The present invention relates to a cover assembly including a frame including at least one inflatable portion. At least one cover is supported by the frame to define a chamber. Adjustment means is provided for adjusting the air conditions (e.g. pressure or oxygen content) of the pressure chamber.

A DAP unweighting system comprising an unweighting assembly and an exercise machine wherein the unweighting system is adaptable to the exercise machine and uses existing framing elements of the exercise machine to achieve an effective and user friendly DAP unweighting system assembly.

A swimming pool cover assembly including a frame, at least one cover, and an adjustment means. The frame including at least one inflatable portion and an interconnected three-dimensional (3D) lattice of inflatable straight tubes. The at least one cover is supported by the frame to define an exercise chamber including at least part of a swimming pool. The adjustment means reduces an oxygen content of air in the exercise chamber compared with air external the exercise chamber. The exercise chamber has elongate sidewalls.

A compact, portable, lightweight, easily transportable leg press exercise apparatus to simulate both exercise and the daily activity of sitting in a microgravity environment. The exercise portion of the apparatus creates stress on the lower extremities by supplying a variable resistance to a reciprocating foot pedal by way of a coil spring and damper system acting through a four-bar linkage. The chair is adjustable in angle to fit each user and to simulate a force that is two-thirds of body weight. By combining resistance exercise and lower body negative pressure with the LBNP leg press exercise apparatus, the users experience one or more times body weight (BW) in stress on their musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and nervous systems. By achieving one times BW or greater (artificial gravity) during exercise and two-thirds BW during sitting, the gap between the precondition and post condition syndrome will become smaller.

A DAP unweighting system for unweighting a user while using an exercise machine is provided that includes an unweighting assembly having a substantially airtight chamber formed about at least a portion of the exercise machine that includes a user seal for encapsulating a portion of the user, and at least one additional frame member for securing to the exercise machine frame element to secure the chamber to the exercise machine. The exercise machine can include a treadmill having a belt extending a belt length in a longitudinal direction of the unweighting system The at least one additional frame member can have a frame member length less than the belt length that can be oriented substantially parallel with the belt when securing the chamber to the treadmill.

A normobaric hypoxia trainer including a training chamber, an intake fan for allowing ground level air to be introduced into the training chamber; an exhaust fan for removing air from the training chamber; a plurality of circulation fans for mixing interior air of the training chamber to create a uniform oxygen concentration within the training chamber; a nitrogen generation system, the nitrogen generating system including a plurality of polysulphone membrane cartridges for separating out nitrogen from air; a compressor for supplying compressed air to the nitrogen generation system; a pressure regulator for regulating the pressure of the compressed air; a heater for controlling temperature of the compressed air, the heated pressure regulated compressed air passing through the polysulphone membrane cartridges such that nitrogen can be separated out from the air; and, a flow controller for controlling flow rate of the separated nitrogen into the training chamber.

A personal physical conditioning system, for a single, full-size human subject, has a sealable chamber that is configured to allow entry therein and occupancy thereof by the entirety of the single, full-size human subject and to allow the subject to exercise in a standing position using an item of physical conditioning equipment entirely contained within the sealable chamber. The system also has a ventilation system, including a pump, operable to change air in the sealable chamber and to establish, within the sealable chamber, a desired non-zero air pressure level of less than 1 atmosphere and down to pressure conditions substantially equivalent to an elevation of 25,000 feet above sea level. Related methods are also provided.

A personal physical conditioning system, for a single, full-size human subject, has a sealable chamber that is configured to allow entry therein and occupancy thereof by the entirety of the single, full-size human subject and to allow the subject to exercise in a standing position using an item of physical conditioning equipment entirely contained within the sealable chamber. The system also has a ventilation system, including a pump, operable to change air in the sealable chamber and to establish, within the sealable chamber, a desired non-zero air pressure level of less than 1 atmosphere and down to pressure conditions substantially equivalent to an elevation of 25,000 feet above sea level. Related methods are also provided.

A personal exercise apparatus that allows simultaneous simulation of mild to high altitude environments with algorithmically driven environmental stressors that may be pre-programmed or personally developed via physiological feedback during training. Additional stressors include an ability to transiently alter pressure in a chamber of the personal exercise apparatus at variable frequencies and amplitudes with a range of changes with an option of random pressure oscillations designed to personalize training programs. The additional stressors further include small variations in inspired CO2 levels and temperature allowing individuals to simulate breathing and temperature conditions in preparation for desired environmental conditions.

An unweighting system for unweighting a user while using an exercise machine is provided that includes a treadmill exercise device having a treadmill frame and a rotatable belt, an unweighting assembly for applying unweighting force to the user, a system frame, and a substantially airtight chamber. The system frame includes the treadmill frame, frame elements structurally attached to the treadmill frame, and a top surface region adapted for user engagement during exercise having a surface width and a surface length. The top surface region includes a movable running surface defined by the rotatable belt that extends a run length, and a stationary deck extending about at least a portion of the movable running surface. The stationary deck defines a sealing surface having a maximum seal width greater than the belt width and less than the surface width, to which the substantially airtight chamber is attached.