Motion
Fabric Force Plate
ROLE | Industrial Designer, R&D & Product Lead
ORGANIZATION | Nextiles, Inc.
TEAM | Chi-Hao Chiang, George Sun, Robert Lindo
YEAR | 2023
CONTRIBUTION | Design Research, Tech Pack & Pattern Design, CMF, Prototyping, Conducting Validation Experiments, Coding Data Visualization & Analysis, Design for Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management
The Nextiles Fabric Force Plate redefines performance tracking with its lightweight, fabric-based design—20 times lighter than traditional force plates—offering exceptional portability and advanced functionality.
It has collected over 63,000 jumping datasets while reliably measuring metrics like jump height, reactive strength index, and symmetry across various surfaces for both field and lab use.
Trusted by clients such as the U.S. Air Force and NBA, it exemplifies how innovative, user-centric design enhances accessibility and optimizes athletic performance.
User Pain Points of Traditional Force Plates
High Cost & Accessibility
Traditional force plates are expensive to manufacture and purchase, which restricts their availability to elite athletes or well-funded organizations, leaving many users without access to this technology.
Bulkiness & Weight
Traditional force plates are heavy and cumbersome, making them difficult to transport and set up, especially for field use or remote environments. Their bulkiness limits their practicality for on-the-go performance tracking.
Limited Versatility
Traditional designs often struggle with adaptability to different surfaces or environments, requiring specific setups and controlled conditions to deliver accurate measurements, which hinders their usability in real-world applications.
Advantages of
Fabric Force Plates
DIMENSIONS: L 71.1 x W 81.3 x H 0.3 (cm); comparable to the industry standard
WEIGHT: 1060 g / 2.3 lbs; 20x lighter than the industry standard
Foldable and portable for traveling
Water-resistant
Remote connection with the mobile APP
Fabric-based form factor for expanding the safety and test possibilities
Data Analysis
Countermovement Jump
Key Phases & Breakdowns
The plot above compares a sample jump on the AMTI force plate with this diagram, the stages being standing, wind-up, push-off, liftoff, airtime, landing, and recovery.
Countermovement Jump
Data Displayed on Nextiles Mobile APP
The raw data captured by the Nextiles Fabric Force Plate demonstrates identical characteristics that closely align with the results obtained from the established industry standard. This consistency in findings reinforces the reliability and accuracy of the measurements taken using this innovative technology.
