Founded in the late eighties by an Ohio State University mechanical engineer who had invented a biomechanical force measurement device for his own research and started strictly as a "hobby" business. Bertec soon matured to include hospitals and the NFL among its clients. The firm designs and builds force plates, scale-like devices that measure the force a body is applying against the ground. Used to analyze gait, balance, jumping and other movements, a recent article about the firm in a local newspaper noted that such devices can enable a physical therapist help a patient achive better balance, NFL trainers to prepare particular team members for specific types of specialist movements. Bertec also pairs its force plates with virtual reality software and a projection to train patients to improve balance by tracking a target on the screen. The balance assessment also is used to screen for possible concussions in sports, while measuring the force of jumps applies to performance and injury risk.
