Seismic
"Intelligent Wearable Strength™"
Menlo Park wearable robotics firm (2015, SRI spinout); Powered Clothing with Flex-Drive muscles provides ergonomic support.
Seismic is a Menlo Park, California-based wearable robotics company that develops Powered Clothing — a category of garments integrating robotics, sensors, and actuators directly into apparel to augment human physical performance. The company was founded in 2015 by Rich Mahoney and Kate Witherspoon and spun out of SRI International, where the underlying technology was originally developed under a DARPA-funded Warrior Web program aimed at reducing injury risk and enhancing soldier endurance in military applications.
Seismic's core innovation is the Flex-Drive electric muscle system: lightweight, twisted-string actuators embedded in garments that contract in response to the wearer's posture and movements, providing biomechanically aligned power and stability. On-suit sensors and processors continuously analyze the wearer's specific postures and activities, enabling the system to automatically sense and respond to awkward or hazardous positions — including standing, forward lean, backward lean, squatting, stooping, and kneeling — without requiring manual activation.
The flagship product, the Seismic Suit, is designed specifically for the Worker Safety market. It is a vest-style, over-the-clothes garment with a tool-belt form-factor hardware carrier at the waist. Key specifications include up to 50 extra pounds (approximately 22 kg) of biomechanically aligned power and stability support to the core and hip regions, and up to 10 hours of powered strength and support per battery charge — sufficient for a full 8-hour work shift. The suit is available in multiple sizes, features easy don/doff closures with micro-adjustment, and includes IoT capability for data reporting to personalized dashboards and a Seismic Safety Score shareable with insurance partners.
The company has also developed a Wellness and Mobility variant targeting older adults, designed to support sit-to-stand movement and provide standing and lumbar support to extend independence and quality of life. Seismic has reported that 91% of wearers report a reduction in daily pain.
Seismic has raised a total of $16.4 million across four funding rounds from eight investors, including Global Brain, 31VENTURES, and BlackCrow Capital. A Series A of $10.2 million was raised in May 2017. The company has partnership activity with Cintas Corporation to bring Powered Clothing to the occupational market across food service, automotive, hospitality, and other industries. The company employs between 11 and 50 people and maintains international contacts for Japan, China, and South Korea.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
Seismic Suit
Over-the-clothes powered vest with Flex-Drive electric muscles providing up to 50 lbs of core support for 10-hour shifts to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
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Contact Seismic
WEBSITE
https://www.myseismic.comPHONE
(650) 930-0948HEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
2015
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
-
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
