Imec spinoff develops sportswear to reduce injury

Skinetix, an imec/VUB spin-off, is developing sportswear with integrated sensors to record detailed movement and muscle activity to help prevent injury.

By enriching the data with a personalized biomechanical model, the platform grants insights in muscle condition, movement quality and fatigue, allowing training to be adjusted according to the data. The spin-off brings together expertise in sensor technology and AI.

The Skinetix platform assists the medical team by closely monitoring every individual muscle in the hamstrings. Once the injury is present, during training, the platform charts in detail the forces each muscle has to endure, how the balance is, and the level of fatigue – all important parameters when supporting an athlete in his rehabilitation (return to play) and fitness optimization (train to peak).

As part of their PhDs, Skinetix co-founders Joris De Winter (CEO) (pictured  left) and Kevin Langlois (CTO) (pictured right) together with imec and VUB, developed a patented way to measure muscle activity and performance in detail and bring them together in a scientifically based model for personalized biodynamic data. This data is not collected in a lab, but directly on the playing field.

Skinetix designed sportswear with integrated electromyogram (EMG) sensors. These sensors capture the electrical impulses that our brain sends to the muscles during a specific movement. All of these sensors are seamlessly integrated into the sportswear.

Today, physical therapists and sports doctors use their eyes or cameras to analyze movements, which gives them only superficial and non-quantitative information. With Skinetix, sports professionals gain access to detailed information to map the quality of a movement and the function of a muscle.

The measured data is then transmitted to the Skinetix data platform, where the information is linked to a personalized biomechanical model of the athlete. Using AI, it becomes possible to map an individual player’s evolution or to benchmark players – and generate insights to optimize the training program.

Skinetix will join imec istart’s acceleration program, which will further support the growth and development of the company. The spin-off also received support from the Blue Health Innovation Fund. The scientific validation has been completed and currently the spin-off is conducting tests with the prototype, together with the Belgian Athletics Federation and top clubs from the Belgian soccer league.

In 2026, the co-founders want to bring their product to the market. They are aiming for the international soccer clubs primarily, and plan to expand towards American football, athletics, basketball and baseball, all combined a market of potentially 1.5 billion euros with over 250,000 professional athletes.

“With a full playing calendar, staying injury-free is a huge challenge for professional athletes across all disciplines,” says De Winter, “with biomechanical, data-driven insights from the field, Skinetix optimizes the way athletes train so they perform better or rehabilitate faster. Given the cost of injuries, this technology may transform elite sports.”

o provide optimal support for our athletes. This technology allows us to monitor, in a targeted and individualized manner, which players are ready to perform and to reduce the risk of injuries. We are also pleased that the RSCA Women is one of the first professional clubs in Belgium to test this new technology.”