Health IT, Startups

Two digital health startups make it to the Show in LA Dodgers Accelerator

Digital health startups Focus Motion and Konduct are participating in the 10-company accelerator LA Dodgers are running with R/GA, according to MobiHealthNews.

Who embodies the quantified self movement more than athletes? They are all about improving performance and so are their managers because for the successful ones, millions of dollars are at stake. They have a vested interest in becoming early adopters of new technology that could make them stronger, faster and maximize their quality of play. So maybe it’s not so surprising that the LA Dodgers have an accelerator and it includes a couple of digital health startups.

That’s the skinny from MobiHealthNews, which reported on FocusMotion and Kinduct’s participation in the 10-company accelerator LA Dodgers are running with R/GA. Each will get $120,000 and the chance for a sports industry partnership.

FocusMotion syncs its software with any open wearable device platform to get a baseline of the user’s movements and then monitor for any signs of fatigue or weariness that could lead to injuries from too much training. Kinduct creates a way for physical therapists to monitor their patients by tracking data aggregated from wearable devices, their notes, and assessments. It also helps physical therapists provide medical education and exercise prescription tools, according to MobiHealthNews.

A few years ago, MedCityNews looked at Zephyr Technology’s collaboration with Under Armour for monitoring performance during the annual NFL Combine. But it became evident that the move raised some uncomfortable issues about professional athletics and wearables. Its device for monitoring heart rate, core body temperature and movement such as acceleration and posture meant that not only could it show who is performing to the best of their abilities and who is not, it could conceivably be used to evaluate all performance across the NFL, not just prospects. Those are the kind of questions that have the potential to lead to reduced sign-on bonuses or losing a contract altogether.

It will be interesting to watch the LA Dodgers accelerator program — not only to see whether it survives more than one year but also whether they decide to actually adopt these digital health devices in a significant way.

Photo: Wikipedia

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