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Someone made a wall-mounted massage gun
The market for percussive massage guns is packed. So is there space for another? Symbodi hopes so. The Vertigun is a quiet-running massager that locks into a patented suction-cup wall mount.
Cove neckband vibrates behind your ears to reduce stress
The neckband massages the mastoid, which is thought to reduce stress.
Theragun’s new massage devices have Bluetooth and run quieter
Theragun is now called Therabody, and it has four new upgraded massage guns that are apparently substantially quieter.
US investigates escort and massage sites over human trafficking
Backpage is no more, but US authorities are still determined to crack down on sites that enable human trafficking and other crimes. Wall Street Journal sources say Homeland Security, the Justice Department and others are reportedly investigating escort and massage sites Eros.com, EroticMonkey.ch and Rubmaps.ch to see if they've either participated in or knowingly facilitated trafficking, prostitution and money laundering. All three are dominating in the US in the wake of Backpage's closure, and both Eros and Rubmaps have turned up as evidence in multiple sex trafficking cases.
A virtual reality massage center will open in Los Angeles this week
Los Angeles residents will soon be able to float off into distant worlds while their aches are soothed in a virtual reality massage center, which opening this Friday, July 5th. At the outset, the Esqapes Immersive Relaxation Center, supposedly the first of its kind, will offer 10 different VR environments for you to try and relax in, including a sauna, a koi pond at an ocean-side resort and a ski cabin with a crackling fireplace.
Lussya is a $300 baby lotion dispenser disguised as modern art
Massage is good for adults and great for babies, who use the stimulation to bond with their parents, calm down and work out their gas. It's why French startup Caressa is building My Lussya One, a massage oil heater and automatic dispenser that's designed to ensure that rubbing sessions are always a pleasure.
A VR massage chair made me both happy and sad
One of the delights on show here at IFA was Medisana's VR massage chair, which pairs one of its high end devices with an Oculus Rift. Rather than sitting in a shopping mall and viewing your fellow patrons as a robot paws at your back, you can be transported somewhere more romantic. The VR headset is used to play 180-degree videos of beautiful foreign locations that correspond to a pre-programmed massage routine. The five-minute demo loop that I experienced was moderately relaxing, although I worry about its implications for the future.
ICYMI: Robosurgeon, wigglebot and a very cute penguin
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A robot from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev produces a wave-like motion that can propel itself across a floor or through water, only with one motor. Also a robotic surgeon called Flex can snake its way down throats or other orifices and perform surgeries in a less-invasive way than traditional means. But you should probably take in Purps the penguin and her 3D-printed boot, and also the robotic massager we all wish we had. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
The AiraWear massage hoodie is absurd, but it works
I've loved the idea of Tware's AiraWear massage hoodie ever since I heard about it at CES earlier this year, and not just because I enjoy back rubs (who doesn't?!). It's just such a loopy idea that I'm unreasonably happy someone was willing to conceive, design, prototype and sell it. The wearable is not nearly as good as dedicated massage chairs or pads, but it does provide some muscle relief. And while the current prototype is fragile and I wouldn't be comfortable wearing it in public, the product (which just launched on Kickstarter) may succeed on sheer chutzpah alone.
A sweatshirt massage is better than no massage at all
I like massages. Who doesn't? But what if you could get a massage while you worked? Stood up or sat down anywhere. In your home, the office, or in the car? That's the premise of the AiraWear, a massage vest that embeds into (at the moment) a zip-up hoodie. I'm typing part of this article while my shoulders are being gently teased by two firm foam points, backed by air cushions that inflate and deflate. I just cranked the power to max and I'm feeling pretty good.
Kinect Hacks: Trippy techno-massage
Though we never assumed that muscular relaxation and gaming peripherals would ever dovetail, massage therapist Jason Stephens has whipped up a Kinect hack that combines the two. Check out Stephens' "technologically mediated healing modality" in this clip, and get ready to taste the colors.
Kinect hack enables psychedelic acupressure, far-out graphics (video)
We've seen the Kinect do some pretty wild stuff, but this "Kinected Massage" thing might just take the cake. Jason Stephens, massage therapist and grad student, has employed the ever-expanding power of Microsoft's Kinect in combination with a video projector to create "flow fields" that follow his hands on a client's body while he performs a massage. Stephens describes the process as a "technologically mediated healing modality," and while we're not sure that the Kinect actually contributes much to the relaxation process, it does make for some pretty trippy graphics. Hop on past the break and expand your mind, man.
Wheeme massage robot asks where it hurts to drive away the pain
Former Israeli electronics and defense engineers wouldn't be the first group of people we'd peg to leap into the robot massager biz, but that's exactly who's behind the Wheeme from DreamBots inc. According to the firm's about page, the Wheeme was developed to meet "the increasing demand for smart products that offer the natural feeling of caressing, relaxation, falling asleep and even just tickling." True to those goals, the device works by moving slowly across a person's body to provide a gentle massage using its soft silicone rubber "fingerettes" (a.k.a. wheels). Special tilt sensor technology ensures it won't fall off or lose grip while motoring either -- making the Wheeme a master at its trade -- at least for customers lying down. Officially this rover will start shipping in the spring of 2011, but pre-ordering the device which costs $49 plus shipping will guarantee you don't miss out on any of the drive by goodness. To view the Wheeme going to work while narrowly avoiding crashes, check out the embedded video after the break.
Chill out with the iPhone-powered massage chair
We've seen an iPhone-controlled R2-D2, a quadricopter, a dog treat dispenser, a tank, and even an iPhone-controlled soda machine. But c'mon people, let's get a little more practical here -- let's hook it up to a massage chair. That's exactly what Human Touch did with the HT-9500. For just US$4,999, you can sit back, relax, and let your iPhone do the massaging. The free HT-Connect app designed to work with the chair allows you to control posture and massage frequency, and you can even set schedules and create programs designed to work your back in just the right way. Sure, sure, playing Angry Birds or texting friends on your iPhone might be cheaper, but this chair lets you -- oh wait. Yeah, that's the... oh yeah, right there. Oooohhhh yyeeahhhhh. [via Engadget]
iPhone-controlled Acutouch HT-9500 massage chair now available
Have you been struggling to come to terms with your non-iPhone-controlled massage chair ever since seeing the Acutouch HT-9500 back in August? Well, your long, comfortable nightmare could soon be over. The massage chair is now available for the low, low price of $4,999 -- that's a full grand off the MSRP. In case you missed it, the real selling point here (for some folks, anyway) is the accompanying HT-Connect app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, which will let you wirelessly control the chair and give you "instant access to a world of resources, massage programs and expertise designed to improve your wellness and life." Head on past the break for a glimpse of the app itself, and hit up the source link below to find a retailer near you (it's unfortunately listed as out of stock online).
AcuTouch 9500: world's first massage chair to succumb to iPhone, iPod touch and iPad (video)
'Tis true -- we don't often write about massage chairs here, but throw in some gadget connectivity and they'll have our attention, just like this AcuTouch 9500. Discovered by Zedomax, this luxurious furniture from Human Touch claims to be the world's first iOS device-controlled massage chair, meaning you can choose and store your desired routines and intensity -- via the free HT-Connect app -- on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Just to give you more bang for the buck, there are also downloadable massage programs that are individually customized by doctors and sport stars -- most of which you've probably never heard of. The price? No info yet, so you'll just have to keep popping into your local massage parlour until later this year. Demo video after the break.
OSIM uCrown 2 rubs your head, looks like an electric chair appendage
You know, there are some things in life you never expect to do twice: get divorced, fall into the same puddle, write a post about scalp massagers. But here we are, looking at the OSIM uCrown 2 -- an AA battery-powered "soothing head massager" that will jingle your worries away while using "patented air pressure technology, vibration, magnetic therapy" and heat to make your cranium a warm and cozy place to be. We give it credit for looking less like it came from the set of Spaceballs than your typical fare, but quickly take it back because of the ridiculous asking price of $200 and the fact neither model is brave enough to wear the uCrown with their eyes open.
Headtime scalp massager massages scalps, blows minds
Say what you will, but we love the idea of having a tireless automaton massaging our overworked noggins. And, since human slavery was outlawed a good while ago, our only choice left is modern technology. Enter the Headtime scalp massager, produced by Kinatech. This outsized helmet has an array of 29 silicone balls for acupressure and 34 ceramic ones for... well, we don't actually know. There's an internal speaker with the soothing sounds of nature, as well as a temperature controller, which suggests this bad boy could serve as a pretty awesome cranium heater as well. Do yourself a favor and check out the rather threatening looking inside of the helmet after the break.
Home built massage chair strikes inexpugnable fear into aching joints
It's important to remember that when we make inevitable war with the machines, it was really all our fault -- take this guy Lin, for example. Sure, he means well, building this massage chair out of scrap for his aging wife, who suffers from joint pain, but future generations scraping together a meager existence as they huddle for protection from homicidal robots and a rage-filled Christian Bale won't be exactly forgiving of Lin's plight. "Why couldn't he just travel backwards in time to stop the joint pain before it started?" they'll ask. "Didn't he know he was endangering the entire human race?"[Via Make]
USB-powered Animal Massager just might be a bit weird
Attention all trinket lovers, your next must-buy piece of garbage has just arrived. For years, mom 'n pop stores (not to mention Cracker Barrel Country Stores) have raked in serious profits selling wooden animals with round knobs for feet, but now those manual farm-derived masseurs are likely out of a job. The USB Animal Massager ups the ante in a serious way by getting powered by USB, meaning that you won't even have to lift a finger as you watch that dog, panda or pig go to town on your toes or aching back. $10 spells relief (and embarrassment, but whatever).[Thanks, Fanny]
