Spencer Steinert and Jared Goering, seniors at McPherson High School, are changing biometrics in an extensive way. Two years ago the pair founded their company, Penrose. Since then, their main focus has been Vytal, an adhesive biometric device that tracks eight different vital signs. It can measure heart rate, respiration, activity level, sleep cycles, posture, temperature, hydration and stress. The recordings are sent to a smartphone app and can be shared with the user’s approval.

   “The shareable nature of the biometric information will give coaches and workout assistants the ability to see what is working for the specific user, leading to more individualized training,” Goering said. “It will really give the user a deeper understanding of their body, in turn making them more healthy and improving their standard of living.”

  Vytal can be placed anywhere below the collarbone and above the bottom of the ribcage, and lasts three to five days. It has an exchangeable battery and is protected against any sweat or water.  

  Vytal Sport is a more finely-tuned version of Vytal, and will be sold for athletes. Both Vytal and Vytal Sport will be available for preorder in January. However, Vytal’s progress isn’t stopping there.

   “What all this is leading to is Vytal Health,” Goering said. “This is a future version of Vytal that will collect and relay medical grade biometric information. This will let doctors remotely monitor patients, greatly improving the lives of people in assisted living.”

  Penrose is currently working with a team based in Chicago that are in charge of prototyping and programming. Steinert and Goering have been funding this on their own, and will be meeting with investors within the month.

  The founders of Penrose are close friends, and often divide the tasks between each other to keep the company running smoothly.

   “Spencer and I are best friends,” Goering said. “He tends to take care of the design aspects of the company while I take on more of the analytics and numbers.”

  Vytal is close to breaking out into the world, and with it more advancements in biometrics are hopefully to follow.

  “Vytal, in essence, is designed to improve and help people,” Goering said.