1 Million Cups with Dynamic Athletics and Hang Ups In KC

Kyle Geary — The Hale Center For Journalism

Nearly 200 people packed into the auditorium at the Kauffman Foundation for this Wednesday’s 1 Million Cups to listen to a pair of startups present and network with the community. The two companies presenting were Dynamic Athletics Research Institute and Hang Ups in KC.

Hang Ups in KC is a design duo that makes jewelry, notecards, and seasonal items like ornaments. The majority of their sales for the previous year came from craft shows, but they are also online and sell in select stores. Their product sells on consignment at retail locations, but they would like to switch to a wholesale model in the future.

Next up, Dynamic Athletics Research Institute addressed the crowd. The three presenters did a live demo of their mobile tracking software, which they hope will be used in sports, healthcare and the military. For the demo, they had a remotely located individual go through a series of motions. The presenters had a side-by-side video feed of the person moving and the tracking taking place. A report detailing his movements was compiled after the results were processed. The entire process took only two minutes. They claimed this process could take weeks or months with other systems. The system works by strategically placing a series of cameras to track motion, and, based on the findings, it gives the user information to treat a bevy of potential motion concerns. For example, a golfer could track their swing for improvement suggestions.

During questioning, the presenters from Dynamic Athletics detailed some challenges, such as the product’s current lack of easy mobility, and height requirements for those who wish to be scanned. They claimed that the individual would have to be approximately 3 feet 6 inches tall or more for the system to track properly, which could rule out some children.

I attend 1 Million Cups and live tweet the event every week. Follow me @KyleGearyKCPT.