7/25/2016

Emma,world'sfirstrobottherapisttohelprelievemusclestrainsTheEconomicTimes
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Emma,world'sfirstrobottherapistto
helprelievemusclestrains
PTI | Jul24,2016,03.20PMIST

SINGAPORE, Jul 24 (PTI) Suffering from back

pain? A robotic massage therapist developed
byaSingaporebasedstartupmayhelprelieve
musclestrainsandinjuries.

Severalsafetyfeatureswhichworkin
tandemwithadvancedpressure
sensorsarealsoinbuilt,toensurethe
comfortandthesafetyofitspatients.
Image:ntu.edu.sg

Emma, or Short for Expert Manipulative

MassageAutomation,aroboticarmwitha3D
printed massage tip, can resolve some of the
challengesfacedbysportstherapyclinics,such
as a shortage of trained therapists and a need
todeliverhighqualitytherapyconsistently.

Developed by AiTreat, a startup company

foundedbyNanyangTechnologicalUniversity(NTUSingapore)graduateAlbert
Zhang,Emmaisundergoingusertrialsatamedicalinstitutionthatofferssports
injuryrehabilitationandpainmanagement.
"We have designed Emma as a clinically precise tool that can automatically
carry out treatment for patients as prescribed by a physiotherapist or Chinese
physician,"saidZhang,whograduatedin2010fromNTU.
"Thisisprobablythefirstsuchrobotintheworlddevelopedspecificallyforuse
byTraditionalChineseMedicine(TCM)physiciansandsportstherapists,"said
Zhang.
"Ouraimisnottoreplacethetherapistswhoareskilledinsportsmassageand
acupointtherapy,buttoimproveproductivitybyenablingonetherapisttotreat
multiplepatientswiththehelpofourrobots,"hesaid.
Emma has a userfriendly interface and recommended guidelines for various
sportsinjuries.
Therobotconsistsofasingle,6axisroboticarmcapableofhighlyarticulated
movements, a 3Dstereoscopic camera for vision, and a customised, fully
Home

rotatable3Dprintedmassagetip.
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Severalsafetyfeatureswhichworkintandemwithadvancedpressuresensors
arealsoinbuilt,toensurethecomfortandthesafetyofitspatients.

24
Emmahastreated50patientswithdifferentconditions,suchastenniselbows,
stiffneckandshoulders,lowerbackpain,aswellasmusclepulls.

Humour

MoreFromHealth
Emma,world'sfirstrobot
therapisttohelprelieve
musclestrains

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/emmaworldsfirstrobottherapisttohelprelievemusclestrains/articleshow/53364532.cms

1/16

7/25/2016

Emma,world'sfirstrobottherapisttohelprelievemusclestrainsTheEconomicTimes

To ensure a consistent quality of therapy, Emma has sensors and diagnostic

functionsthatwillmeasuretheprogressofthepatientandtheexactstiffnessof
aparticularmuscleortendon.
These detailed diagnostics are uploaded to the cloud where the progress of
eachpatientcanbeanalysedandgeneratedintoaperformancereport.
For the first time in TCM treatment, patients can accurately measure their
recoveryprogressusingpreciseempiricaldata.

0
Comments

Thisisextremelyvaluableforathletes,astheirinjuries,treatmentandrecovery
cannowbemeasuredandmonitoredbytheirphysicianandtherapists.
In addition, the treatment programmes can be adjusted according to the
progressofthepatients'recovery.
Alsoread:Botheredbyintenseshoulderpain?Tipstogetridofit
Alsoread:Treadmillworkstationsreduceneck,shouldermusclepain

YoucanalsofollowusonFacebookandTwitter.

Emma,world'sfirstrobot
therapisttohelprelievemuscle
strains
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READMORE: world|therapist|tennis|TCM|Sports|Robot|features

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Emma,world'sfirstrobot
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musclestrains

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/emmaworldsfirstrobottherapisttohelprelievemusclestrains/articleshow/53364532.cms

2/16