RealDesignTech Brings Outdoor Cycling Indoors with Ultiracer, Unveiled at CES 2023
By Shaun Cheon
RealDesignTech is a silver tech company on a mission to keep seniors active and healthy. Its flagship product, Ultiracer, is an indoor cycling platform that lets older adults who can no longer ride outside experience the feel of real outdoor cycling from the comfort of home. At CES 2023, RealDesignTech CEO Lee Jung-sik sat down with The Frontier to share where the company stands today and where it's headed (The Frontier).
A Genuinely Realistic Ride, Indoors
Ultiracer mounts an ordinary bicycle onto a patented anti-tip platform. It may look like a conventional stationary bike at first glance, but it works on an entirely different principle: instead of locking the bicycle in place, it allows free, natural movement. Where a traditional indoor bike only lets you pedal to work your lower body, Ultiracer riders never fall - yet they must steer and balance through the handlebars to stay on course. That very act recreates the authentic sense of riding that, until now, could only be felt outdoors.
The Only Real Option for Seniors Who Can't Ride Outside
The customer response speaks for itself. According to CEO Lee, the platform's core users are seniors, and satisfaction among them runs especially high. The reason is simple: for someone who can still cycle outdoors, Ultiracer may seem like a premium purchase - but for those who no longer can, it is effectively the only alternative. For many older adults who thought they had given up the joy of cycling for good, Ultiracer opens that door again.
The Ultimate Goal: A Digital Therapeutic
After being selected for the "Sports Tech" program run by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, RealDesignTech has been advancing digital therapeutic (DTx) research together with the Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine departments of Korea University Anam Hospital and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Korea University College of Medicine. As CEO Lee puts it, the ultimate goal is to develop Ultiracer into a digital therapeutic - evolving it from an exercise device into a clinically validated treatment solution.
Expanding into the U.S. and Japanese Senior Digital Healthcare Markets
Asked about global expansion, CEO Lee didn't hesitate: the goal is to enter the senior digital healthcare markets in the United States and Japan. The roadmap is concrete. In Japan, the company has signed an MOU with a digital sports theme park operator and is already running marketing initiatives, with plans to enter the senior care market step by step through local partnerships. In the U.S., RealDesignTech is preparing a direct market entry, with senior living communities as its first target.
Looking Ahead
CES 2023 marked an important step forward on RealDesignTech's path to the global stage. We believe Ultiracer can become a new paradigm for senior wellness - one that strengthens body and mind at the same time. Our commitment is clear: to keep innovating and expanding so that more people, regardless of age or physical condition, can rediscover the joy of riding and live healthier, fuller lives.