University of Kansas
Whether helping athletes improve performance, reducing fall risks among older adults, or supporting rehabilitation after injury, accurately measuring how the body moves is essential. Yet many force-sensing technologies are expensive, bulky, and confined to specialized laboratories, limiting their accessibility and everyday use.
Researchers at the University of Kansas set out to address that challenge. Their work led to Axiocell™, a novel smart material platform that enables three-dimensional force sensing in a more flexible and adaptable format. Developed by University of Kansas researchers Cory Berkland and Jonathan Miller and commercialized through the startup Axioforce, the technology has the potential to expand access to advanced movement analysis across a wide range of applications.
Traditional three-dimensional load cells, which measure forces acting on an object, are often rigid and difficult to integrate into different products and environments. Axiocell™ takes a different approach. The technology uses a magnetic silicone composite that can be customized and embedded into both rigid and flexible materials, creating new possibilities for measuring force and movement in real-world settings.
Axioforce’s first commercial product, LaunchPad, was introduced in 2025. The lightweight, portable force plate measures force in multiple directions and provides immediate feedback on movement and performance. Athletes can use the device to analyze activities such as jumping, throwing, and swinging, helping coaches and trainers better understand biomechanics and performance.
Beyond athletics, the technology may have important applications in healthcare and wellness. Axioforce is exploring products that could support gait analysis, fall prevention, rehabilitation, and long-term wellness monitoring. By making force-sensing technology easier to deploy outside of traditional laboratory environments, the platform could help bring valuable movement data to clinicians, caregivers, researchers, and individuals alike.
The University of Kansas Center for Technology Commercialization played a key role in advancing the innovation from the laboratory to the marketplace. The office secured patent protection for the technology and licensed it exclusively to Axioforce, helping establish a pathway for commercialization.
With support from the university, Axioforce has secured federal funding and operates from KU Innovation Park, adjacent to the University of Kansas campus. The company’s continued development of Axiocell™-based products demonstrates how university research can create new tools that improve performance, support health, and expand access to advanced measurement technologies.
From athletics to healthcare, Axiocell™ illustrates the potential of university innovation to transform how movement and force are measured, analyzed, and applied in everyday life.