Japanese foot-massaging machine pleads innocent to killing three people

So, we're not really sure what's going on here, but three people have been killed by mis-using a Japanese foot massager. We've only got specific details about one death, which happened when a woman removed the protective cloth cover from the machine -- called the Shape-up Roller 2 -- then strangled herself when it got caught on her collar as she tried to use it on her neck. The manufacturer, Matoba Electric, issued a warning against removing the cover or using the device other than as directed, but has not yet recalled the device, which seems to be powerful enough to massage the tension out of a T-Rex's feet. We've got a feeling there won't be a Shape-up Roller 3 anytime soon. Video of a Japanese news broadcast about the accidents after the break.

[Thanks, Mechelle]

[Hi Kenneth @ Dec 17th 2008 4:11PM]

That should be on engadget's gifts for enemies list

[Flashpoint @ Dec 17th 2008 4:38PM]

Are robots allowed to stand trial?

Can they serve jail time?

[Hi Kenneth @ Dec 17th 2008 4:45PM]

yes they can. Unplugged for life without parole...

[alex kessaris @ Dec 17th 2008 6:15PM]

This violates the first law of robotics: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

[Lowest Ranked @ Dec 17th 2008 8:27PM]

Ok, the thing isn't an mischevious killing machine that sprang to life. We all know these women were straddling the massager.

[SpydaKat 17 @ Dec 17th 2008 10:21PM]

Fellow men can you not see? Art thou blind? The uprising has begun.

[Ghen @ Dec 18th 2008 8:06AM]

Accidents at first... That's what humanity called them. We know better now. Those were the days...

[jason @ Dec 18th 2008 11:22AM]

has anyone heard of this great invention called a 'knife'? you can use it to cut things - like a shirt that is rapidly constricting against your neck.
...turning the damn thing off would be my first choice.

[Josh @ Dec 17th 2008 4:12PM]

toonga!

[m @ Dec 17th 2008 9:58PM]

i want to put this high, so i'm replying to the idiot. forgive me, readers.

the news video says the same thing happened to 3 people, so it's not just one stupid person committing suicide or trying for a darwin award. worst of all, the company covered up the first two deaths, which means the third death at least could have been prevented. it seems a bit less funny once you know that, doesn't it?

[Nerd Ferguson @ Dec 17th 2008 4:18PM]

Well...why didn't she just get a neck massager, then?

[adrian @ Dec 17th 2008 7:44PM]

Why didn't she pull the plug out.

[chef @ Dec 18th 2008 12:55AM]

Normally, if you're being strangled, you're thinking of other things than "perhaps I should unplug this automated masseuse whereupon its vice-like grip shall be loosened, permitting me to free myself from its clutches forthwith", and instead thinking more along the lines of "huh? what the OW OW OW FUCK FUCK FUCK FUGGHHHIEEEUUGGHHHHH GARRUUUUGGHHHHHH".

[firephoenix @ Dec 17th 2008 4:19PM]

Haha! Stories like this crack me up. Stupid woman.

[Alex L. @ Dec 17th 2008 4:26PM]

What she did wasn't all that stupid, you think it's stupid because you know now what the aftermath is.

What I find stupid is how someone can find it funny that another person died. You need to seek help, not attention.

[who? @ Dec 17th 2008 4:38PM]

First and foremost, if you think it's funny when a person is killed, you need to seriously rethink your sense of humor. Secondly, and not to speak ill of the dead, but what she did was rather unintelligent. There's no denying that, and it isn't the company's fault. Would we blame the blender maker if someone cut off the top of the plastic container, fired up the exposed blades, and got their shirt stuck in that?

It's not funny, and it's nobody's fault. It's called an accidental death.

[Kilton @ Dec 17th 2008 4:56PM]

@ alex

i'm sorry but how in the world can you possibly say that what she did WASN'T stupid?!

and @ who?

how can you say it's not her fault?! the machine didn't come to life and kill her, she died through her own STUPID actions. who else would be to blame? sure it was accidental but that doesn't change the fact that it was someone's fault

[ducky @ Dec 17th 2008 5:13PM]

Yes, she's definitely to blame. How dare she attempt to massage her own neck with a massaging device. The sheer stupidity overwhelms me.

What's wrong with you guys?

[Vidikron @ Dec 17th 2008 5:18PM]

@ducky

You don't think it's a bit dumb to have taken the protective cover off of a foot massager and then used on your neck?

[Twitchy @ Dec 17th 2008 5:19PM]

It isn't funny, but I'm with Alex on this one. People die every day by using objects other than directed - cars, guns, electricity etc. etc. We should know better. That many don't is a sign of stupidity or at least ignorance/arrogance, which I deem to be a form of stupidity.

[who? @ Dec 17th 2008 5:23PM]

@Kilton

I guess it depends on how you are defining the word 'fault'. If you are using it as a synonym for the word 'mistake,' then you are correct in saying it was her fault. If, however, like me, you were using it as a synonym for 'misdeed,' which is defined as an "improper or wicked or immoral behavior," then you could say it was not her fault.

Welcome to the English language, may we take your meaning? :P

[Nick J @ Dec 17th 2008 5:33PM]

It isn't funny that she died, but it is funny how she died.
Most people wouldn't put death by foot massager as their top preference in ways to go--you laugh because, even though it is sad and tragic, it is ridiculous that someone could be killed by a foot massager.

[Alex L. @ Dec 17th 2008 5:40PM]

@Kilton,

What is so stupid about using a massager on your neck? Would you have known that that's how she died if it wasn't part of the article? Would you really have foreseen that her collar would get stuck and killed her? Then you must know other "stupid" ways this could be used and be potentially fatal, explain the other two deaths then.

[Kilton @ Dec 17th 2008 5:58PM]

@who?

wtf are you talking about?! why do i have to use the world fault as a synonym for another word? why can't i use it to mean exactly what it means? she's at fault - period. there is no way to misconstrue that if you know what being at fault actually means. don't give me that welcome to the english language bullshit - you're looking to much into it. fault means one thing. being responsible for a mistake or error. who the fuck else is responsible for this mistake? you tell me

and @alex

you seem to really want to ignore the fact that this was labeled as and meant to be used as a FOOT massager not a fucking neck massager. if you really don't think it was stupid of her to take the protective cover off, use it on her neck, and get her shirt caught up in it then i think you should go out and buy one and give yourself a good neck massage. you're right i wouldn't have known that's how she died if it wasn't explained in the article but i could have made a safe bet that she didn't die while massaging her damn feet

[dan @ Dec 17th 2008 6:16PM]

Wait a minute, guys. I must not have received the memo - when did bizarre accidental death stop being funny?

[who? @ Dec 17th 2008 8:23PM]

@Kilton

To answer your last question (not to embarrass you) here's a direct quote from my post: "...it's nobody's fault. It's called an accidental death."

Now for your other (well phrased and reasoned) questions. Words can, and often do, mean more than one thing. The word fault can mean many things, from an imperfection or defect to a mistake or a misdeed.

Like you said, you meant it to mean she was responsible for an unintentional mistake. Like I said, I meant it to mean she wasn't responsible for a purposeful misdeed. Both of these are perfectly reasonable ways to define the word 'fault'.

I don't see where the problem is, or what I said that resulted in the slew of swearwords directed at me, but there you have it, I hope this helps!

[grabbydad @ Dec 17th 2008 8:34PM]

From the back of the room you hear Nelson....
"ha ha!"
Sorry lady. Follow instructions.

[chef @ Dec 18th 2008 12:58AM]

@kilton: You know, a lot of people use "shoulder and neck massagers" to massage something else.

[who? @ Dec 18th 2008 2:02AM]

@Chef

Congrats- you are the first Engadget commenter to make me actually wince while reading. I'm still doing it...

[Nick J @ Dec 18th 2008 5:46AM]

@chef

...like what? their biceps after a long day of working out?

[htd @ Dec 17th 2008 4:21PM]

did they do it intentionally? as japanese suicide rate is pretty high.

[Game_playa @ Dec 17th 2008 5:59PM]

Asian joke gone horribly wrong........Or did it?

[erhan @ Dec 17th 2008 4:23PM]

When it said mis-using and women dieing, I thought of something else.
I then realized it said neck.
Its sad..... :(

[jack @ Dec 17th 2008 5:38PM]

I was equally dissapointed

[Marcela @ Dec 17th 2008 4:24PM]

I was going to crack a joke about machines and World domination...but really... it was not the massaging machine falt...



..... really the machines should dominate the World.

[Mike C @ Dec 17th 2008 4:25PM]

Oh Darwin, you never cease to amaze me.

[Videophile @ Dec 17th 2008 4:26PM]

Looks like Skynet has become self-aware in time for the holidays.

[Kali4 @ Dec 17th 2008 4:27PM]

I see a future nomination for the Darwin Awards! Natural selection via man-made device. I feel bad that people died, but on the other hand, that's what you get for mis-using a device. Right up there with looking down the barrel of a gun to see if it is loaded.

[DeoWulf @ Dec 17th 2008 4:46PM]

I'm pretty sure there's a difference between playing with a gun and a massage machine...

[Kali4 @ Dec 17th 2008 5:07PM]

Appearantly not in this case.

[HelloKitty @ Dec 18th 2008 5:47PM]

Such a shame that a witty comment got down-voted when we've got some high and mighty sorts voting themselves up. Do we have people visiting this article who have no sense of humour?

[Jomolungma @ Dec 17th 2008 4:32PM]

Guess it's not too late for the 2008 Darwin Award nominations...

[Boarderwoot @ Dec 17th 2008 4:33PM]

What I don't get is how fast it was going to pull her collar and choke her to death. It had to be pretty damn fast or she had to be kinda weak not to be able to pull the collar away or rip it apart or something. Sounds like more people need to be using protective sleeves.

[Hi Kenneth @ Dec 17th 2008 4:35PM]

it seems like it could be like a decapitator...

[nikster @ Dec 17th 2008 6:53PM]

Well from the video, this thing is huge - it's designed to massage both feet at the same time - and it looks like it's rotating pretty damn fast. Why you'd want to put it on your neck with the cloth off is beyond me but I can see how it would be able to choke you very quickly.

[Deggs @ Dec 17th 2008 4:43PM]

Sounds like darwanism at its finest. I say keep selling the thing...

[Erv @ Dec 17th 2008 4:46PM]

I need to get one of these for my ex for Christmas

[Hackettman @ Dec 17th 2008 4:49PM]

I dont know taking off the cloth and using it like a neck massager shes kind of asking for it.......

Im a sick puppy and giggled a bit....... But mostly because I can imagine what the other two deaths were from........

[Aguiluz @ Dec 17th 2008 4:57PM]

Why the heck would she use a foot massager at her NECK!

That's almost as stupid as putting a hat on my arse.

[supersprynt @ Dec 17th 2008 5:10PM]

They shouldn't have to recall a product because people decide that they want to use the machine in another fashion. That's like suing Craftsman because you decided to use hedgeclippers to trim your eyebrows and ended up cutting off an ear.