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AlterG, Inc.
IndustryMedical devices
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
FounderSean Whalen
HeadquartersFremont, California, USA
Key people
  • Charles Remsberg (CEO)
  • Kevin Davidge (COO)
  • Fran Hackett (VP of Sales & Marketing)
  • Mike Philips (VP Quality & Sustaining Engineering)
  • Rick Prince (VP Design Engineering)
  • Matt Rudden (VP Operations)
ProductsTreadmills, bionic legs
Owner
Number of employees
60 (2019)
Websitewww.alterg.com
Via 400X Anti-Gravity Treadmill

AlterG, Inc. is a medical device company that makes mobility enhancement products for physical therapy and athletic training. Its first product, the Anti-Gravity Treadmill, now has a product line that includes the M/F320, Via 400 and 400X, and Pro 200 and 500.

On August 11, 2023, ReWalk Robotics completed the purchase of AlterG for $19 million.[1][2] Founded in 2005 by Sean Whalen in Fremont, California, the company has Charles Remsberg as its CEO.

History

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Sean Whalen and his father developed the original prototype of the Anti-Gravity Treadmill in the family garage,[3] using technology developed by NASA to create a treadmill that unweights a user through "differential air pressure".[4] The Nike Oregon Project, runner and coach Alberto Salazar, the Oakland Raiders and the Golden State Warriors tested and used the prototype.[4]

In 2007, the Washington Wizards were the first professional sports team to purchase the P200 model.[5] The following year, the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, and Phoenix Suns all purchased the P200 for their training rooms.[3]

In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the Anti-Gravity Treadmill, which at the time went by the name G-Trainer, as a medical device applicable for uses in rehabilitation.[6] Since then, the AlterG treadmill has been used for rehabilitating lower extremity injury or surgery, aerobic conditioning, weight control, gait training for neurological conditions, strengthening and conditioning the elderly.[7]

Named CEO of AlterG, Inc. in 2011, Steve Basta is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering program.[8][9] Ten years after acquiring the Tiburon Corporation and adding the Bionic Leg to its product line,[10] AlterG was purchased in 2023 by Israeli company ReWalk Robotics Ltd.

Technology

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All of AlterG's products are manufactured and assembled at the company's headquarters in Fremont, CA.[11] The company's line of Anti-Gravity Treadmills and its Bionic Leg both use patented technologies.[12][13][14][15][16]

Differential air pressure

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NASA developed the differential air pressure technique as a way for astronauts to exercise and maintain conditioning in space.[7]

In 2012, NASA purchased the P200 model to use for pre-flight and post-flight training of International Space Station astronauts.[17] AlterG now holds a patent for this technology, which employs air pressure to adjust the users body weight on the treadmill between 20% and 100% of normal weight.[7][18]

A year later, AlterG was named by Fast Company as one of the top 10 most innovative companies in sports for its Anti-Gravity Treadmill.[19][20] The company's Anti-Gravity Treadmill M320 was cleared by the FDA for use in medical facilities, hospitals, physical therapy clinics, and skilled nursing facilities[7] - like the other models, the M320 can reduce a user's body weight by up to 80%.[21]

Launched in 2013, the Anti-Gravity Treadmill F320 is classified as a fitness product and does not meet some of the electrical interference requirements designated by some hospitals.[citation needed] Meanwhile, Pro Anti-Gravity Treamills are used in professional athlete training and conditioning because of their high top speed of 18 mph.[22]

Intention based therapy

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Bob Horst developed the technology behind the Bionic Leg, which contains sensors and robotics that detect and provide force when a patient's weight shifts.[23] The Bionic Leg is a battery-operated external brace that uses information from foot sensors to predict the user's movements while the user walks, sits, and stands.[24]

In professional sports

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The company's Anti-Gravity Treadmill is used by professional sports teams and university sports programs, including the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Heat, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Washington Wizards, Golden State Warriors, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, Atlanta United FC, Texas Rangers, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Lions, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia 76ers and Hawthorn Hawks.[25][26][27] US Olympic Training Centers also use the Anti-Gravity Treadmill.[28][29]

NBA players Kobe Bryant[30][31] and LeBron James[26][32] and former marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe[33] use the Anti-Gravity Treadmill for physical therapy and training. Tom Brady, quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, purchased two of the Anti-Gravity Treadmills.[26]

In medicine

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The company's products are used in medical centers and physical therapy clinics for various types of rehabilitation.[34] In the United States, the products are used by Johns Hopkins Medicine,[35] the Mayo Clinic,[36] University of San Francisco,[37] UNC Health Care,[38] and Stanford Medical Center.[39]

References

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  1. ^ "ReWalk Robotics Announces Closing of Acquisition of AlterG". GlobeNewswire. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  2. ^ "ReWalk completes acquisition of rival AlterG". Globes. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  3. ^ a b "AlterG Sweats the Details for Anti-Gravity Treadmill". San Francisco Business Times. Aug 23, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Step Lightly: A Space-Age Treadmill That Reproduces Microgravity on Earth". Scientific American. Nov 10, 2010. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  5. ^ "Defying Gravity With The Alter-G Treadmill". Competitor Running. Dec 2, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  6. ^ "510(k) Premarket Notification". United States Food & Drug Association. 2008-01-25. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d "Anti-Gravity' Treadmills Speed Rehabilitation". NASA Spinoff. 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  8. ^ "Company Overview of AlterG, Inc". Businessweek. Aug 19, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.[dead link]
  9. ^ "Anti-Gravity Treadmills Improve Physical Therapy". Johns Hopkins. May 12, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  10. ^ "Zero-Gravity Treadmill Maker AlterG Buys Robotic-Brace Maker Tibion". Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Aug 23, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  11. ^ "Previous Manufacturers of the Week". National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). July 10, 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  12. ^ "US Patent Issued to AlterG on June 18 for "Differential Air Pressure Systems". HighBeam Research. June 18, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  13. ^ "WIPO Assigns Patent to AlterG for Differential Air Pressure Systems". HighBeam Research. November 19, 2010. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  14. ^ "Intention-Based Therapy Device and Method". United States Patent and Trademark Office. March 1, 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  15. ^ "Differential Air Pressure Systems". United States Patent and Trademark Office. May 26, 2011. Archived from the original on 2014-02-05. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  16. ^ "Foot Pad Device And Method Of Obtaining Weight Data". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Aug 19, 2010. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  17. ^ "AlterG™ Anti-Gravity Treadmill Returns To NASA". World News. 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  18. ^ "Differential Air Pressure Systems". United States Patent and Trademark Office. May 29, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-02-05. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  19. ^ "Most Innovative Companies 2013 – The World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies In Sports". Fast Company. February 11, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  20. ^ "AlterG Recognized by Fast Company as a Most Innovative Company". SNews. February 13, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  21. ^ "Machines to help you take a load off". LA Times. April 5, 2010. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  22. ^ "P200 ANTI-GRAVITY TREADMILLS". SPS Fitness. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  23. ^ "AlterG Introduces Wearable Robotic Bionic Leg". AZO Robotics. August 20, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  24. ^ "I Wore a Bionic Leg, And I Never Wanted To Take It Off Again". Gizmodo. July 10, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  25. ^ "Young Hawk back to full fitness as fight for midfield spots heats up". afl.com.au. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  26. ^ a b c "Walking on the Moon". Jetset Magazine. 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  27. ^ "AlterG in Sports". AlterG, Inc. website. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  28. ^ "Using An Anti-Gravity Treadmill As A Recovery Tool". Competitor Running. January 24, 2011. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  29. ^ "Alter G treadmill reduces body weight to help users with rehab". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 23, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  30. ^ "Watch: Kobe Bryant on an AlterG Treadmill". Runners World. August 20, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  31. ^ "Kobe Bryant Running on Alter-G Treadmill". Lakers Nation. Aug 19, 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  32. ^ "Lebron James Using AlterG". East Suburban Sports Medicine Center (ESSMC). Oct 17, 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  33. ^ "Paula Radcliffe: Fame & Fortune".
  34. ^ "Run Like You're on the Moon". Gizmodo. May 23, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  35. ^ "About Us" (PDF). Johns Hopkins Medicine. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-14. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  36. ^ "The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill: New at ESSMC". ESSMC. Oct 17, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  37. ^ "Antigravity Training Lifts UCSF Patients to New Heights of Health". UCSF. May 6, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  38. ^ "UNC Health Care". www.unchealthcare.org. Retrieved 2019-11-03.
  39. ^ "Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Services". Stanford Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
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