Kinesiology Taping Therapy Used in Rehabilitation Science Reduces Muscle Fatigue
AI Fitness Assistant Solution ‘TrackMe’ Launched... Provides Data Analysis and Personalized Feedback
Plans to Expand Business into B2B Markets in Healthcare, Medical Devices, and Robotics Sectors
[Bio Times] The advancement of technology has led to an increase in people's leisure activities. As the human lifespan has lengthened, the desire to live healthily and slowly age (Slow Aging) has also grown. In this context, healthcare and exercise have become essential keywords for pursuing a healthy and enjoyable life. As more personalized fitness and health solutions emerge in the market, wearable healthcare and smartwear that utilize AI and data analysis technologies to reduce physical stress are gaining attention.
Wave Company is supporting healthy living by focusing on the value of slow aging through exercise and offering innovative clothing solutions with its proprietary stretchable silicone textile technology. The company aims to become the core of innovative new materials and smart clothing technologies that make a difference when they come into contact with the human body, crossing the boundaries of sports, medical, and healthcare industries.
Its flagship brand, ‘Wavewear,’ offers unique functional apparel inspired by kinesiology taping therapy used in rehabilitation science, which provides balanced support to muscles and joints. The silicone pattern on Wavewear is designed in a wave shape to naturally support the movement of the human body, maximizing functionality. The brand’s name carries both a technical meaning and a philosophy to create a new wave in the healthcare market.
We had the opportunity to hear more from CEO Na-Yeon Cho.
◇ Development of Proprietary Stretchable Silicone Textile Technology and Innovative Smartwear Solutions
Wave Company was established in 2010 and pivoted to its current business model in 2015. The journey began from CEO Na-Yeon Cho’s personal experience. Since her school days, Cho had suffered from chronic back pain, making it difficult to walk or stand for long periods, so she regularly visited physical therapy sessions and traditional Korean medicine clinics. One day, when she applied kinesiology tape, she immediately felt a reduction in back pain, as if she had received acupuncture. She was particularly drawn to the fact that kinesiology tape could be removed at will and applied whenever needed at home. This led her to import and sell sports tape and supports from U.S. and Japanese brands in Korea.
Cho explained, "The problem was that continuously using these products was costly, and it was difficult to apply the tape to areas like the back, where it’s hard to reach. Additionally, the process of cutting and applying the tape each time was cumbersome. I thought, 'What if I could create a product where the taping effect happens just by wearing the clothes?' That’s how I came up with the idea for Wavewear."
In the early stages, Wave Company faced challenges in replicating the effect of kinesiology taping through clothing. Since leggings are made from stretchable fabric, the silicone needed to stretch as well. The problem was that kinesiology tape is designed in a wave shape to evenly support the skin and joints, but when trying to implement this with standard adhesive silicone, the silicone would tear. As a result, Wave Company developed the new material 'AlignX' and spent over five years bringing it to market as part of their clothing production. Subsequently, they also developed a stretchable silicone textile technology that could be applied to digital health solutions.
CEO Cho explained, "Wave Company's foundational technology and first-generation technology, the adhesive bio-silicone AlignX, is an analog technology. In contrast, the second-generation conductive silicone ‘ElecSil’ and the third-generation tracking silicone sensor ‘TracSil’ are digital technologies that are seamlessly integrated into the fabric, allowing for smooth use, which is their most significant feature."
ElecSil is designed with bioelectrodes and wires to operate for healthcare purposes. It integrates smoothly into the fabric and provides body state reception and various electrical treatments. The advanced soft sensor TracSil reads the body's movements and analyzes human motion. This technology is used for various purposes in the healthcare field.
AlignX, TracSil, and ElecSil can create even greater market opportunities when they work synergistically. Wave Company first created B2C finished products using these new materials. Through consumer testing and feedback improvements, they validated the product's performance and started expanding into B2B after increasing production capacity last year.
Wavewear, incorporating AlignX, is a balance wear that reduces stress on the body through the synergy of compression. It reduces muscle fatigue, pain, and injury burdens through the compression synergy of kinesiology taping therapy used in rehabilitation science.
The recently launched AI fitness assistant solution, ‘TracMe,’ targets users interested in maintaining health and preventing aging. The TracSil integrated into the TracMe Active Support tracks movements such as squats and planks and sends data to a connected app, counting repetitions and tracking the body’s balance. Based on this data, it recommends customized workouts and provides direction.
CEO Cho said, "TracMe can significantly enhance the user experience through superior data analysis and personalized feedback compared to competitors. Currently, we hold 40 IPs, including international patents, and are diversifying our related technology portfolio."
◇ Meeting the Stability, Mass Production Feasibility, and Durability of Sensors Embedded in Fabrics
Wave Company has won the CES 2024 Innovation Award in the Digital Health category for its healthcare solutions addressing lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. The company is recognized in global markets, exporting to countries including the UK, Slovakia, Iceland, Turkey, Italy, the US, Vietnam, and Malaysia. In 2022, it secured its first investment from Stadia Ventures and is currently in the process of raising follow-up Series A investments.
CEO Cho emphasized, "By printing silicone onto fabric, it becomes a soft sensor itself, which reduces manufacturing costs. With this cost advantage, Wave Company has significant potential to popularize smartwear. We have also developed a hardware-software development kit (SDK) to allow software companies in the digital healthcare field to easily apply our smartwear technology."
She continued, "The key challenges for smart clothing are the stability of sensors within the fabric, mass production feasibility, and durability. With Wave Company's technology, we will overcome these challenges and provide convenient and comprehensive solutions."
Wave Company plans to expand production volumes to increase product sales revenue and accelerate growth in international markets. The company aims to securely enter the large U.S. market, which has a substantial sports training and rehabilitation market. Additionally, Wave Company plans to actively supply its core material technology to B2B markets in healthcare, medical devices, and robotics to expand its business. Furthermore, it aims to integrate chronic disease management features such as for slow aging, hypertension, and diabetes into its TracMe product, developing it into a personalized healthcare solution.
CEO Cho stated, "Wave Company excels in innovative new materials and smart clothing that make a difference when they come into contact with the human body. Through our unique products that combine wearable healthcare and sportswear technologies, we aim to give people the freedom of movement and help them find better body balance and comfort."
[Bio Times = Reporter Shin Seo-kyung]ssk@biotimes.co.kr
original article : Bio Times(http://www.biotimes.co.kr)
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