When Lee Brandon, a successful inventor, and creator of the patented AB-Inforcer® core biofeedback and spine stabilization training system, wanted to make strategic improvements to her internationally acclaimed system, she approached the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing at Georgia Southern University for help.
A highly accomplished athletic coach and innovator, Brandon was the first female Assistant Strength Coach to work in the NFL and is a four-time U.S. Olympic coach and a two-time World Long Drive Champion. This established California resident discovered the engineering resources at Georgia Southern while visiting her mother, a major Eagles fan, in Claxton.
Working with Georgia Southern is a way to honor my mom,
she explains. I love collaborative
work and paying it forward. This has been a magnificent, divinely inspired partnership.
Brandon knew she wanted to re-engineer the AB-Inforcer®, which is currently used by the Atlanta Falcons and by numerous collegiate and professional sports teams around the world. Her goal is to re-launch her invention as the AB-Inforcer® II after making forward-thinking advancements and upgrades to the overall design and functionality of the product.
I trust the team at Georgia Southern,
she says. They’re asking great questions and the faculty
and the students are brilliant. We’re poised to do some great things. It’s an exciting process to
forge and pioneer a new path.
Dr. Fernando Rios-Gutierrez, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, enjoys the multi-disciplinary nature of the AB-Inforcer® project, which unites experts in various engineering and computer science fields.
The best part of working on a project like the AB-Inforcer® at Georgia Southern is that each
part of the device that includes electronics, programming and mechanical systems can be
designed and implemented independently by a different team of students and faculty that are
experts on each of these areas,
he explains. Having projects in the university that are
associated with private companies is good for both institutions because both get benefits from
this collaboration. Companies get improved products, and the university gets to work in the
development of state- of-the-art products.
Brandon invented the AB-Inforcer® after sustaining a life-altering sports injury at the age of 17.
I was motor-challenged and lost everything,
she recalls. I was struggling just to get my hand
to work again. I taught my body to feel again using Biofeedback Flooding and kinesthetic
awareness 25 years before its benefits were documented in clinical studies.
After recovering from her catastrophic injury, she realized she needed to pay it forward and to
help others. Brandon eventually invented the AB-Inforcer® which she describes as a musical
instrument for the spine
that teaches the body to engage the core muscles properly in order to
support the spine and ultimately performance.
Lee came to us wanting to know if the Computer Science department could help her move this
technology forward,
said Dr. Andrew Allen, Assistant Professor of Computer Science. She
came to us with quite a few insights and wanted to see if we could make the device wireless.
The Computer Science department built several wireless prototypes, which were based on the current remote-control design, but with new functionality, including the ability for professionals – including physical therapists, chiropractors, strength coaches and personal trainers — to objectively take notes and track client progress electronically. The idea was to give professionals more tools to track and analyze client data. The Electrical Engineering department is currently examining the interface between device sensors and data as part of a one-year project.
Georgia Southern faculty and students are also working to develop an AB-Inforcer® mobile app and to create a cloud-based database to store data for trainers. Dr. Allen even gave Computer Science students in a senior-level capstone course the opportunity to brainstorm and provide ideas and solutions for the AB-Inforcer project.
For Lauren Potts, an Electrical Engineering senior at Georgia Southern, helping to optimize the AB-Inforcer® II has been a highlight of her academic experience at the university.
My favorite part about working on this project is being able to make an immediate impact with
an industry product,
she says. Upon completion of this project, the AB-Inforcer® II should be
ready to market as a re-branded product. It is very fulfilling knowing that our work will be readily
available to professionals and consumers and be able to provide a positive impact in their lives.
Brandon appreciates the hard work of faculty and students who are working together to re- design the electronics of the device, including the manual controller, the sensors and the data collection system. She believes other companies could benefit from partnering with Georgia Southern for product development, innovation and creative solutions.
I’ve met with many universities, and I believe the potential at Georgia Southern is incredible,
Brandon raves. The Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing is an untapped
gem for business owners and inventors who want to take their product to a higher level.
