by Olivia Vanni

Even the strongest of people can tweak their backs mid-lift or leave the gym with a newfound limp if they aren’t correctly doing their workout routine. Enter Perch, an MIT startup that’s developing a system of 3D cameras that tracks workouts and gives athletes critical data on their performance and health.

Perch is led by Bowen Baker, Jacob Rothman, Nate Rodman, Jordan Lucier and Zach Churukian. The co-founders initially came up with the idea for Perch because of their personal experiences as varsity athletes at the Institute and they recently completed the MIT delta v accelerator program, an educational accelerator for MIT student entrepreneurs.

In a world where wearables and fitness trackers are now the norm, the Perch team wanted to cater to athletes who need more specific metrics to guide their training. They have a small amount of funding and a prototype device, which is now in testing with gyms and coaches.

“I have a Fitbit. I wore it for a while, but then I put it in a drawer and haven’t touched it since,” Rothman, who played baseball at MIT, told me. “Fitness wearables track your steps, heart rate and activity. But those metrics aren’t super valuable for people who go to the gym to do workouts involving strength training and conditioning, plyometrics or yoga.”

Read the full story at BostInno