ATHLETEC is a company developing 'FieldVision,' an Edge AI solution for injury prevention. The company was founded by CEO Sanghyup Choi (43) in May 2024
CEO Choi, who majored in Judo at Yongin University and earned a Ph.D. in Biomechanics from Korea University, has spent over a decade researching and applying sports science data on-site for national, professional, and other sports teams.
"In the process of analyzing injury mechanisms and creating predictive models, I registered a patent for a machine learning-based injury risk prediction model and published over 40 papers in domestic and international academic journals. I have numerous case studies demonstrating how merging real-world sports experience with AI technology has enhanced both athlete performance and injury prevention."
FieldVision analyzes joint motion in real time through a single camera and NVIDIA Jetson, integrating athlete-reported pain data to identify injury causes and provide actionable feedback instantly. It allows accurate analysis without wearable sensors and stands out for its robust data security and real-time processing, as all personal information is managed locally.
"FieldVision" is a contactless injury prevention system that utilizes a single camera combined with an NVIDIA Edge AI board (Jetson Orin AGX or the next-gen Thor) to monitor an athlete’s movements and pain data in real time on the field. It instantly extracts joint coordinates from the camera feed, automatically links them with pain information (NRS) entered by athletes in an app, detects risky postures, and immediately provides corrective feedback."
A key feature is that it does not require wearable sensors, making it easy to implement on-site. All computations are performed within the device, ensuring both data privacy and fast response times. CEO Choi said, "Our goal is to use this technology to create a safe sporting environment where everyone, from school and amateur teams to professional clubs and rehabilitation hospitals, can utilize data without barriers."
Its competitiveness can be summarized in three key points. First, it is a contactless solution that requires no wearables. Since only a camera needs to be installed, it significantly reduces the burden of wearing devices and the cost of equipment maintenance, making it easily adoptable for school and amateur teams.
Second, it uniquely analyzes motion data and the athlete’s pain information simultaneously. "Instead of simply pointing out 'bad posture,' it provides immediate, evidence-based feedback on how a specific posture is linked to actual pain. This allows both coaches and athletes to receive feedback they can trust."
Third, it is a real-time system where all computations occur on the Jetson edge device, eliminating concerns about personal data leakage and ensuring seamless operation even in environments with unstable internet connections. The combination of these three factors—cost-effectiveness, accuracy, and data security—is the core competitive advantage of FieldVision.
What led CEO Choi to start the company? "The direct trigger was witnessing recurring injuries among athletes in the field. While supporting national and professional teams, I analyzed vast amounts of data, but feedback on the training ground was often not immediate due to cost and equipment limitations. 'I became convinced that we could significantly reduce injuries if we could correct risky movements on the spot without the burden of wearables,' and I launched this startup to make that a reality."
ATHLETEC plans to launch a scouting app first, where athletes and teams can casually gather, thereby rapidly securing an initial user pool.
"Our app allows athletes to easily register and share their personal profiles and game footage, while providing teams and coaches with real-time talent scouting features, offering immediate value upon signing up. Once we reach a certain user scale, we will integrate the FieldVision analysis feature as a premium option, offering services like risky posture reports and individual injury risk indexes on a paid basis. This creates a structure where users drawn in by the free scouting platform naturally convert into paid analytics customers."
Initial validation will be conducted with the Woori Card professional volleyball club and local high school and university teams in Jeju. We will verify the system by collecting game footage and pain data within the app's actual workflow and providing immediate feedback with FieldVision's analysis.
"Once the validation is complete, we will use the Woori Card case as a key reference and expand user adoption through our network, including the Gyeongnam Sports Science Center and various teams in Jeju. Meanwhile, we will regularly publish educational webinars and social media highlight videos to naturally demonstrate our service’s value. Then, we will target highly interested teams among our free users who focus on performance and health management to encourage them to upgrade to our paid FieldVision service. By leveraging both the community formed through the scouting platform and our existing sports science network, we will gradually expand in the domestic market and then prepare for overseas expansion based on the data and success stories we accumulate."
Founded: May 2024
Main Business: Sports Technology
Achievements: Selected for the Early-Stage Startup Package
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
관련뉴스
