Yost Labs

Startup making strides in biomechanical tracking with applications in rehab and virtual reality

Yost Labs, leader in advanced inertial motion tracking, is proud to be recognized by the National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer (NCET2) as one of the Best University Startups of 2017.

Paul Yost, Assistant Professor at Shawnee State University, founded Yost Labs to apply academic-style research and computer science and engineering approaches to real-world problems. Now as Chief Technology Officer of Yost Labs, Yost says, “My goal is to continue to be a part of the magic of developing innovative engineering solutions for difficult problems.”

With this philosophy as their foundation, Yost Labs has developed solutions for biomechanical tracking that are opening new doors in the areas of rehab and virtual reality. By calculating human joint angles from body worn sensors, it is possible to monitor outpatient physical therapy or even gamify rehab.  Their research has also yielded advancements in full body motion capture applicable to many projects in the virtual reality and telepresence markets.

With support from funding partners including Ohio Third Frontier and TechGROWTH Ohio, Yost Labs is one of the fastest growing tech companies in the state.  

Yost Labs’ team lives and breathes motion sensor technology. Our passion is creating innovative products and systems that advance the art and push the boundaries of what is possible with AHRS/IMUs, and we have been successful in that goal. However, it’s not until these advancements are applied to real-world problems that they can truly shine.

Our latest eGuide presents several case studies that highlight how innovative organizations have applied the technology.

• Studying brain trauma
• Enabling gait analysis
• Bringing life to characters
• And more

Read the Case Studies

Yost Labs’ inertial motion sensor technology outputs fused motion data 300% faster than existing solutions. Our technology reduces IMU/AHRS latency, improves computational efficiency, and provides complete flexibility in data output format. If your project could benefit from this technology, or if you’d like to connect to our expert team for advice or consultation, click here.

The PrioVR Dev Kit™ added to prize pool for teams solving virtual reality challenges

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts—Developers, designers and other participants converging on MIT’s campus for the Reality, Virtually Hackathon will have the chance to win one of two PrioVR Dev Kit™ virtual reality systems Yost Labs has provided for the event.

Sponsored by MIT Media Lab, the VR Hackathon is a competition that challenges participants to apply advances in virtual and augmented reality to new markets. Artists, programmers, engineers, and developers collaborate to share innovative VR applications in fields like Education, Journalism, Industry, and Health and Medicine.

“Advances in VR have made this an exciting time in the evolution of human-computer interaction. We are moving beyond keyboards and mice and glowing rectangles,” said CEO Greg Merril.

“We can’t wait to see what the MIT Media Lab’s Reality Virtually Hackathon teams are able to create,” Merril added. “Yost Labs is thrilled to provide our PrioVR Dev Kits as finalists’ prizes. Room-scale immersive VR is another big step toward true social telepresence. With our launch of the PrioVR Dev Kit, Yost Labs is helping lead this revolution.”

For professionals interested in virtual reality, the PrioVR Dev Kit is a powerful tool. It employs 19 advanced inertial motion sensors embedded in a suit that translates the wearer’s physical movement into digital information. The result is a room-scale immersive full-body virtual reality (VR) experience with applications in Biomechanics, Research, Athletic and Military Training, Game Development and more.

The system comes with a suite of software for developers including an open source programmer’s interface, MoCap Studio™ for motion capture, plug-ins for popular game development engines (Unity and Unreal) and several demo games.

About Yost Labs
Yost Labs is one of Ohio’s fastest growing technology companies. The company is internationally recognized as a leader in advanced inertial motion sensor technology. Yost Labs has created inertial motion sensor fusion firmware that is 10x the computational efficiency of previous technologies – resulting in miniature MEMS sensors with low latency, low energy, and low heat. Applications range from human motion tracking in virtual reality to drone navigation. Our technology is sold as either a firmware license or as complete sensor units. Yost Lab’s sensors are displacing older technologies and are now standard components for the US Navy and US Air Force target drones as well for the Army Corps of Engineers Geospatial Mapping initiative. Yost Lab’s innovation has been recognized with five patent awards with numerous additional patent applications pending. The growing list of customers includes technology giants in computing, industrial equipment, robotics, and AR/VR.

Media Contact
Name: Melissa Hoople
Phone: (740) 876-4936
Email: mhoople@yostlabs.com

Portsmouth, Ohio’s Yost Labs announces the shipment of the highly anticipated PrioVR Dev Kit™

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio—After three years of research and development the first units of Yost Labs’ much-anticipated PrioVR Dev Kit™ have shipped, marking an important milestone for the Southern Ohio startup and a significant innovation in human-computer interaction. The patented technology uses the company’s advanced inertial motion sensors to offer a room-scale immersive full-body virtual reality (VR) experience.

The PrioVR Dev Kit’s 19 inertial motion sensors are embedded in a suit that translates the wearer’s physical movement into digital information. The suit can be used to navigate and interact within virtual reality environments, providing a more immersive experience than previous VR interface technologies that are limited to tracking head and hand movement. Yost Labs is now fulfilling orders to over 1,000 developers around the world that have pre-paid to be among the first to get the PrioVR Dev Kit.

Beyond VR applications, the PrioVR Dev Kit smashes price barriers as a motion capture system useful for creating animated characters in movies and video games, and even has application as a research tool for biomechanics and physical therapy.  The system comes with a suite of software for developers including an open source programmer’s interface, MoCap Studio™ software for motion capture, plug-ins for popular game development engines (Unity and Unreal) and several demo games.

“The PrioVR Dev Kit is a technology platform that allows for complete tracking of a person’s body, with minimal lag—a major step forward in blurring the line between the real world and virtual reality. It’s a more natural, immersive experience than has been possible with previous technologies,” said Yost Labs Founder and CTO Paul Yost.

“This is an exciting time in the evolution of human-computer interaction. We are moving beyond keyboards and mice and glowing rectangles. Head-mounted displays such as the Oculus and the Vive have opened everyone’s eyes to the great promise of VR.  Room-scale immersive VR is another big step toward true social telepresence. With our launch of the PrioVR Dev Kit, Yost Labs has established itself as a technology leader in this revolution.” said CEO Greg Merril.

About Yost Labs
Yost Labs is one of Ohio’s fastest growing technology companies. The company is internationally recognized as a leader in advanced inertial motion sensor technology. Yost Labs has created inertial motion sensor fusion firmware that is 10x the computational efficiency of previous technologies – resulting in miniature MEMS sensors with low latency, low energy, and low heat. Applications range from human motion tracking in virtual reality to drone navigation. Our technology is sold as either a firmware license or as complete sensor units. Yost Lab’s sensors are displacing older technologies and are now standard components for the US Navy and US Air Force target drones as well for the Army Corps of Engineers Geospatial Mapping initiative. Yost Lab’s innovation has been recognized with five patent awards with numerous additional patent applications pending. The growing list of customers includes technology giants in computing, industrial equipment, robotics, and AR/VR.

Media Contact
Name: Melissa Hoople
Phone: (740) 876-4936
Email: mhoople@yostlabs.com

We have been working diligently here at Yost Labs over the past months and all our hard work is paying off.  We have been re-working some issues that we did not anticipate, and delayed us a bit longer than expected.

We have begun shipping! Over the next couple weeks, we will be verifying shipping addresses to ensure the PrioVR Dev Kits make their final destination.  Be patient, as this will be a slower than normal process; mostly because of the age of the Kickstarter and the multiple changes that backers have had over time.

Have a great weekend!

-Yost Labs