Advanced Materials (24)

RooSense LLC is developing an integrated wearable fabric to monitor sweat electrolyte levels to prevent illness and injury. There is a huge financial and physical cost for athletes that do not have proper electrolyte levels. Electrolytes are salts that are naturally part of body fluids. When an athlete sweats, electrolytes are lost through the sweat. If electrolytes are lost too quickly, the body does not have the ability to restore them as rapidly as they were lost. But drinking water isn’t enough, and too much water can further dilute your electrolyte levels. Sports drinks contain electrolytes such as chloride, sodium, and potassium to help replenish what was lost through sweat. Introducing electrolytes back into the body helps keep dehydration from occurring. Improper electrolyte levels can lead to cramping, dizziness, fatigue, and in extreme circumstances death such as in the unfortunate incident at the Cleveland marathon this past year. In fact, up to 20% of participants that start an endurance event do not finish due to improper electrolyte levels. An athlete’s hydration levels vary based on diet and weather so a “one-size-fits-all” hydration plan doesn’t work. The solution to this is a real-time monitor for electrolyte levels in sweat. The RooSense hydration monitor is a fabric sensor that can determine electrolyte concentration in real-time. Unlike its competitors, the sensor can be seamlessly integrated directly into clothing/gear that athletes are already wearing. An app that accompanies the sensor can tell athletes what to drink, how much to drink and when to drink it. No lab tests, no guessing, just on the go hydration information when athletes need it most.

Website: https://www.roosense.com/

At Renewable Carbon & Electric (RCE), we strive to make a difference in how energy is produced and how products are made, in order to shift to a more sustainable way of balancing our natural resources. Petroleum products and coal will never be completely replaced, but a balance can be created with more renewable resources to make humanity safer and to preserve the environment. It is our team’s belief that energy can be made from natural resources such as wood to produce energy that has a neutral carbon footprint, and by substituting raw materials made of wood for petroleum based materials currently used in the manufacture of products. Wood based products are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and perform as good as or better than the oil based materials being used today. Although the founders of RCE come together through diverse backgrounds, each has a goal to reduce environmental problems faced by the world due to coal power. Founding members of RCE bring together a wealth of knowledge and networks they will utilize to grow RCE to an innovative leader in the field of wood product specialty manufacturing.

RCE creates client specific products through; development and analysis of client needs, consulting with industry experts on effective processes for maximum product benefits, and applying tried and true methods of manufacturing technology. RCE processes renewable biomass through a patented calciner which de-volatizes the material, thereby producing sufficient thermal energy to achieve the process with minimal external energy needed to perpetuate the cycle. Depending on the client needs the carbon that is left behind is manipulated for specific market requirements. The products RCE is capable of producing is far reaching through multiple market segments and represents several billion dollars in revenue. The growth rates in our chosen markets are projected to be in the double digits for the next several years. RCE has identified potential clients across several growth markets and is currently pursuing contracts with these clients.

The company received a $25,000 Innovation Fund A award in November 2015.