resting on its laurels. The company is forging collaborations with prominent footwear brands for co-development, licensing, and distribution. Among its investors are Radical Ventures, Vanedge Capital, and notable angel investors like Haig Farris (founder of D-Wave) and Barney Pell.
As expected, Plantiga is in the midst of another fundraising round, although the exact funding size remains undisclosed. With nine dedicated employees, the company anticipates achieving profitability within the next six months. Plantiga Technologies is undoubtedly at the forefront of innovation, reshaping the way we approach health, movement, and well-being—one step at a time.
Conclusion:
Plantiga Technologies’ innovative AI-infused sensor pods have the potential to reshape health monitoring and injury prevention across various markets. Their seamless integration into footwear and robust AI capabilities position them well for growth, with both the sports tech and wearable tech sectors poised for significant expansion. Collaborations with major brands and ongoing fundraising efforts underline their commitment to staying at the forefront of this evolving industry.
