Mini-Treadmill for Musculoskeletal Health, Phase II

ZIN Technologies, Inc. is developing a novel Miniature Treadmill with resistive exercise capability for use in spaceflight exercise countermeasures and broad terrestrial therapeutic applications. The treadmill offers excellent periodic impact exercise to stimulate bone remodeling and cardiovascular activity as well as an added component of resistive exercise to encourage all-body muscle maintenance. The goal of this project is to demonstrate by design and analysis that the proposed treadmill will satisfy the stringent volumetric, power, and performance requirements demanded by lunar missions and provide the active feedback necessary to control the treadmill and display Daily Load Stimulus (DLS). We are additionally developing a new novel speed control algorithm in which the runner can modulate the treadmill speed through adjusting their stride. A new subject load device is being developed for use in providing a more earthlike gravity replacement load to astronauts during spaceflight. We along with our partner the Cleveland Clinic believe that a hybrid compact exercise device along with the direct feedback of DLS is a unique and new approach that will provide a superior in space exercise system than ones currently in use on ISS.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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