The University of Colorado and Fort Collins-based Physical Activity Innovations Inc. (PAI) have executed an exclusive license agreement allowing the company to commercialize a fitness feedback technology developed at CU. The technology is a small, Bluetooth-enabled sensor that allows users to wirelessly track time spent in daily physical activities, calories burned, and progress toward user fitness and weight-loss goals.

The technology was developed at the University of Colorado School of Medicine by Raymond Browning, Ph.D. (now of the Colorado School of Public Health), and James Hill, Ph.D., with researchers at Clarkson University and the University of Lausanne.

The Fit Companion device is a small, unobtrusive device that may be mounted in any shoe; the device wirelessly transmits data to a cell phone where the user receives easy-to-understand information about their physical activity throughout the entire day. This feature creates a feedback system incorporating calories burned, body weight and physical activity, which can alert the wearer when time spent in sedentary activity exceeds a predetermined threshold, or when a daily physical activity goal has been met.

"When it comes to burning calories, a moderately active person can burn as many calories as a person who sits all day but then has a very vigorous workout," said Browning, who serves as research co-lead at PAI. "Our goal is to provide people with feedback that motivates them to stay at least moderately active every day." PAI received the Bluetooth Innovator of the Year award in the Bluetooth Innovation World Cup 2009.

"PAI is attacking the obesity epidemic head-on with innovative tools such as the Fit Companion," added Paul Tabor of the University of Colorado Technology Transfer Office. "If the company can meet its goal of producing an accurate and comfortable device at a low cost, it will transform the monitoring of physical activity and have an immense impact on human health."

Physical Activity Innovations Inc. is developing unique, footwear-based systems that motivate users to increase their daily physical activity. Technology in the footwear-based systems is based on research from CU, Colorado State University and Clarkson University.