StretchSense
StretchSense is a New Zealand-based hardware and software company that designs capacitive stretch sensor motion capture gloves and machine learning Hand Engine software for hand tracking. It serves enterprise XR training, animation and VFX studios, and XR gaming customers across defense, healthcare, and entertainment markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersPenrose, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What StretchSense does
StretchSense, a privately-held New Zealand company (legal entity Sensor Holdings Limited) headquartered in Auckland with global offices in Edinburgh, Seattle, San Francisco, and Xiamen, designs and manufactures motion capture gloves built on proprietary capacitive stretch sensor technology. The company's hardware captures detailed hand and finger movement at every joint and pairs with its Hand Engine software, which uses machine learning for sub-one-minute calibration and real-time streaming into leading animation, game engine, and motion capture pipelines. Product lines span from a $495 consumer Reality XR Game Glove for SteamVR gaming through mid-tier Studio ($795) and Pro Studio ($1,995–$3,795) gloves for indie animators and streamers, up to a $5,995 Pro Fidelity glove with 26 sensors and 120fps capture for high-end VFX production. StretchSense serves three primary verticals: enterprise XR training (defense, healthcare, aviation, law enforcement, manufacturing), animation and VFX studios, and XR gaming consumers, with named customers including Larian Studios (Baldur's Gate 3), Bones Studio, Aaron Sims Creative, OnPoint Studios, and Mindshow.
The company's revenue model rests on one-time hardware sales with perpetual Hand Engine software licenses bundled in, supplemented by an optional $1,490/year premium support subscription and custom-priced enterprise licensing for XR training deployments that include multi-performer capture (up to six performers in Hand Engine 3), onboarding, and integration support. Distribution is a hybrid model: direct enterprise field sales with demo-request funnels for training products, alongside an e-commerce storefront for consumer gaming gloves. StretchSense has raised approximately $20M in total funding across rounds led by Par Equity ($7.6M Series A, November 2022) and PXN Ventures ($2.3M, December 2025), with strategic support from Scottish Enterprise enabling the Edinburgh center of excellence. The leadership team comprises co-founders Ben O'Brien and Todd Gisby alongside CEO Chris Chapman, CRO Philip Jamison, and other CXOs, with co-founder Todd Gisby serving as Chief Systems Architect.
StretchSense firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StretchSense
- Legal name
- Sensor Holdings Limited
- Website
- https://stretchsense.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- StretchSense is a New Zealand-based hardware and software company that designs capacitive stretch sensor motion capture gloves and machine learning Hand Engine software for hand tracking. It serves enterprise XR training, animation and VFX studios, and XR gaming customers across defense, healthcare, and entertainment markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StretchSense industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Motion Capture Hardware
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)
- SIC
- Computer Peripheral Equipment, Nec (3577)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics) (MPAFAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Game Controllers & Input Devices (Gamepads, Wheels, Flight Sticks) (CRACAOAD), Healthcare & Assistive Robotics (HDAAAIAC)
Keywords
Where StretchSense is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Penrose
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices5 records
Markets served
StretchSense business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Motion Capture Gloves: One-time purchase of gloves with perpetual software license. Products include Reality XR Game ($495), Studio ($795), Pro Studio ($3,795), Pro Studio for Xsens ($1,995), and Pro Fidelity ($5,995).
- Software Subscriptions and Support: Perpetual Hand Engine license included with initial purchase. Optional premium support and software updates available for $1,490/year after first year. Standard support includes knowledge base access.
- Enterprise Licensing: Enterprise solutions for XR training with customized integration advice, 1:1 training and onboarding support, and priority support packages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Reality XR Game Glove - Gaming/Consumer |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Studio Glove - Streaming and Indie Animation |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pro Studio Glove - Professional Animation |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pro Studio Glove for Xsens |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pro Fidelity Glove - Highest Fidelity Motion Capture |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Reality XR Train Starter Kit - Enterprise Training |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Support Package |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
StretchSense product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StretchSense designs, manufactures, and sells stretch sensor-enabled motion capture gloves and the Hand Engine machine learning software that captures and processes hand and finger movement data for XR training, animation/VFX, gaming, and live streaming. The gloves integrate with leading motion capture and game engine platforms (Unity, Unreal, Xsens, Vicon, OptiTrack, Qualisys, MotionBuilder, Maya) and include haptic feedback for immersive interaction.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Reality XR Game Glove Consumer XR gaming glove with 32 finger tracking sensors, haptic feedback module, wrist orientation tracking, virtual joystick functionality, 20-hour battery life, and 5m wireless range. Emulates Valve Index controllers and is compatible with any SteamVR game that works with Valve Index controllers. Priced at $495 USD.
- Reality XR Train Glove Enterprise XR training glove with confirmatory haptic feedback for muscle memory development in high-stakes training simulations. Sold as part of the Reality XR Train Starter Kit (3 gloves in S/M/L, 1:1 training and onboarding support for 2 months, customized integration advice). Custom pricing via sales contact.
- Pro Fidelity Glove Highest-fidelity professional motion capture glove with 26 sensors, 120fps max frame rate, 65ft+ Bluetooth range with on-glove SD card, 8-hour battery life, and shock-proof sensors. Includes Hand Engine Pro software with 1 year of updates and premium support. Priced at $5,995 per pair.
- Pro Studio Glove Professional animation motion capture glove including Hand Engine Pro software with 1 year of updates and premium support. Integrates natively with OptiTrack, Xsens, Vicon, Unreal, Unity, Maya, and MotionBuilder. Priced at $3,795 per pair.
- Pro Studio Glove for Xsens Motion capture glove bundled with Hand Engine for MVN software for native Xsens MVN integration, enabling combined body and hand motion capture. Includes 1 year of software updates. Priced at $1,995 per pair.
- Premium Support Package Optional annual premium support subscription offering 24/7 access to the StretchSense support team and hands-on one-on-one support after the initial year of coverage. Priced at $1,490 per year.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4x faster content production than optical hand tracking solutions
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use StretchSense
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
StretchSense technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
StretchSense partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ViconcoreIntegration with Vicon Shogun Post software for automated retargeting. Customizable scripts for importing StretchSense hand data. Timecode synchronization support.
- Xsens/MovellacoreNative integration with Xsens MVN Animate and MVN Analyze. Combined body and hand motion capture solution. Pro Studio Glove for Xsens available at $1,995.
- QualisyscoreDirect integration with Qualisys Track Manager. Real-time hand and finger data combined with body data. No post-production cleanup required.
- OptiTrackcoreDirect integration with OptiTrack Motive 3.0 for live streaming of hand data into motion capture pipeline. Simplified workflow removing need for Motion Builder in live streaming use cases.
- UnitycoreHand Engine streams live data directly into Unity. Plugin included with Studio and Pro gloves.
- Unreal EnginecoreHand Engine streams live data directly into Unreal Engine. Plugin included with all glove products.
- SteamVRcoreReality XR Game Glove is a Valve Index Controller Emulator. Compatible with all SteamVR games that work with Valve Index controllers.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
StretchSense competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SenseGlove: SenseGlove produces force-feedback haptic gloves for VR training and research, competing in enterprise XR training. Both companies target industrial training and design review use cases where haptics and natural hand interaction matter.
- Rokoko: Rokoko offers a motion capture suite including Smartsuit Pro and Smartsense mocap gloves targeting indie animators, streamers, and content creators — the same 'Studio' and consumer-tier segments StretchServe addresses with its Studio Line and Reality XR Game Glove.
- HaptX: HaptX builds advanced haptic gloves for VR/AR enterprise training and robotics teleoperation. It directly overlaps with StretchSense's Reality XR Train line in industrial and defense training use cases, with a more elaborate microfluidic haptic system.
- Manus (ManusVR/Quantum Metagloves): Manus is the most direct competitor in motion capture gloves for VFX, animation, and XR. Its Quantum Metagloves use different sensor technology (high-frequency electromagnetic tracking) but compete head-to-head with StretchSense in animation studios and virtual production pipelines.
- CyberGlove Systems: CyberGlove is a long-standing maker of sensor-based motion capture gloves used in animation, biomechanics research, and virtual reality. It competes for the same professional mocap customers, particularly in VFX and biomechanics where high sensor density is valued.
Emerging players
- Contact CI: Contact CI (formerly Synertial-adjacent) develops the 'Fingers' fingertip mocap device and other animation tools. It is a smaller emerging player addressing the same indie-to-pro animation use cases as StretchSense's Studio and Pro Studio gloves.
- Synertial: Synertial provides mocap gloves using inertial measurement units, competing with StretchSense in animation and XR. It is a smaller emerging player focused primarily on hand and finger tracking.
Broad incumbents
- Meta (Reality Labs): Meta's Quest headsets ship with built-in camera-based hand tracking and the company is investing in haptic glove prototypes. While Meta does not sell a comparable glove today, its free hand-tracking software is the principal alternative to StretchSense gloves for consumer VR gaming and could expand into training.
- Noitom (Perception Neuron): Noitom's Perception Neuron is a broader full-body motion capture system with optional hand peripherals. While its primary product is body capture, its hand offering competes for the same animation/VFX and game development studios that evaluate StretchSense.
- Apple (Vision Pro): Apple Vision Pro advanced the bar for built-in hand tracking with its visionOS platform. As Apple expands enterprise training and AR workflows, its bundled hand-tracking reduces the addressable market for standalone sensor-based gloves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
StretchSense social profiles
Digital presenceStretchSense financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StretchSense leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
StretchSense funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StretchSense M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about StretchSense
What does StretchSense do?
StretchSense designs, manufactures, and sells stretch sensor-enabled motion capture gloves and the Hand Engine machine learning software that captures and processes hand and finger movement data for XR training, animation/VFX, gaming, and live streaming. The gloves integrate with leading motion capture and game engine platforms (Unity, Unreal, Xsens, Vicon, OptiTrack, Qualisys, MotionBuilder, Maya) and include haptic feedback for immersive interaction.
Is StretchSense a public or private company?
StretchSense is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was StretchSense founded?
StretchSense was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is StretchSense based?
StretchSense is headquartered in Penrose, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does StretchSense make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Motion Capture Gloves are the primary driver. The others are software Subscriptions and Support and enterprise Licensing.
Who are StretchSense's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SenseGlove, Rokoko, HaptX, Manus (ManusVR/Quantum Metagloves) and CyberGlove Systems. Emerging players are Contact CI and Synertial. Broad incumbents are Meta (Reality Labs), Noitom (Perception Neuron) and Apple (Vision Pro).
Does StretchSense have an API?
Yes. StretchSense offers an Open SDK built on OSC (Open Sound Control) protocol. The SDK enables developers to integrate hand tracking capabilities into their applications for gesture recognition, XR interaction, digitizing hands for body capture systems, robotics control, and triggering IoT events. It is lightweight with minimal library dependencies, supports cross-platform compatibility, and provides real-time data streaming. Language flexibility is achieved through OSC's compatibility with many programming languages. Developer documentation is at stretchsense.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PKB/overview.
What industry is StretchSense in?
StretchSense's product category is Motion Capture Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAGAG, VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics), with a secondary code of CRACAOAD, Game Controllers & Input Devices (Gamepads, Wheels, Flight Sticks). Its NAICS code is 3345 and its SIC code is 3577.