Imagine playing a game and seeing a shrug of your shoulders or a small bend of your knee translated perfectly on-screen.
At
Medibotics, it's those types of visions that are fueling the company's future. The Minneapolis-based company has developed motion recognition clothing that relies on bendable tubes integrated into fabric.
Helmed by inventor Bob Connor, the firm was developed to create an organized structure for the development of patents, and Connor has plenty of patent ideas. For example, he believes his clothing product could be used for medical issues as well as gaming.
If someone is working on weight management, for instance, the garments could track much more than a pedometer's measurements. An individual can record blood pressure changes as he or she exercises or walks, along with general upper body movement, heart rate, the amount of energy expended each day, and more.
"There are so many applications for motion recognition clothing," says Connor. "I feel like I think of new ways to use it every day."
Under the Medibotics umbrella, Connor has a number of inventions at the ready. In attempting to help his son with his carpal tunnel issues, he created a computer mouse that's similar to a tiny beanbag chair, which he calls Blob Mouse. Instead of containing a rollerball, the mouse has pressure sensors on the bottom, alleviating stress on hands and joints.
Looking to deal with his own problem, tinntinitus, Connor is working on a product that can mask the sound without being uncomfortable or disturbing a sleeping partner. He's come up with a headband, called Hushband, now in the prototype stage.
Yet another invention is a wheelchair that can get through snow and ice without difficulty--likely to be a bestseller in the Midwest during our long winters.
Connor notes that he's been inventing products in his mind throughout his life, but it's only in his phased retirement as a University of Minnesota professor that he's really attacked the inventor role with gusto.
Currently, Medibotics has pursued 10 patents, and Connor anticipates more in the years ahead. "I'm always looking for solutions to unmet needs or problems that I see around me," he says.
Source: Bob Connor, Medibotics
Writer: Elizabeth Millard