My wife dragged me along to an ideal home show – I don’t want to sound chauvinistic but I can’t stand window shopping for wallpaper and garden chairs – however, I’m glad I went as I got to try out the iSymphony massage chair from a company called OSIM. I’ve sat in other robotic massage chairs some years ago and never liked them but this chair really did make me want to buy one.
The chair itself looked like something out of Star Trek, with its metal foot rails and the most complicated looking control I’ve ever seen. However, from the moment I sat in it I began to relax, it was so comfortable. But I hadn’t seen anything yet.
The kindly sales lady operated the chair for me and briefly explained some of its key points. Anyhow, before I knew what was happening, the chair first locked my lower legs in its calf massager. It then began to scan my back using, I was told, infrared probes. During this phase the chair automatically moves the internal massage rollers to perfectly fit the contours of your spine – quite incredible.
It then began the massage. The massage I received was one of the 5 Healthcare programs – I can’t remember which one. The massage was wonderful. No, I’ve never been to a real-life, professional massager but the company claims that the iSymphony is a genuine shiatsu massage chair. The lady explained to me what Shiatsu was and, although I’m certainly no expert, it did feel as though fingers, thumbs and palms were being used on my back.
But the best was yet to come. You see the iSymphony gets its name because it plays music during the massage. However, it just doesn’t play the music; the music actually determines the sort of massage you get. If you choose to play rock music you get a very aggressive and intense massage whereas slow classical music will give you a much more gentle massage. It’s incredible; the massage synchronizes with the music and it’s all automatic.
Although not at the show, the sales lady told me that there’s an audio visual model called the iSymphony AV. I’m not sure I’d want this version as I quite like to close my eyes when having a gentle massage.
Also on the stand was the iDesire chair. Apparently this is one of the world’s best. It comes with foot and arm massagers and a whole heap of massage programs, air bags, rollers and so on. I didn’t try it out though; I thought it looked a little too scary for me. And besides, it didn’t come with the music therapy system.
Technology really has moved on since I last tried a robotic massage chair. I was never a fan of them but after trying the OSIM ISymphony chair I’ve become a huge fan. I could well get used to having a daily massage while listening to some Beethoven. Now, if only I could persuade my wife to spend $3,500 on one.