Huntsville, Ala. September 12, 2016 – CFD Research Corporation is pleased to announce the winner of its 2016 internal Innovation Accelerator program. The Perfect Fit Online Clothing App (PerFit) team will receive seed funding from the company to prepare for external investment and transition into a startup. The team went through an intensive six-month program designed to create business solutions that leverage CFDRC technologies to solve customer needs. The PerFit business concept was presented before a panel of judges in an internal pitch competition that included presentations from four other teams. 
According to market research, half of all online clothing sales are returned to the seller, resulting in over $600B in lost revenue from returns and $20B in lost sales from anxiety about how clothes purchased online will actually fit. The PerFit app allows people to create an accurate representation of their body from just a few measurements, and to see how the clothes fit in a virtual setting before making a purchase decision. “The ability to see yourself moving around in an outfit can be a game changer for discriminating shoppers who want a certain look and fit,” says Dr. Palien Roos, Human Movement and Biomechanics Expert. “PerFit is the first clothing app to show the fit while in motion,” Dr. Roos added.
“This is a great example of how government R&D can be guided to address a commercial need,” stated LTG(R) Joe Cosumano, President and CEO of CFDRC. The core technology inside PerFit was developed over the past five years for the US Army, and provides a better understanding of how a soldier’s body responds to various loads and external conditions.
Two additional teams will receive corporate investment, allowing them to reach important milestones. Predictive Power is a smart battery controller that reduces cost and extends the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries. It uses algorithms developed for Missile Defense Agency (MDA) applications. SweatSense is a wearable sensor platform designed to monitor physiological changes in an athlete during training or competition. The system, which has been developed to monitor performance and fatigue in Air Force personnel, provides a continuous chemical analysis of components of sweat that indicate fatigue, dehydration and other conditions.
“The Innovation Accelerator program represents a significant investment by the company into commercialization and demonstrates our commitment to transition CFDRC technology into the marketplace,” said David Thomas, Director of Strategic Innovation. “We have created an environment that encourages innovation here at CFDRC. We support entrepreneurial activities and provide real opportunities for our people to pursue their ideas for commercial products.”
More details about CFDRC’s Innovation Accelerator program can be found here.
About CFD Research Corporation: Since its inception in 1987, CFDRC has worked with government agencies, businesses and academia to provide innovative solutions in a wide variety of industries. Over the years CFDRC has earned multiple national awards for successful application and commercialization of innovative component and system technology prototypes, multi-physics simulation software and multi-disciplinary analyses. Learn more at www.cfdrc.com.
CFDRC Media Contact:
David Thomas
Director of Strategic Innovation
david.thomas@cfdrc.com
HudsonAlpha Media Contact:
Margetta Thomas
mthomas@hudsonalpha.org
256-327-0425
