AssistMotion
AssistMotion is a Shinshu University spin-off that develops and sells curara®, a wearable robotic gait-training device, and PVC Gel soft-actuator technology for healthcare, rehabilitation, and industrial applications in Japan and select international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersUeda, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What AssistMotion does
AssistMotion Inc. (AssistMotion株式会社) is a privately held Japanese robotics company founded in January 2017 as a Shinshu University spin-off, headquartered in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture at the university's Open Venture Innovation Center (OVIC). The company develops and sells curara®, a wearable walking training robot that uses motorized joint actuation to assist and correct users' gait patterns, available in 4-joint (full set) and 2-joint (half set) configurations. The product is the only commercially available Japanese-made wearable gait training robot in its class and has gone through seven generations of iteration since the original 2008 prototype, with the current commercial unit weighing 2.9 kg (full set). Underlying curara® is the company's proprietary PVC Gel (PVCGEL) soft actuator technology — an electro-responsive polyvinyl chloride gel that mimics biological muscle — which the company also positions as a next-generation actuator platform with applications spanning healthcare, automotive, massage therapy, and micro-pumps. A third product, heige LS, is an in-development lumbar support wear leveraging PVCGEL for industrial ergonomic use.
AssistMotion generates revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales of curara® (Full Set ¥1.59M, Half Set ¥1.12M excluding tax) and a recurring monthly rental model (Full Set ¥80,000/month, Half Set ¥56,000/month excluding tax). The company also offers R&D and consulting services around PVCGEL technology for custom specification development. Customers span nursing care and day-service facilities, hospitals with rehabilitation departments, neurological rehabilitation centers, and individual consumers; the most prominently disclosed enterprise customer is MWS Hidaka, which operates a dedicated RoboReha Center and serves 800+ daily users across its facilities. Distribution is primarily direct-to-facility with free trial fittings at nine locations nationwide, demo-unit loans, and try-before-you-buy mechanics, complemented by government subsidy eligibility (TAIS code 02264-000001) in 10+ Japanese prefectures and a small but active international outreach via Arab Health 2025, MD&M West 2025, and COMPAMED 2024.
The company is led by founder and Representative Director Minoru Hashimoto, operates on a small registered capital base of ¥15M with no disclosed institutional investors, and is currently consolidating around its Ueda headquarters after closing its Minamisoma regional office in July 2025. Active development priorities include a pediatric version of curara® (in collaboration with Nagano Prefectural Children's Hospital, funded in part by Nagano Prefecture subsidies and a READYFOR crowdfunding campaign that raised over ¥5.46M from 449 supporters in 2026) and heige LS industrial lumbar support wear.
AssistMotion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AssistMotion
- Legal name
- AssistMotion株式会社
- Website
- https://assistmotion.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- AssistMotion is a Shinshu University spin-off that develops and sells curara®, a wearable robotic gait-training device, and PVC Gel soft-actuator technology for healthcare, rehabilitation, and industrial applications in Japan and select international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AssistMotion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rehabilitation Robotics
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)
- SIC
- Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Healthcare & Assistive Robotics (HDAAAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mobility Aids (Wheelchairs, Scooters, Walkers, Canes) (HLAHAMAA), Pediatric Rehabilitation & Mobility DME (Adaptive Seating, Pediatric Mobility) (HLAHAMAI)
Keywords
Where AssistMotion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ueda
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
AssistMotion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- curara® 製品販売 (Product Sales): One-time sale of curara walking training robots in two configurations: Full Set (4-joint, hip and knee) and Half Set (2-joint, hip only). Price includes free onboarding introduction session.
- curara® レンタル (Rental): Monthly rental of curara robots to care facilities and hospitals. Two tiers: Full Set at ¥88,000/month and Half Set at ¥61,600/month. Rental terms include online or in-person introduction support.
- PVC Gel / PVCGEL 技術・製品 (Technology and Product Development): R&D and development partnerships for PVC Gel artificial muscle applications across healthcare, automotive, massage therapy, and micro-pump uses. Custom specification development and consulting services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | curara® Full Set (4-joint, hip + knee) – Purchase |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | curara® Half Set (2-joint, hip) – Purchase |
| Subscription | Monthly | curara® Full Set (4-joint) – Monthly Rental |
| Subscription | Monthly | curara® Half Set (2-joint) – Monthly Rental |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | curara® Trial Fitting Experience |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
AssistMotion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AssistMotion designs, manufactures, and sells the curara® wearable walking training robot, a soft robotic exoskeleton that assists users with gait rehabilitation through synchronized motorized joints and provides smartphone-based gait evaluation. The company also develops the underlying PVCGEL (PVC gel) artificial muscle soft actuator technology, and offers a related waist support wearable (heige LS) using the same actuator platform. Products are sold outright or rented monthly to hospitals, nursing care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and individuals.
Product overview
AssistMotion offers two core product lines: (1) curara®, a robotic wearable for gait training and rehabilitation, available as full set (4 joints) or half set (2 joints), sold or rented to care facilities and individuals; and (2) PVCGEL, a next-generation soft actuator technology using polyvinyl chloride gel for artificial muscle applications. The company is also developing heige LS waist support wear leveraging PVCGEL technology. The product portfolio spans from finished medical/rehabilitation devices to underlying actuator technology with applications across healthcare, industrial, and consumer markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- curara® Walking Training Robot Wearable robotic gait training device that assists users in regaining walking ability. Features synchronized motorized joints providing consistent corrective force to improve walking rhythm and speed. Available in Full Set (4 joints) and Half Set (2 joints) configurations. Integrates with smartphone application for gait evaluation, training program matching, and long-term walking data tracking. Targeted at nursing care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and hospitals.
- PVCGEL (PVC Gel Artificial Muscle) Soft Actuator Soft actuator technology using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel that deforms when voltage is applied. The mesh-shaped anode structure produces large displacement and increases stiffness under electric field, mimicking biological muscle characteristics. Lightweight, quiet, flexible, and transparent. Used as artificial muscle in wearable assistive devices with applications in healthcare, automotive, massage equipment, and micro-pumps. Offered through R&D partnerships, custom specification development, and consulting services.
- heige LS Lumbar Support Wear Waist support wearable garment using soft, lightweight PVCGEL actuators positioned on the back to support muscle strength during work. Designed for use in caregiving, agriculture, construction, and transportation industries to reduce waist strain during physically demanding tasks.
Quantifiable outcome
- Original curara prototype weight reduced from 15kg (2008) to 2.9kg (4-joint, 2021 commercial model) through iterative engineering improvements over 7 generations.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use AssistMotion
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AssistMotion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
AssistMotion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AMED (日本医療研究開発機構) – 信州大学拠点coreAMED-supported medical device development initiative through Shinshu University's industry-academia partnership hub. Focuses on advancing medical device innovation and overseas expansion for medical robots. AssistMotion presented COMPAMED 2024 and Arab Health 2025 results at AMED-sponsored seminar.
- 長野県立こども病院 (Nagano Prefectural Children's Hospital)coreCollaborative development partnership since 2022 for pediatric (children's) version of the curara walking training robot. The hospital provides clinical expertise and patient access for developing a child-sized version of the wearable robot for children ages 4+ with mobility challenges. Funded in part by Nagano Prefecture's FY2023 Growth Industry Support Subsidy.
- 長野県飯田OIDE長姫高等学校 (Nagano Iida OIDE Nawahime High School)minorAnnual company visits and product demonstrations for electronics and mechanical engineering students since 2020 (excluding COVID period). Provides hands-on STEM exposure to future engineers and raises awareness of assistive robotics careers.
- 学校法人岩崎学園 横浜リハビリテーション専門学校 (Yokohama Rehabilitation Professional School)minorAnnual curara lecture and hands-on demonstration for physical therapy students since 2021. Engages future physical therapists with wearable rehabilitation technology, building product familiarity early in their careers.
- 杏林大学 (Kyorin University)minorHost institution for the 44th Tokyo Physical Therapy Academic Conference 2025 where AssistMotion exhibited and conducted curara trial demonstrations.
- 新潟県・長野県共同ブース (Niigata/Nagano Joint Booth at SusHi Tech Tokyo)minorJoint exhibition booth with Niigata and Nagano prefectures at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, showcasing regional innovation. Premier Japanese government-backed innovation event attracting 35,000+ business day attendees.
- さがみロボット産業特区 (Kanagawa Sagami Robot Industry Special Zone)minorJoint exhibition within the Kanagawa prefecture's robot industry special zone booth at H.C.R. 2025. Connects AssistMotion with Kanagawa's robot industry ecosystem and subsidy programs.
- 法政大学 経済学部 後藤浩子教授 (Hosei University, Professor Hotoko Goto)minorUniversity professor and students visited AssistMotion Ueda office for curara demonstrations and research observation. Professor's research focus includes elderly self-care support technology.
- 優和福祉専門学校 (Yuwa Welfare Professional School)minorInvited AssistMotion to exhibit and demonstrate curara at Kaigo Fes 2025 care industry event organized by the school. Connects the company with welfare professionals and students in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AssistMotion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Wandercraft: French developer of Atalante, a self-balancing wearable exoskeleton for gait rehabilitation of stroke and spinal cord injury patients. Comparable as a niche wearable walking robot targeting rehab, though with different self-balancing architecture.
- Fourier Intelligence: China-based developer of ExoMotus and other rehabilitation robots and exoskeletons for clinical gait training. Comparable as an emerging wearable robotic gait trainer addressing the same rehab facility customer segment, particularly across Asia.
- Bionik Laboratories: Canada/US developer of InMotion ARM and lower-limb robotic rehabilitation systems for clinical use. Comparable as a niche rehabilitation robotics vendor targeting similar hospital and rehab clinic customers.
Direct peers
- Ekso Bionics: US-listed developer of EksoGT and other wearable exoskeletons for stroke, spinal cord injury, and gait rehabilitation in clinical settings. Directly comparable wearable robotic gait trainer competing in the same clinical rehab category.
- Honda Walking Assist Device: Honda's wearable walking assist device for gait training in clinical and home settings. Directly comparable as a Japanese-developed wearable gait training robot targeting rehabilitation facilities, with similar hip-joint actuation philosophy.
- ReWalk Robotics: Israel/US developer of wearable exoskeletons (ReWalk Personal and ReStore) for stroke and spinal cord injury rehabilitation. Directly comparable as a wearable robotic gait rehabilitation device serving hospitals and rehab centers.
- Toyota Welwalk: Toyota's Welwalk WW-2000 robotic leg rehabilitation system for stroke and other mobility-impaired patients. Directly comparable as a Japan-developed robotic gait rehabilitation device for hospital use.
- Cyberdyne: Japan-based developer of the HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) wearable robotic exoskeleton for walking assistance and rehabilitation. Most direct comparable as a Japan-origin wearable walking robot vendor serving hospitals and care facilities.
Regional players
- Rex Bionics: New Zealand-based developer of the REX robotic mobility device for wheelchair users and rehabilitation. Comparable as a wearable/robotic mobility device serving rehab and mobility-impaired populations, primarily outside Japan.
Broad incumbents
- Parker Hannifin (Indego): Large industrial conglomerate whose Indego division sells a powered exoskeleton for clinical gait rehabilitation. Overlaps with AssistMotion's wearable rehabilitation category but as part of a much broader industrial portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AssistMotion social profiles
Digital presenceAssistMotion compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
AssistMotion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AssistMotion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AssistMotion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AssistMotion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AssistMotion
What does AssistMotion do?
AssistMotion designs, manufactures, and sells the curara® wearable walking training robot, a soft robotic exoskeleton that assists users with gait rehabilitation through synchronized motorized joints and provides smartphone-based gait evaluation. The company also develops the underlying PVCGEL (PVC gel) artificial muscle soft actuator technology, and offers a related waist support wearable (heige LS) using the same actuator platform. Products are sold outright or rented monthly to hospitals, nursing care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and individuals.
Is AssistMotion a public or private company?
AssistMotion is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AssistMotion founded?
AssistMotion was founded in 2017.
Where is AssistMotion based?
AssistMotion is headquartered in Ueda, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does AssistMotion make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. curara® 製品販売 (Product Sales) is the primary driver. The others are curara® レンタル (Rental) and PVC Gel / PVCGEL 技術・製品 (Technology and Product Development).
Who are AssistMotion's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Wandercraft, Fourier Intelligence and Bionik Laboratories. Direct peers are Ekso Bionics, Honda Walking Assist Device, ReWalk Robotics, Toyota Welwalk and Cyberdyne. Rex Bionics is listed as a regional player. Parker Hannifin (Indego) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does AssistMotion have an API?
No public API is recorded for AssistMotion.
What industry is AssistMotion in?
AssistMotion's product category is Rehabilitation Robotics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAC, Healthcare & Assistive Robotics, with a secondary code of HLAHAMAA, Mobility Aids (Wheelchairs, Scooters, Walkers, Canes). Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3842.