Robotics firm promises new robot masseuse will be different this time

Purporting to possess a "world-class force sensitivity" of 0.03 newtons along with a host of AI and other advanced computer systems like 3D computer vision, Flexiv's Rizon 4 should be capable of giving completely customizable massage experiences based on the user. The one-type-fits-all approach of standard mechanical massagers like those built into reclining seats is one of the major limitations on this kind of technology, and to that end Flexiv does appear to have at least some awareness of the fact that massages are a deeply personal experience that would need to be replicated for its robot to ever take off in a meaningful way.

"We aim to make robotic massage mainstream and, in the process, reduce its cost while increasing its availability," said Yunfan Gao, Marketing Director for Flexiv. "People think nothing of buying food or drink from a vending machine, and we hope they will think the same way about purchasing a robotic massage.

"We believe that robotics will play an intrinsic part of everyday life in the future, democratizing access to services that are currently cost-prohibitive," Gao added. "I hope that one day our robotic masseur will be on hand in every clinic, spa, gym, and health club to provide a viable alternative to traditional massages."

Can a robotic masseuse ever really work?

The massaging robot isn't Flexiv's first attempt at a robot, and it's not even different than a robot Flexiv has already shown off this year.. A couple of months back, Flexiv introduced Moonlight, a parallel robotic arm capable of the fine motor control and force precision required for delicate robotic assembly such as electronics manufacturing. Incidentally, that kind of delicate manipulation is strikingly similar to the kind of handiwork done by a specially-trained masseuse, so a massaging robot isn't entirely out of left field.

If anything, the fact that Flexiv has been putting this technology to other proven purposes is definitely a mark in its favor and offers some assurance that the Rizon 4's newly acquired massage therapy skills are more than a gimmick like so many massaging technology that has come before it.

It is still probably a gimmick meant to sell the company's Rizon 4 industrial robots to customers who need delicate work done, though, just not to their physical persons. And what better way to advertise that your robot won't punch right through a smartphone display than to showcase what is effectively a software add-on to its industrial robots that allows the robotic arms to perform the same delicate techniques of a trained masseuse?