Sensifree raises $5m to build smarter sensors for wearable gizmos

The Mi Band Pulse is the newest version of Xiaomi’s fitness wearable.

Sensifree, a startup that designs contact-free electromagnetic sensors, announced today that it has snared US$5 million in a series A funding round led by TransLink Capital. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The new funding round adds to seed investment made in the startup by Samsung’s Catalyst Fund and brings its total funding to US$7 million.

Sensifree, which has offices in Israel and the US, builds sensors that collect a range of biometric data without the need to touch the human body. Its flagship product is a radio frequency-based biometric sensor which is used in wearable devices such as watches, fitness trackers, and smart clothing to monitor a user’s heart rate.

The company says its tech is a far better alternative to existing sensors in the market today, most of which rely on technology that was engineered decades ago. Other aspects of Sensifree sensors are the ability to operate under water, function normally in challenging environments, and remain unaffected by dirt, sweat, or light. They can also work through fabrics for accurate reading.

Most of the cash will be used to aggressively expand Sensifree’s engineering and product development teams, as well as accelerate its business development goals. Eric Hsia, venture partner at TransLink Capital, will be taking a seat on the Sensifree board of directors.

“Sensifree’s disruptive sensor technology marks the future of biometric sensing. We developed this technology specifically with wearables and smart clothing applications in mind, concentrating on enhancing overall user experience […] In parallel, we are leveraging our core technology to develop the “holy grail” of sensors – a cuff-free blood pressure sensor – and we expect to demonstrate preliminary results this year,” outlined Eran Agmon, co-founder and CEO of Sensifree.

Better Fitbits

Eran added that they’re looking to partner with vendors of activity trackers and smartwatches, as well as fashion companies and traditional watch manufacturers. He said they’ve already locked in one enterprise customer but declined to reveal any more details.

Sensifree’s Eran Agmon

The founder explained that it is possible for Sensifree’s sensors to attach on to clothing in a non-intrusive manner, meaning that we may, in the future, see things like smart jackets and shirts.

“There were a number of attempts to embed sensors in fabrics in the past few years. The main problem with most of them is that they require contact and even galvanic contact with the skin. This necessitates a very tight garment design that most people find unusable. Our technology is RF-based, thus can work through the fabric, making the design much more flexible and use of the garment much more comfortable,” he told Tech in Asia.

“We believe the market is seeking and will embrace Sensifree’s solutions as wearable companies from traditional watch makers to activity trackers to clothing designers look to design breakthrough, differentiated products for their customers,” said Eric in an emailed statement.