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
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 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 HopkinsBiomedical 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
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
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
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]
