At first glance, the newest device from PNOĒ looks like something a comic-book villain might wear. The mask bears more than a passing resemblance to the one worn by Bane, Batman’s hulking nemesis.
PNOĒ Massachusetts, and has operations in Athens, Greece, is preparing to launch the PNOĒ 2.0 on October 1. The big change from its current device is that users can administer the test themselves. According to co-founder and CEO Apostolos Atsalakis, someone can walk into a gym, “just wear the mask, push the button, sit down,” and breathe for eight minutes.
A self-serve version could open the door to fitness centers without staff and potentially even pharmacies, Atsalakis said.
Metabolic testing has been around for more than a century.
What 10-year-old PNOĒ promises is the same accuracy in a portable package, paired with software that translates the results into recommendations.
The company says its test captures 23 biomarkers, including one’s resting metabolic rate, and metabolic flexibility.
The new device is smaller and more compact than its predecessor, with fewer parts, which Atsalakis said makes it more reliable.
The device isn’t cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Atsalakis said that “we do not provide medical recommendations.”
Atsalakis said the company plans to raise a Series B within the next six to 12 months as it tries to put its mask in front of more faces.
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