About Us
PROVEN BY ASTRONAUTS
Working as an Aerospace Engineer, CAPE founder James Waldie started designing compression garments for astronauts in 1999.
At the University of California in San Diego (UCSD), James led a study measuring the compression regime on the skin, and discovered new findings into the physiological effects of different compressions levels. He earned his PhD developing new technologies to augment human physiology working on a NASA spacesuit program.
In 2008, Dr Waldie was selected as a
Postdoctoral Fellow at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), developing
his own space skinsuit design with the
European Space Agency (ESA). He was also
a consultant at the NASA Johnson Space
Center to reduce astronaut injury from
spacesuits.
Postdoctoral Fellow at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), developing
his own space skinsuit design with the
European Space Agency (ESA). He was also
a consultant at the NASA Johnson Space
Center to reduce astronaut injury from
spacesuits.
In order for the compression to function effectively, the skinsuit required extreme precision and custom sizing. New processes and algorithms were developed by Dr. Waldie that would tailor the stretch of the garment in both vertical and horizontal directions to be bespoke to each subject.
Today, CAPE uses a patented evolution of this technology, which rapidly automates the custom design of each garment. Ultrasound testing has shown CAPE calf sleeves significantly improve arterial inflow and venous return throughout the entire leg.
Hyper-Accurate Compression
CAPE has developed a proprietary software package called AutoTailor based on our spacesuit sizing method. Previously, custom-fit compression garments were made by using a tailor’s tape to measure the circumference at select locations, and then designing a garment based on those measurements.
The shape of the limb between those measurement location was guessed, and the process was laborious. AutoTailor slices up the 3D scan and designs the garment for each slice using the material properties and desired compression regime. This means the garment is designed for each point on the limb, not just the locations measured. The process is faster, easier, cheaper, much more accurate and therefore more effective than anything previously possible.
The shape of the limb between those measurement location was guessed, and the process was laborious. AutoTailor slices up the 3D scan and designs the garment for each slice using the material properties and desired compression regime. This means the garment is designed for each point on the limb, not just the locations measured. The process is faster, easier, cheaper, much more accurate and therefore more effective than anything previously possible.
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