Valencell

Valencell is a US-based biometric technology company that develops biometric sensor technology for wearables and hearables, and provides its patent-protected technology to consumer electronics manufacturers in various industries.^[1] Valencell’s PerformTek technology enables wearables and hearables to continuously measure biometrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, heart rate variability, respiration rate,VO2 and other parameters for health and fitness assessment.^[2] The technology can be integrated into products designed by consumer electronics manufacturers, mobile device and accessory makers, medical device, sports and fitness, and gaming companies.^[3] Valencell has more than 35 patents granted,^[4] plus more than 70 patents pending. More than 35 companies utilize Valencell’s technology and intellectual property, which has been commercialized in wearable devices made by companies including Bose, LG, Jabra, Samsung, Sony, , Atlas Wearables, Bioconnected, Caeden, and many more.^[5]

History

Valencell was co-founded by a team of scientists and engineers - President Dr. Steven LeBoeuf, VP Engineering Dr. Jesse Tucker and VP Product Management Dr. Mike Aumer, and has been augmented further with R&D talent since the company was formed in 2006.^[6] Since inception, the company has won more than $3 million in government grants and has raised more than $24.5 million in venture funding from investor firms such as WSJ Joshua Fund, GII Tech, and TDF Ventures.^[7]

Biometrics Lab

In September 2014, Valencell opened the Valencell Biometrics Lab, an exercise science lab designed to push biometric wearable products to their breaking point.^[8] The Biometrics Lab tests more than 400 different devices from various manufacturers each year and analyzes over one million biometric data points on a monthly basis. Volunteers test wearable devices in 25 distinctive testing protocols ranging from hard intervals to easy lifestyle efforts.^[9]

Products

Valencell PerformTek Technology

Valencell has invested years into research and development of its PerformTek technology, which has been validated by the Duke Center for Living, North Carolina State University, the Human Performance Laboratory and a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.^[10] Valencell’s PeformTek Technology accurately tracks vital signs including heart rate, temperature and respiration rate with advancements to photoplethysmography (PPG), which measures changes in blood flow by shining a light on the skin and measuring how it scatters off blood vessels. Valencell's patented technology employs active signal characterization to actively attenuate motion noise and environmental noise from the scattered light signal (the photoplethysmogram signal) so that blood flow properties (such as heart rate and respiration rate) can be accurately extracted during exercise.^[11] PeformTek can be used in many form factors such as earbuds, armbands, and wrist-worn wearables.^[12]

Product Licensing

One way Valencell makes its technology available on the market is through licensing the technology to companies and helping licensees integrate the technology into their wearable and hearable devices. Product licensing includes access to Valencell reference designs, engineering teams for integration guidance, testing and validation in the Valencell Biometrics Lab.

Benchmark

Announced on December 15, 2015, Benchmark sensor systems are the first biometric sensor package that incorporates Valencell's PerformTek biometric technology in a pre-packaged system for immediate integration in wearable devices.^[13] Utilizing Benchmark sensor systems helps companies alleviate the difficult task of engineering biometric systems that fit comfortably within small devices, such as wearables, saving product developers both time and money.^[14]

Patent Licensing

Another way companies access Valencell’s inventions is through patent licensing. Patent licensing provides access to Valencell’s inventions without access to Valencell's technology products, engineering support, or Biometrics Lab.

References