V I B E T E C H  N E W S  &  U P D A T E S

VibeTech partners with Blitz Proto to produce VibeTech 3 portable therapeutic vibration device

Published by: Jeff Pederson • February 9, 2024

VibeTech, Blitz Proto gear up to launch VibeTech 3

SHEBOYGAN, WIS. February 12, 2024 – A new manufacturing agreement with Blitz Proto has put Sheboygan, Wis.-based VibeTech on track to begin production of its new portable therapeutic vibration device – the VibeTech 3.

 

Conceptualized in 2001 under the vision and leadership of CEO and Founder Jeff Leismer, VibeTech is intensely focused on the development of therapeutic vibration technology dedicated to helping older adults in reducing falls and increasing their level of mobility.

 

After producing the VibeTech 1, VibeTech 2 and VibeSitePRO therapeutic vibration devices in recent years, Leismer and Blitz Proto President Beau-James joined forces in 2023 in an effort to jump start production of the new VibeTech 3 portable therapeutic vibration device.

 

“Blitz Proto started working on design cost reductions for the VibeTech 3 in 2023,” Leismer said. “We engaged them in engineering redesign when it became apparent that engineering updates were required to accommodate changes in critical parts that became unavailable. [Blitz Proto President] Beau-James Erion is the one who spearheaded the manufacturing cost reductions that enable the VibeTech 3 to be sold at roughly half the price of what we previously expected.

 

“They are now working on completing the first production prototype VibeTech 3,” he said. “We anticipate a first batch of production devices from Blitz Proto at the end of March.”

 

Erion says Blitz Proto has relished the opportunity to offer design and engineering assistance in collaborating with Leismer and VibeTech on a more cost-effective version of the VibeTech 3.

 

“Blitz Proto specializes in prototype design and engineering,” Erion said. “We provide 3-D printing, machining and a combination of prototyping services to produce products such as the VibeTech 3, which require prototype design and implementation for new or existing concepts while utilizing additional resources and expertise to get to the manufacturing stage. We also specialize in custom lighting solutions, automotive design and electronics.”

 

According to Erion, aligning with VibeTech provides a perfect fit for Blitz Proto, which is headquartered in Farmington Hills, Mich.

 

“We started working with Jeff on electronics CM [configuration management],” Erion said. “Through that, VibeTech discovered we have more capabilities than just mechanical design services.

 

“Both Jeff and I have strong ideals in common regarding the development of products, as well as complementary skill sets and knowledge, which made the idea of working together even more appealing,” he said. “I was initially drawn to VibeTech’s strong sense of moral fiber. It is simply a good idea for Blitz Proto to work with VibeTech. We want to help make the VibeTech 3 a reality.”

 

The upcoming year promises to be a busy one for VibeTech and Blitz Proto as they collaborate to bring the VibeTech 3 to the final production stage.

 

“We have been engaging with VibeTech in research and design activities and are finishing next generation units for release this year,” Erion said. “We are ramping up our production plans and procedures, as well as expanding facilities and equipment as necessary to both meet the needs of VibeTech and the demand for VibeTech products.

 

“So far we have struck an efficient balance between engineering and cost-effective design,” he said. “We have been working with both of our resources to ensure sustainable design at a price point that can satisfy our customers in a very demanding industry.”

 

Leismer is eager to see VibeTech’s alliance with Blitz Proto come to full fruition in 2024.

 

“I'm delighted to work with Blitz Proto because not only did they dramatically reduce production costs while at the same time enhancing the VibeTech 3's quality and functionality, but they also treat me and the VibeTech team like family,” Leismer said. “Their team is a highly creative, uniquely innovative and a technologically savvy bunch, so VibeTech fits right in.”

 

Erion is equally enthusiastic about the potential growth and development of the Blitz Proto-VibeTech collaboration.

 

“Working with VibeTech has been a refreshing experience,” Erion said. “We are mixing the brute force of intellectual capability, talent and clear vision for the future. It is exciting to work with a group with similar values, motility and veracity.”

 

More information on VibeTech can be found at www.vibetechglobal.com.

 

For more details on Blitz Proto’s partnership with VibeTech, visit www.blitzproto.com/vibetech/.

 

ABOUT VIBETECH

 

VibeTech is a NASA Spinoff medical device company located in Sheboygan, Wis. The FDA-listed, patented therapeutic vibration technology is designed to treat individuals with muscle weakness, impaired balance, reduced mobility and pain. It does this conveniently from the comfort of a chair or wheelchair, with or without the user putting forth effort. This solution maximizes efficiencies of care staff by engaging family members where possible to improve outcomes and provide a rewarding, interactive, engaging experience to all. The immediate and long-term benefits of treatment which have been observed and published are unprecedented in the senior living industry, because the age and frailty of VibeTech’s end users typically precludes the reversal of atrophy, decline and pain experienced even when receiving standard care. Over 20,000 Medicare and insurance reimbursed treatments have been provided safely to date, bolstering the company’s goal of establishing the new standard of care for older adults most at risk of falls and fall-related injuries.

 

For more information on VibeTech, visit www.vibetechglobal.com.

 

ABOUT BLITZ PROTO

 

Blitz Proto was founded in 2022 by engineers with a vision of innovating the prototype service market in Southeast Michigan. Blitz Proto opened its current location in Farmington Hills, Mich. in March 2023. With the purpose of meeting the prototyping needs of local and national customers, Blitz Proto is committed to providing full-service prototype support across industries. With expertise in design and engineering, Blitz Proto is able to take a prototype from an idea to a production part with full service, including CAD designs and 3D models to initiate proof of concept. Blitz Proto’s partners bring years of conventional and CNC milling experience. Manufacturing capabilities are specifically designed for high-speed machining of smaller components, while implementing a number of work holding and material management strategies that also contribute to the overall process efficiency.

 

For more information on Blitz Proto, visit www.blitzproto.com.


VibeTech earns Forward BIOLABS ICP Award

By Jeff Pederson • February 11, 2026
February 3, 2026 Forward BIOLABS has announced the first round of awardees for its Innovation to Commercialization Pipeline (ICP) program , a new initiative designed to help early-stage biohealth companies across Wisconsin move closer to market readiness. The ICP program provides targeted, non-dilutive support to startups working to translate scientific innovation into commercial products. The program is aimed at companies navigating early commercialization challenges, including regulatory strategy, intellectual property development, scale-up planning and investment readiness. Forward BIOLABS announced that 18 emerging biohealth companies were selected in the program’s inaugural round. Each company received between $25,000 and $75,000 in non-dilutive funding, with award amounts tailored to the specific commercialization needs of each business. The selected companies span a wide range of biohealth sectors, including medical devices, diagnostics, biomanufacturing, life sciences, pharmaceuticals and radiopharmaceuticals. Collectively, the awardees reflect both Wisconsin’s established strengths in imaging and healthcare technologies and growing momentum in highly investable areas such as AI-enabled platforms and radiopharmaceutical development. ICP Round 1 awardees Archeus Technologies (Madison) – Developing radiopharmaceutical therapies and imaging agents for oncology. Arkayli Biopharma (Madison) – Developing targeted precision drug delivery for pediatric rare skin and vascular diseases. Axio Biopharma (Madison) – Building an AI-ready biologics CDMO with a cross-site data ecosystem. AyrFlo Innovation Labs (Madison) – Developing a noninvasive wearable breathing sensor to detect post-surgical deterioration. Crainosure (Madison) – Developing a smartphone app to help primary care providers screen infants for head shape differences. Estrigenix Therapeutics ( Milwaukee) – Developing drugs to treat symptoms associated with menopause. ImgGyd (Middleton) – Developing hardware and software for image-guided placement of minimally invasive brain electrodes and catheters. Immuto Scientific (Madison) – Building an automated, high-throughput platform for protein characterization in cells and solutions. Kivi Bio (Kenosha) – Supporting early-stage and scaling biohealth companies lacking access to biomanufacturing equipment. Phoenix-Aid (Madison) – Developing advanced wound care dressings using patented nanocomposite materials. Refined Sciences (Madison) – Specializing in bioprocessing components and assemblies for the biopharmaceutical industry. Retham Technologies (Milwaukee) – Developing a diagnostic test for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia to reduce patient risk. Roddy Medical (Milwaukee) – Developing medical line securement technology focused on improving patient safety. Sonoptima (Milwaukee) – Developing a wearable, AI-enabled ultrasound technology for radiation therapy timing. Soul Mobility (Oconomowoc) – Building mobility products for users in the complex rehabilitation wheelchair market. Stem Pharm (Fitchburg) – Developing small-molecule therapies for neuroinflammatory diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Varizymes (Middleton) – Developing rapid point-of-care molecular diagnostic reagents. Vibetech Enterprises (Sheboygan) – Developing rehabilitation technology to improve physical mobility and safe exercise access. Funding for the ICP program is supported through state-matched Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub funding under 2023 WI Act 96. The program is one of five initiatives that make up the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub, which aims to strengthen the state’s biohealth ecosystem and accelerate company growth statewide. Awardees were selected through a competitive review process by the ICP Award Committee, a group of volunteer industry leaders from across Wisconsin’s biohealth and investment communities. The committee was led by Jessica Martin Eckerly , CEO and co-founder of Forward BIOLABS , and Lisa Johnson , CEO of BioForward Wisconsin, and included Brad Garcia , director of strategy and operations at AbbVie ; Elizabeth Hagerman , chief innovation officer at UW Health and executive director of the Isthmus Project ; Jay Hill , retired vice president of advanced technology at GE Healthcare ; Jenni Le , principal at Venture Investors Health Fund ; Jill Enos , managing partner at TitletownTech ; Justin Krause , vice president of global operations coordination and integrations at Exact Sciences ; Laura Hilty , principal at HealthX Ventures ; Nicolas Paris , CEO of Gilson ; and Sarah Duellman , biotech industry strategy and growth lead at Promega . Forward BIOLABS said the committee evaluated applications based on commercialization readiness, proposed use of funds and potential impact on Wisconsin’s biohealth sector. Martin Eckerly said the selected companies represent a group that is not only working in emerging areas of biohealth but also nearing key moments of commercial impact. “The winners here really include companies that are at the cutting edge of industry. They are the next wave of technologies,” she said. Several of the awardees are approaching regulatory milestones, scale-up decisions or initial commercialization efforts, making the ICP awards a timely form of support rather than a general infusion of capital. She added that the cohort reflects a broader strength of Wisconsin’s innovation ecosystem, where companies tend to focus on execution and technical progress before seeking visibility. She noted the ICP program is designed to support companies that are already doing the work and need targeted resources to move forward, reinforcing Wisconsin’s reputation as a place where biohealth innovations are built and validated.  A second round of ICP awards is planned for 2026.

VibeTech showcased in new WSCS program 'Technology to Advance Healthy Communities'

By Jeff Pederson • August 19, 2022
The new WSCS program "Technology to Advance Healthy Communities" features (pictured left to right) Generations, Intergenerational Center Executive Director Jane Brill, VibeTech Founder and CEO Jeff Leismer and Rocky Knoll Health Care Center Life Enrichment Director Janine Bolz.

VibeTech explores partnerships to help slow Parkinson's progression

By Jeff Pederson • February 18, 2022
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. The Accelerated Movement for Parkinson’s “AMP” Project out of Gregory Boxing is a boxing program designed for people with Parkinson’s to use physical and mental exercise to better manage their lives with the disease. According to The National Institute of Health (NIH), exercise and physical activity are believed to promote neural plasticity for individuals with Parkinson’s disease, along with the potential to slow the disease’s progression. Boxing for Parkinson’s disease has recently received increased attention across the globe. Along with the positive impact of the AMP Project, VibeTech’s VibeSitPRO portable therapeutic vibration rehabilitation device is well-suited for use by people living with Parkinson’s disease. For information on the AMP program, contact Marty Maibuecher at maibuecher@asmchicago.com.

VibeTech launches collaborative study with Florida State University

By Jeff Pederson • January 28, 2022
VibeTech has entered into a new collaboration with Florida State University. VibeTech is working with Dr. Lynn Panton, Mia Kay Newlin Ph.D., RN., M.S.N., and Dr. Paul Katz, along with VibeTech’s Medical Advisor, Dr. Terry Sullivan on this collaboration. Dr. Panton’s research interests are in the area of exercise training and its effects on body composition, muscular strength and functional outcomes of healthy older adults and chronically diseased populations. Dr. Newlin-Bradner’s initial educational pursuits were in the field of exercise physiology. Dr. Newlin-Bradner then pursued nursing and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Florida State University followed by an Master of Science degree in nursing education from Florida State University. Dr. Newlin-Bradner’s research interest is focused on the role of activity in the prevention and management of chronic disease, with a specific emphasis on women with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Dr. Katz has been practicing geriatrics for 36 years. He chose geriatrics because there was a great need for geriatric specialists, the patients’ medical conditions are complex and it is a fairly new specialty. Through the collaboration, VibeTech and the Florida State University will study the benefits of the VibeSitPro - a safe, pain-free way to activate muscles impacted by atrophy and restore physical function due to age, injury, or surgery for all ages. VibeTech is currently preparing to launch its new VibeSitPRO with the first five portable therapeutic vibration rehabilitation devices set to be delivered in the first quarter of 2022.

VibeTech nominated for Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce Manufacturer of the Year Award

By Jeff Pederson • January 21, 2022
Late VibeTech CFO Ed Morgan (second left) and VibeTech CEO and Founder Jeff Leismer (second right) accept the Wisconsin Innovation Award in 2017, which was presented by BioForward Executive Director, Lisa Johnson (far left).

Older adults have increased strength, range of motion, foot sensation from VibeTech treatments

By Jeff Pederson • January 14, 2022
The results are in! In a local clinical study using VibeTech’s brand new AutoDosing™ therapeutic vibration protocol, neuropathy symptoms decreased significantly after each treatment. This builds on previous studies demonstrating increased strength, balance, range of motion and walking speed in older adults, as well as decreased pain and evidence of fewer falls in at-risk individuals. Strength is critically important to maintaining quality of life as a person ages, and the VibeSitPRO provides the ability for millions who have difficulty exercising to improve their strength. Study participant comments: · * I feel like I am doing something positive for my health. I am always in better spirits after I have a treatment. · * My ankles no longer hurt at the end of the day like they used to. · * I’m able to stand much longer. · * It feels like my legs are much looser. · * I notice it’s much easier to walk down the hallway after a treatment. · * My knee doesn’t give out as frequently as it used to. · * I love how the device makes my legs feel. VibeTech and collaborator Rocky Knoll Health Care Center in Plymouth, Wis. will launch the final phase of the long-term study with the delivery of the first two VibeSitPRO devices in early 2022.
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