The Skulpt Aim, shown at the CE Week Conference & Exhibit Event in New York City this week, is said to be the world's first consumer device designed to measure the composition and quality of muscles and muscle groups. It also measures the fat percentage of muscle groups.
Aim is a compact, lightweight and portable device, a bit smaller than an iPhone. Its ergonomic design makes it easy to use, which also produces more accurate reporting. The device contains proprietary sensors to collect thousands of data points per second. It quantifies muscle quality and displays results instantly on Aim's front screen, while simultaneously transmitting the data via Bluetooth to a user's personal online dashboard and smartphone or tablet. Each Aim device will support and track results for up to six individual users.
It works as follows - the user sprays a little water on the skin of any major muscle group where the device will be placed. The device is held gently on the area and quickly sends a small current directly through the area. It contains 12 sensors set at multiple frequencies. Aim analyzes the flow of the current through each muscle group and reports an accurate representation of the muscle quality and surrounding fat content. Current flows differently in muscles based on their composition and fiber size, which is how the device determines muscle quality. The online dashboard and the mobile app track the results over time and reveal if progress is being made. Users can then adjust their plan to increase muscle quality or reduce body fat accordingly.
Muscle quality (MQ) is a measure of muscles' strength and definition that is designed to be intuitive. The metric is used as an index of muscle fitness, using a scale similar to IQ. The average MQ is 100, higher numbers indicate better fitness.
Skulpt, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company started in 2009 by Dr. Jose Bohorquez, an electrical engineer from MIT and Dr. Seward Rutkove, a neurology professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Rutkove developed Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM), the underlying technology used in the Skulpt Aim.
The Skulpt Aim was given a Best of Show Tech Award of the Week at CE Week by Senior Planet, an organization for older adults that promotes the use of technology to improve senior living. At the award presentation, Skulpt marketing vice president Juan Jaramillo noted that the Skulpt Aim is an ideal product for seniors, given the sad fact that muscle loss is a natural part of aging.
"Once people reach the age of 40, they lose about 1% of muscle mass each year. That makes it important for seniors to exercise and keep their bodies strong. The Skulpt Aim can help them easily keep track of their progress," said Camarillo.
