TEXTILES.ORG
Textile manufacturing startup Nextiles is launching a Software Development Kit (SDK) that will allow a variety of industries to have access to their novel human movement analytics captured through Nextiles’ smart fabric. The company blends traditional sewing techniques with printed circuit boards to create a smart fabric that allows for biomechanic and biometric sensing. Industry participants with applications from sleep to fitness will be able to partner with the company to capture data seamlessly via Bluetooth and display those data points on an existing app.
The fabric is made by blending metallic fibers with traditional fabrics, such as nylon or spandex, to produce pressure, bend, and stretch sensors embedded within garments. The company is also creating biometric fabric sensors for heart-rate monitoring and chemical analysis, such as sweat. When combined with traditional sensors, such as accelerometers and other Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), the company is able to create a holistic, novel, data picture for clients working in a variety of industries.
“Instead of taking a one-app fits all approach, Nextiles is focused on building the most comprehensive data capture platform for human movement,” said George Sun, founder and CEO of Nextiles. “To do that, we needed to build this SDK, enabling software developers from any company to access our platform through industry-standard APIs.”
Once the SDK is integrated into a partner’s app, companies will be able to deploy Nextiles’ sensors specific to their customers’ needs and in a variety of use cases. Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the company is redefining modern sewing capabilities to incorporate smart fabric across multiple industries, including athletics, connected fitness, automotive, medical and more.