Sonostics lands distribution deal, readies product for market

May 31, 2011 - PRLog -- BINGHAMTON —Sonostics, founded in 2005 by Binghamton University professor Kenneth McLeod, inked a deal with BIOPAC of Goleta, Calif., which will integrate Sonostics’ vibromyographic testing system into its AcqKnowledge software system. The deal brings an avenue to assess Type-2 voluntarily contracting muscles to researchers around the globe, says Charles Schwerin, Sonostics’ CEO.

“They [BIOPAC] sell exclusively to researchers and educators who are interested in acquiring all sorts of data related to kinesiology,” he says. Kinesiology is the study of muscle movement and strength.

Sonostics has worked since its inception to develop a technology to measure muscle balance by collecting information about muscle vibrations (vibromyography) as a person exercises and measuring individual muscle force and balance. Uncovering imbalances and correcting them can prevent things like sports injuries to falls, Schwerin says.

The new deal with BIOPAC brings that vibromyography tool to its 65,000 customers — researchers and academics who study kinesiology and sports- performance measurement, he says. Sonostics wholesales its testing system to BIOPAC, which gives the company some revenue in advance of its product launch to market, Schwerin says. He declined to discuss financial terms of the deal.

Having BIOPAC distribute the technology means that researchers will have a chance to use the technology and publish results of their findings just in time for Sonostics to launch its first turn-key device on the market. The device, called the MyoWave, is a tool physical therapists, trainers, chiropractors, and physicians can use for injury-prevention screening and
rehabilitation.

Sonostics is currently testing its fifth prototype of the product through efforts like a free knee screening held in January at Southern Tier Physical Therapy. Sonostics screened the knees of 35 female high-school athletes for potential imbalances. Other efforts have included demonstrations at rehabilitation facilities, Schwerin says.

Every bit of feedback from these events is helping Sonostics fine tune the product, which will probably undergo a sixth revision before going to market this fall, he says. He declined to release any revenue projections, but says the company expects to have a well-established brand with significant market inroads within the next three to five years.

Schwerin also hopes the company can begin adding employees this fall. Along with founder McLeod and Schwerin, Sonostics has one other full-time employee, Steven Pittari, COO.

Initially, Schwerin says, Sonostics will work with existing medical-device distributors to sell the MyoWave as those companies already work with the clients Sonostics plans to target with its product. Eventually, he hopes sales are strong enough to create an in-house sales force.

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Sonostics incorporated in 2008 to commercialize Vibromyography, a technology that converts muscle vibration to absolute effort. Spun out of the Bioengineering Department at Binghamton University, Sonostics targets this technology at researchers, physical therapists, athletic trainers, fitness centers as well as amateur and professional sports programs.