Aerotrim
Encyclopedia
An aerotrim is a gyroscope
large enough to contain a human being, used for cardiovascular workout and equilibrioception
(balance) training in pilots and astronaut
s. Aerotrims enjoyed worldwide popularity in gym
s during the 1980s, but are now out of production outside of professional applications. A handful of machines are still in circulation, largely used for entertainment at fairs and events and as sci-fi showpieces in movies and television. Several companies around the world have picked up the idea and produced their own version with slight changes.
One of the originals, made in Korea, can be found in Slovenia at Aerotrim Ekopool Celje.
The Aerotrim how it is known today was originally conceived in the early eighties by Helmut Suchy, an Austrian inventor, as training machine for his own ailing spine, friends suggested its potential for gyms and hospitals (Patent # 4799667). The first prototype was built by him in his garage and attached to the garage walls, but lacked general safety precautions and decent foot attachment mechanism, meaning that the machine was only accessible to people of a certain height.
Based on a profit sharing agreement, Mr. Suchy, who unsuccessfully had applied for a patent in Austria, passed on the rights to the German entrepreneur Hermann Dittrich, who through his import-export company Contactos Trading, Gesellschaft fuer internationalen Handel mbH at great cost applied internationally for patent. Mr. Dittrich also chose the name Aerotrim over Suchy’s original 3D-Fun. In need to make it safer, he came up with handles, the overhead hand protectors made of Plexiglas and the height-adjustable foot mechanism that allowed even children (of a minimum height) to use the machine. As a result, it even passed the German TÜV safety inspections. Contactos looked worldwide for manufacturers. The Aerotrim started to be made in Germany
, Korea
, Taiwan
and the USA, were negotiations started to form a company named “Gyrotec” with the renowned US Ski manufacturer “Hart Ski Company” and other investors. Contactos launched its own coordinated ad campaign single-handed, first in Germany and globally over the next few years.
It is this control, or ‘wheeling’, that requires every muscle in the body to be used evenly, even those not usually targeted by weight training or general cardiovascular exercise. In addition "One major advantage is that the 'superstar' possesses is a highly evolved spatial consciousness and kinesthetic response mechanism. The Aerotrim is an excellent choice for athletes seeking to safely develop these often overlooked attributes." - Randy Huntington (Personal coach to Elite Athletes) "It's not a gimmick, it's a very serious and important way of training... it' been particularly useful in blind people and also people with severe physical handicaps. It builds confidence, it allows them to work out in a totally new way, one the haven't experienced before." - Dr John White, London, England - Institute of Higher Education. "The Aerotrim has been beneficial in my training for the national team trials." Anthony Amado - U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. The spinning motion gives a feel of weightlessness and it is this feeling that can cause a healthy addiction. "There is not question that the Aerotrim improves balance, coordination and partial awareness in neurological disorders. The clinician is able to move the patients through all the planes either passively or actively." - Douglas Raymond, Physical Therapist. Regular users, colloquially known as Wheelers or Aeronauts, began to devise and name moves and routines, sometimes in synchrony with two or more machines.
, Gattaca
, The Lawnmower Man
(where it is called cyclosphere; however, it has been argued by purists that the machine featured here was only influenced by the Aerotrim) and more recently aboard Star Trek: Enterprise
.
Its size and retail price made it unreachable for most private owners and it was only large gyms, hospitals and even freestyle-ski resorts that acquired it, often several at once.
If a giant leap from gym equipment to toy, it was a small step to space. It did not take long for the aeronautical community to see its value for equilibrium and weightlessness exercise. An entire fleet was acquired by Lufthansa
, another by the Korean air force and several were used by the German space agency for astronaut training. Most European astronauts that have gone to MIR used the Aerotrim for preparation. Soon the myth emerged that the Aerotrim was originally developed to prepare astronauts for weightlessness.” This however is obviously inaccurate. To this day ESA uses the machine for its official training programs, as well as part of its public training programs.
Its primary role in sci-fi movies, besides futuristic astronaut-trainer, was as a Virtual Environment simulator. But it was not until the mid-nineties that it actually was used as such. Adding VR goggles and a joystick it could be used to play a few games, but since its motion is controlled by the user, its application for VE simulation was limited. This was changed when a motorized version was introduced, which basically interlocked the Aerotrim and user in a VE. Designed as an entertainment device, this version supported VEs in a Head Mounted Display, 3-D binaural sound spacing and up to two joysticks, with either head tracking or user tracking based on the position of the gyroscope.
In a final desperate move to save a sinking ship, Contactos passed on rights to an Irish company named “Lifeway Ltd.” But even this movement could not save it from doom. Soon they too had to cease production. Nearly exactly ten years after its birth, the last true Aerotrim was produced in late 1990 and the patent rights were lost due to lack of interest in keeping them alive.
At present, there are several clone versions of the original Aerotrim with different names on the market, but the only company still building variations with modest success is GyroGym, Inc.
Gyroscope
A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
large enough to contain a human being, used for cardiovascular workout and equilibrioception
Equilibrioception
Equilibrioception or sense of balance is one of the physiological senses. It helps prevent humans and animals from falling over when walking or standing still. Balance is the result of a number of body systems working together: the eyes , ears and the body's sense of where it is in space ideally...
(balance) training in pilots and astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s. Aerotrims enjoyed worldwide popularity in gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
s during the 1980s, but are now out of production outside of professional applications. A handful of machines are still in circulation, largely used for entertainment at fairs and events and as sci-fi showpieces in movies and television. Several companies around the world have picked up the idea and produced their own version with slight changes.
One of the originals, made in Korea, can be found in Slovenia at Aerotrim Ekopool Celje.
History
The earliest patents for gyroscopic devices built to carry humans dates back up to 1907 (Patent # 846925). There were several attempts at similar machines throughout the following 80 years by various inventors. Several of them, such as the 1907 and the 1920 version, in rectangular shape. The first round human Gyroscope patent application however was July 1964 (Patent # 3141669).The Aerotrim how it is known today was originally conceived in the early eighties by Helmut Suchy, an Austrian inventor, as training machine for his own ailing spine, friends suggested its potential for gyms and hospitals (Patent # 4799667). The first prototype was built by him in his garage and attached to the garage walls, but lacked general safety precautions and decent foot attachment mechanism, meaning that the machine was only accessible to people of a certain height.
Based on a profit sharing agreement, Mr. Suchy, who unsuccessfully had applied for a patent in Austria, passed on the rights to the German entrepreneur Hermann Dittrich, who through his import-export company Contactos Trading, Gesellschaft fuer internationalen Handel mbH at great cost applied internationally for patent. Mr. Dittrich also chose the name Aerotrim over Suchy’s original 3D-Fun. In need to make it safer, he came up with handles, the overhead hand protectors made of Plexiglas and the height-adjustable foot mechanism that allowed even children (of a minimum height) to use the machine. As a result, it even passed the German TÜV safety inspections. Contactos looked worldwide for manufacturers. The Aerotrim started to be made in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and the USA, were negotiations started to form a company named “Gyrotec” with the renowned US Ski manufacturer “Hart Ski Company” and other investors. Contactos launched its own coordinated ad campaign single-handed, first in Germany and globally over the next few years.
The idea
Contrary to the initial appearance, the Aerotrim is not a close-your-eyes-and-hold-on machine and does not cause dizziness or nausea if it is controlled by the rider himself. Like a dumbbell or bicycle, human strength is required to direct the motions by balancing the body weight. During a forward or backward spin to be in command of the machine becomes limited, but it is still possible to flip out of a spinning loop and translate the momentum from forward motion to a sideways, backwards, horizontal or vertical spin. It is the only stationary exercise machine known to have the ability to move into any direction by counterbalance alone.It is this control, or ‘wheeling’, that requires every muscle in the body to be used evenly, even those not usually targeted by weight training or general cardiovascular exercise. In addition "One major advantage is that the 'superstar' possesses is a highly evolved spatial consciousness and kinesthetic response mechanism. The Aerotrim is an excellent choice for athletes seeking to safely develop these often overlooked attributes." - Randy Huntington (Personal coach to Elite Athletes) "It's not a gimmick, it's a very serious and important way of training... it' been particularly useful in blind people and also people with severe physical handicaps. It builds confidence, it allows them to work out in a totally new way, one the haven't experienced before." - Dr John White, London, England - Institute of Higher Education. "The Aerotrim has been beneficial in my training for the national team trials." Anthony Amado - U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. The spinning motion gives a feel of weightlessness and it is this feeling that can cause a healthy addiction. "There is not question that the Aerotrim improves balance, coordination and partial awareness in neurological disorders. The clinician is able to move the patients through all the planes either passively or actively." - Douglas Raymond, Physical Therapist. Regular users, colloquially known as Wheelers or Aeronauts, began to devise and name moves and routines, sometimes in synchrony with two or more machines.
Going to Hollywood
As soon as it hit television in Germany the Aerotrim was often featured and used as a prop in movies, television series, commercials and even as a prize in game shows. Its first appearance on American television was in a Pepsi commercial. Dozen more cameos followed, mostly in sci-fi themed shows and movies, including FortressFortress (1993 film)
Fortress is a 1993 science fiction film directed by Stuart Gordon and shot at Warner Brothers Movie World in Queensland, Australia. The story takes place in a dystopian future. The main character in the movie, John Henry Brennick and his wife Karen B...
, Gattaca
Gattaca
Gattaca is a 1997 science fiction film written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Jude Law with supporting roles played by Loren Dean, Ernest Borgnine, Gore Vidal and Alan Arkin....
, The Lawnmower Man
The Lawnmower Man
"The Lawnmower Man" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the May 1975 issue of Cavalier, and later collected in King's 1978 collection Night Shift.-Plot summary:...
(where it is called cyclosphere; however, it has been argued by purists that the machine featured here was only influenced by the Aerotrim) and more recently aboard Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
.
Influence on the 80s
Its large size and appearance made it an instant crowd pleaser, drawing masses in all its public appearances. It was readily featured in the general media, often in feature stories and cover pages, which is why it enjoyed a worldwide exposure.Its size and retail price made it unreachable for most private owners and it was only large gyms, hospitals and even freestyle-ski resorts that acquired it, often several at once.
If a giant leap from gym equipment to toy, it was a small step to space. It did not take long for the aeronautical community to see its value for equilibrium and weightlessness exercise. An entire fleet was acquired by Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
, another by the Korean air force and several were used by the German space agency for astronaut training. Most European astronauts that have gone to MIR used the Aerotrim for preparation. Soon the myth emerged that the Aerotrim was originally developed to prepare astronauts for weightlessness.” This however is obviously inaccurate. To this day ESA uses the machine for its official training programs, as well as part of its public training programs.
Variations
Several variations of the original were produced, some by Contactos, some by cloners. These include a children’s version (MiniAerotrim), wheelchair versions suitable for use by paraplegics or quadriplegics , as well as motorized versions.Its primary role in sci-fi movies, besides futuristic astronaut-trainer, was as a Virtual Environment simulator. But it was not until the mid-nineties that it actually was used as such. Adding VR goggles and a joystick it could be used to play a few games, but since its motion is controlled by the user, its application for VE simulation was limited. This was changed when a motorized version was introduced, which basically interlocked the Aerotrim and user in a VE. Designed as an entertainment device, this version supported VEs in a Head Mounted Display, 3-D binaural sound spacing and up to two joysticks, with either head tracking or user tracking based on the position of the gyroscope.
Clone wars
Just a year after the launch, the first clones appeared and Contactos, owning worldwide patents by then, saw itself involved in its inaugural patent-battle. But the clones kept on coming in the US, Italy, Korea, France, and other countries, trying to avoid the patents by changing the foothold and even the shape (some companies produced square and even decagon shaped clones) as well as the firm hip support which alone made the Aerotrim a controllable device. Over the following years international lawyers were hired to handle the various court cases. Contactos basically won all of them, but the legal fees soon outweighed the company’s income from this project and Contactos had to keep on financing it through other business activities.In a final desperate move to save a sinking ship, Contactos passed on rights to an Irish company named “Lifeway Ltd.” But even this movement could not save it from doom. Soon they too had to cease production. Nearly exactly ten years after its birth, the last true Aerotrim was produced in late 1990 and the patent rights were lost due to lack of interest in keeping them alive.
At present, there are several clone versions of the original Aerotrim with different names on the market, but the only company still building variations with modest success is GyroGym, Inc.
Links
- INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES - IDA Review of Virtual Environment Interface Technology (includes Orbotron)
- Full body, Olfactory, Gustatory, Technologies (includes Cybertron and Orbotron)
- The Future of Fitness, Men's Journal, September 2005 http://www.mensjournal.com/healthFitness/0509/workout_gyroscope.html
- Spin Cycle, Vogue, April 2007 http://gyrogym.com/vogueanddolcegabbana.html