The Human Augmentation Market Just Got Red-Hot

Last October I wrote to you about one of the most exciting and potentially profitable “Unstoppable Trends” of all – Human Augmentation. At the time I noted that the human augmentation market will conservatively be worth hundreds of billions of dollars by 2020 because it’s expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 43.52% a year.

I think I may have understated things.

Recent research suggests that we need to move beyond technology to include biological upgrades, too. That means the target market potentially doubles right along with our profit potential.

That’s going to be fabulous for my favorite Human Augmentation recommendation: Ekso Bionics Holding (OTC: EKSO). It’s returned 25% since I first brought it to your attention last autumn.

But you know what?

It’s also going to be great for a few other Human Augmentation companies I highlighted in October.

One of them has recently doubled, while a few others are up two, three, or twelve times the overall return of the S&P 500 this year.

So far…

Here’s what you need to know to profit from the Human Augmentation Trend today.

human augmentationGrowth So Explosive That Even the Mainstream Media Notices

Back in October, I noted that Human Augmentation was so inconspicuous from an investment perspective, I hadn’t seen a single analyst tie it together the way we have.

That’s still true today, which means the “first mover” advantage you have is very real at a time when 99% of the investing public remains oblivious. But it’s changing very quickly.

I know this because Research and Markets recently published a comprehensive report on human augmentation last month drawing many of the same conclusions we have. So the cat is out of the proverbial bag.

What’s interesting about this, though, is the way the mainstream media responded. Both CNBC and FOX News reported on the projection, as did dozens of other outlets.

That tells me that there’s an awakening underway. The dawning realization that this is not merely a science fiction indulgence makes the Human Augmentation market an even more viable investment opportunity.

This also suggests you can expect the tone of the coverage to shift even more rapidly as more investors discover what we already know.

And that means fresh interest in companies we’re already tracking. Here’s what you need to know about our best performers.

Synaptics Inc. (Nasdaq: SYNA)

When my colleague Sid Riggs at the Money Map Report made the case for investing in Synaptics Inc. (Nasdaq: SYNA) to me in June 2014, I was so impressed I stepped aside to let him take the lead for that month’s issue.

And, sure enough, Money Map Report subscribers made some impressive gains…

Those who followed along with that recommendation had the chance to take profits of more than 30% in two months – almost 10 times the returns of the S&P 500 over the same period.

What we saw in SYNA last summer was its little-known leadership in “custom designed user interface solutions,” or the technology that allows our smartphones to do what we want them to. With the number of smart devices expected to soar from 7 billion mid-decade to 50 billion by 2020, that’s reason in itself to give SYNA a look.

But this expertise goes beyond the exploding market for smart devices. It also means that SYNA will be at the forefront of bridging the gap between augmentation-enhanced bodies and the human limitations we all face.

Few people realize that the company was founded by scientists who devoted their talents to uncovering the greatest obstacles that remain in neurological research. This sense of mission – which goes back to its founding in 1986 – has given the company a massive head start in ironing out the difficulties of upgrading and transforming the brain itself.

Even better, the company has hundreds of neurologic-based patents that will only expire at a time when the field of human augmentation is so transformed that other companies would have little to gain from piggy-backing off of SYNA’s breakthroughs.

This helps to shut off SYNA’s secrets from its competitors and, more importantly for us, helps the company secure a disproportionately large share of the booming human augmentation market.

Vuzix Corp. (Nasdaq: VUZI)

Vuzix Corp. (Nasdaq: VUZI) is a New York-based technology company that designs, manufactures, and sells computer display technology and software.

It’s been involved in virtual reality since its formation in 1997. That’s when Vuzix purchased the assets of the virtual reality company Forte Technologies and began a string of virtual reality inventions that would ultimately lead it to develop night-vision goggles for Raytheon and virtual reality headsets for other customers.

The stock has been on a tear since mid-November, when it announced Q3/2014 earnings that were up 96% year over year thanks in part to a surge in sales of its M100 Smart Glasses amid growing global brand recognition. And while the company is still losing money, it’s busy forging partnerships and alliances with better-known companies that will allow it to win the future of virtual reality. In particular, its announcement last February that it will work with Pristine’s Eye platform is a major development for the chances of the M100 Smart Glasses going mainstream.

The stock has doubled since December and is pennies away from its 52-week high – but as we saw with Altria recently, that’s not necessarily a deal-breaker. I wouldn’t waste too much time waiting for another entry point for such a promising company – not when it has an “Unstoppable Trend” behind it and ahead of your money.

Infinity Augmented Reality Inc. (OTC: ALSO)

Infinity Augmented Reality Inc. (OTC: ALSO) is a company based in New York that designs and develops augmented reality (AR) software. Its AR software allows its users to experience the real world through digital images overlay, video, and sound as it’s accessed from a smartphone screen, tablet, or pair of digital glasses.

The company beat out the leading augmented reality firms in Europe to win the prestigious 2015 Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation Award last January. The Frost & Sullivan research group was particularly impressed by ALSO’s Infinity AR engine, which allows 2D camera sensors to detect 3D environments and “has the capability to deliver a richer AR experience for users,” according to Swapnadeep Nayak, an analyst at Frost & Sullivan Industry. I’m impressed, too.

Meanwhile, the massive accolades for ALSO’s AR system has raised some hopes that it might be headed towards a buyout that’s wildly profitable for shareholders, following the example of the virtual reality company Oculus’ $2 billion purchase by Facebook. The company’s leadership is clearly keeping an eye on this possibility, with COO Motti Kushnir remarking on the week of Oculus’ buy-out, “I am excited to see what has been a very active week in the Augmented Reality technology sector with Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus VR… I believe that Infinity AR is developing one of the most exciting technology platforms for the future.”

If that’s not code speak for “come buy me,” I don’t know what is.

[epom key="ddec3ef33420ef7c9964a4695c349764" redirect="" sourceid="" imported="false"]

There’s a lot of reason to be optimistic about ALSO. However, it is a penny stock, hovering at $0.10/share as I write. At those levels, trailing stops that we would otherwise apply don’t really work because the stock is so cheap and undoubtedly the domain of speculative day traders. So allocate no more than 2% of your investment capital to this trade.

Projected 1,676% Gains: Why EKSO Is Still the Human Augmentation Market’s Big One

A number of you have asked if I’m still as bullish as I was in early February, when I raised my price projection on EKSO to $21.85/share – a 1,676% gain from today’s price. The answer is yes.

As I noted in a recent update, the stock is undergoing a fundamental transition even as it takes a pause to drift lower. That’s because people like us – with focus and a vision – are gradually forcing the day traders and punters to go elsewhere to get their ya-yas.

In a sign that we’re on the right track, it’s worth noting that the company is now being followed by analysts at Edison and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. I expect others to follow later this year.

As usual, I’ll be in touch when there’s news.

In closing, let other investors chase social media or fight over the likes of Twitter, GoPro, and Microsoft.

Human Augmentation is THE most exciting “Unstoppable Trend” of all.

I’ll bet my memory chips on it.

Editor's Note: Keith expects these companies to do very, very well as Human Augmentation grows at a 43% annual rate… but his initial recommendation to play this Trend, Ekso Bionics, is on a whole new level. That's why it returned 100% gains within six weeks of his recommending it to Total Wealth readers, and he sees plenty of upside ahead. For a full and free report on why Keith projects gains of more than 1,600% for EKSO over the next few years, sign up for Total Wealth here – it's free!

About the Author

Keith is a seasoned market analyst and professional trader with more than 37 years of global experience. He is one of very few experts to correctly see both the dot.bomb crisis and the ongoing financial crisis coming ahead of time - and one of even fewer to help millions of investors around the world successfully navigate them both. Forbes hailed him as a "Market Visionary." He is a regular on FOX Business News and Yahoo! Finance, and his observations have been featured in Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, WIRED, and MarketWatch. Keith previously led The Money Map Report, Money Map's flagship newsletter, as Chief Investment Strategist, from 20007 to 2020. Keith holds a BS in management and finance from Skidmore College and an MS in international finance (with a focus on Japanese business science) from Chaminade University. He regularly travels the world in search of investment opportunities others don't yet see or understand.

Read full bio