The Japanese have pioneered many relaxation techniques, from a cup of tea through massage practices. The latest massage technique out of Japan might give you a bit of thought, though.
Robots — specifically the Waseda Asahi Oral Rehabilitation Robot 1 — are the new providers of excellent facials. Despite advances in designing massage chairs, engineers had to start entirely from scratch to design the WAO-1, because of the fragile nature of facial bone structure. The machine is specifically designed to provide relief for individuals suffering from mouth, jaw and facial disorders.
A member of the research team, Ken Nishimura, was the first to realize that the WAO-1 would be useful outside of medical treatment. "This technology can be applied very widely," Nishimura said. "I’m looking forward to a time when this robot will give beauty facials at spas."
The WAO-1 is a scary looking gadget, though. I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable sticking my head between a pair of metallic rods. But with a price tag of $70,000 for the prototype, I think it will be a little while before one shows up on my block. One of the designers, Atsuo Takanishi of Waseda University, is fine with the price tag, because the machine can multi-task: it is able to massage other body parts, as well as handle other tasks, like holding a patient’s mouth open during treatment. It looks like the WAO-1 will be more of a commercial grade product sold to spas and salons, rather than made for home use.
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