Company

The SynTouch Story

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Los Angeles, SynTouch is the world leader in Machine Touch®, the robotic equivalent for the most human of our five senses. Our proprietary characterization system, the SynTouch Standard®, quantifies the tactile qualities of materials and consumer products with more accuracy than human experts, and has been used for product design and quality control by leading manufacturers around the world. Our BioTac Toccare™ reproduces both the mechanical properties and sensory modalities of human fingertips, allowing us to measure how products feel in all the same dimensions that your customers can perceive.

Our sensors enable machines to achieve humanlike tactile awareness, perception and dexterity. Our BioTac® and BioTac SP sensors are the most biomimetic tactile devices in the world, and have been integrated onto nearly all robotics research platforms. Our NumaTac® sensors have been used to improve prosthetic hands and personal assistive robotic arms. Our consulting and research teams look forward to developing Machine Touch for your applications.

Our Leadership

Gerald E. Loeb, MD

Gerald E. Loeb, MD

Founder and Chief Science Advisor

Gerald is the founder of SynTouch, a spin-off company from the Medical Device Development Facility of the University of Southern California, which he directs as Professor of Biomedical Engineering. He is a co-inventor of the BioTac technology and holds more than 60 issued US patents covering many areas of neural engineering and prosthetics. As Chief Science Advisor, Gerald provides strategic guidance to the company and mentoring to the partners and staff.

David E. Groves, MBA

David E. Groves, MBA

Chief Executive Officer

David joined SynTouch in 2012, bringing more than 20 years of management and business development experience in the medical device, consulting and manufacturing fields. David received his MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business in 2002. As President, David manages company operations and works to advance relationships with our strategic industry partners.

Jeremy A. Fishel, PhD

Jeremy A. Fishel, PhD

Chief Technology Officer, Co-Founder

Jeremy is a co-founder of SynTouch and has led the development of its core technology since the company's founding. In 2012 he received his PhD from the University of Southern California for his work on fluid-based tactile sensing and characterization of objects by touch. As Chief Technology Officer, Jeremy works with with our research and development team to pioneer new products and services to address unmet market needs in the field of touch.

Matthew Borzage, PhD

Matthew Borzage, PhD

Business Development, Co-Founder

Matt is a co-founder of SynTouch and has been instrumental in developing the business framework for the company and coordinating its grants and contracts. His graduate education in biomedical engineering and experience in medical device engineering and sales give him unique insights into applications of SynTouch's technology. As Head of Business Development, Matt enjoys speaking with global leaders in robotics and prosthetics to explore how tactile sensing can enable their key applications.

Fred Zhang

Fred Zhang

Advisor and Board Member

Fred Zhang is a computer scientist, entrepreneur and investor. He has been working at Google Inc. since 2006 as the lead on Google Display Network and Brand Advertising measurements. Prior to working at Google, he led and managed team that developed the world's first online movie download and distribution platform for five biggest Hollywood movie studios. Fred is also the General Partner of DL Capitals since 2014 and successfully invested in several technology startups in the U.S.

Richard Koffler

Richard Koffler

Advisor and Board Member

Richard Koffler is CEO of Greenwings Biomedical, an incubator of biomedical ventures. His 30-year career includes successfully investing in, launching and nurturing technology emerging-growth ventures. Richard was a member of the Tech Coast Angels, co-founded the TechCEO Network, was president of the Los Angeles Venture Association and the Technology Council of Southern California, and is an advisor to the California Emerging Technology Fund and the Wells Fargo Center for Small Business and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Northridge. He holds computer science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley.

Richard Koffler

Joann Peck, PhD

Member, Board of Advisors

Joann Peck is an associate professor of marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, her MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her PhD from the University of Minnesota. Prof Joann Peck studies haptics (the sense of touch) as well as other non-verbal behaviors. More recently, beside continuing haptics projects, Prof Peck has worked on research involving psychological ownership and the implications for consumer research. Peck’s research has been cited in U.S. News and World Report, Time.com, MarketWatch, the Canadian Broadcast Company and others.

Awards and Certifications

RBR 50 Company World Economic Forum - Technology Pioneer Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award 2013 The Scientist Top Ten Innovation 2013

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