We've had some pretty odd but interesting topics lately here in America Top 10. One of them is an article about a type of facial massage that uses live snails. Imagine having snails crawl all over you, how would that make you feel? Now, imagine getting a massage from a machine in Singapore? Emma, a robot massage therapist can do just that.
Expert Manipulative Massage Automation
Emma is not actually the machine's name but is short for Expert Manipulative Massage Automation. The robot massage therapist was created as a response to the shortage of massage therapists in Singapore. Thirty-two year old Albert Zhang created Emma with help from developer AiTreat, a start-up company founded at the Nanyang Technological University.
How It Works
The robot massage therapist has a fully rotatable 3D-printed massage tip. This tip makes it possible for Emma to perform highly-articulated movements. In addition, the tip can also assess patients’ responses like change in muscle or tendon stiffness. The data is then uploaded to allow the human therapist to monitor the patients’ progress over time. It also has a 3D-stereoscopic camera for vision, a user-friendly interface, and recommended guidelines for various sports injuries.
Is It Effective?
During the clinical trials, Emma successfully treated 50 patients in different age groups. These subjects had conditions such as stiff neck and shoulders, as well as lower back pain and tennis elbows. Emma has also been relieving muscle strains and injuries of some of Singapore’s national athletes. Currently, Emma's services are only offered in the Singapore Sports Hub only.
