About |
Founded in 1985, TLC Industries, Inc. marks its 24th anniversary this year. In the mid-1980s, TLC had its roots in the plastic industry as a supplier to the automobile aftermarket. When a auto dealer opened a large furniture warehouse, he had an idea for a child’s theme bed that resembled one of his former race car designs. Soon the first race car bed was crafted and TLC’s business model changed. When kids sat behind the mock steering wheel in the driver’s seat of their very own flashy Corvette – something magical happened. The virtual experience stimulated their imaginations and relaxed their nerves. The bed itself wasn’t any more comfortable than a regular bed, but once children spent a night in their car bed, they never wanted to sleep in Mom’s bed again.
The economy changed, as did consumer buying habits, and TLC had to adapt and find new products to manufacture. At this time, the arcade industry had spawned and companies were looking for help to meet enormous demands for arcade cabinets. TLC was one of only a few companies that had the manufacturing facilities, versatility and experience to produce durable and refined cabinets.
These original arcade games were simple with a single screens, audio, and button and joystick interaction. But as the technology advanced, the arcade experience evolved to include more sensory stimulation to further immerse the player in the experience. Motion technology and sound vibration were all incorporated to create a virtual experience for the user. Vibrating seats, vivid video, immersive audio and force feedback gripped players in the experience. For a brief moment, players became race car drivers, motorcyclists, jet skiers, and horse jockeys in a virtual environment. The challenge was not just to create a durable arcade game unit, but create a visceral sensory experience for the player.
Just like Corvette beds, we understood how the right kind of external stimuli would trigger the right internal sensations. Arcades boasted a synergy of sight, sound, touch, and emotion that pumped the adrenaline and was a feast for the senses. Over the years the arcade experience was perfected as a science and an art of sensory stimulation.
Again, the market has shifted, home video game consoles and online games have overtaken the arcade industry. With our unique expertise in sensory stimulation, we looked for a new industry that could benefit for the years of experience in sensory enrichment. We were approached by a chiropractor with a motion platform that was designed to help patients relax through motion technology.
While the technology was interesting, it could not produce results unless the individual was first able to first relax and put their mind at ease. People’s minds are constantly racing; they can’t consciously choose to silence their mind and rid themselves of stress and anxiety. The transition to a relaxed state can only be accomplished by subtly distracting the mind with sensory triggers.
With over two decades of working with sensory stimulation, we have the knowledge to use the technology and the experience to incorporate sight, sound, and touch stimuli into a system that engages all the senses to deliver an indescribable calming sensation; reducing stress and stimulating the mind and body.
Using the motion lounge as the foundation, we have developed the “NexNeuro Therapeutic System”. The system utilizes the latest developments in human-computer interaction to enhance and deliver natural stimulants through a passive and non-evasive process of stimulation to the brain and nervous system.
During initial exposure of our system, we have found that when providing passive stimulation to individuals with neurological disorders, it has a profound effect in relieving symptoms and extending mobility of these patients.
A certain individual living with Parkinson’s disease for 8 years has shown dramatic improvement in his mobility. Listed are improvements that have been reported to us:
• Walks with steps instead of shuffling most of the time
• Walks faster and stands up straight instead of hunched over
• Can get in a vehicle lifting his own legs up and moving over into the seat
• Ability to buckles himself in alone, instead of being assisted
• He can get up out of a chair without assistance, unlike before,
• Voice is stronger and his speech is clearer,
• Appetite has improved, actually gaining 4 pounds in the last 8 weeks
• He can swallow easier
• Anxiety attacks have been reduced
• He does not have the trademark Parkinson's stare as often nor do the episodes last as long
In general, the session client enjoys a journey to complete mind and body stimulation during the session; experiencing a calming effect, lower blood pressure, slower breathing and increased blood circulation. They also will experience balancing of the nervous system along with spinal balancing, mental alertness and a sense of being energized.