UTAlumni NetworkNewsTECHNOLOGY AND PEOPLE IN ONE DREAM JOB

TECHNOLOGY AND PEOPLE IN ONE DREAM JOB

He is sitting around the table with Toyota and other major car manufacturers to sell sensor systems that digitally chart body movements. He flies across the globe to visit clients in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Peter Hartman works as a business developer for Xsens Technologies in Enschede.

BY Frederike Krommendijk PHOTOGRAPHY Rikkert Harink

Hartman studied biomedical technology at Twente University. There was no immediate work in the region for this discipline, so he applied for a job with machine manufacturer VDL ETG in Almelo. “I liked it there and as well as the engineering, I also gained experience in sales. That aligned well with the master’s degree in communication that I took for a while. But the biomedical side kept calling. I ended up at Xsens via a headhunter. Bullseye. The combination of technology and people suits me perfectly.” His job as a business developer allows him to utilise his sales talents and his biomedical knowledge within a stone’s throw of his old university.

“Xsens makes systems that uses sensors to create digital visualisations of body movements. These images can be used for ergonomics within companies, but also for top athletes or animation. For example, during my first year I was in talks with NOC-NSF for applications in sport. Now I concentrate on companies that wish to improve ergonomics for their employees.”

Large clients include the Toyota car manufacturing plants. “You can imagine that these companies are keen to improve the ergonomics of their production process. Our sensors measure the angles of the joints in relation to each other. Simply put: how you move. This could be done using complete suits, but also with loose sensors that are attached using Velcro. The movements are visualised digitally. For example, a car manufacturer can measure employees on the assembly line and optimise the production process based on that data. Maybe a walkway should be shorter, or an assembly line should be higher. It prevents sickness absence and it may even result in time savings.

The system is also able to get great results in the medical sector, for example if a patient’s gait pattern needs to be analysed. “The sensors collect a massive box of data that can be compared with someone with a normal gait pattern. This is interesting for clinical universities, for example. We try to engage in the client’s thought process about how to best use the system. We build up a relationship with the client. For example, if we have a new software release, we will allow our clients to use it first so that we can collect more feedback for further improvements to the product. The interaction works well.

In his own words, Peter has a ‘great job’. An added advantage is that he travels the world, but still has the comfort of being in Twente and his hometown of Rossum. At the UT, Xsens also collaborates as a sponsor on the Wearable Robotics Lab. “And we also have graduates here. It means I still have a connection with the UT. Of course, we try to get the best people from there to join us. There is a glaring lack of software engineers and good salespeople in particular. The atmosphere at Xsense is good, like one big family. New enthusiasts are very welcome.”

This article appeared in the UT Alumni Magazine Winter 2018/2019 Edition.