Sensorized Percussive Therapy Attachment for Adaptive Massage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing massage devices, including percussive therapy devices, often provide ineffective and superficial massages without real benefits, and are not automated for effective massage or recovery.

Innovation Solution

A percussive therapy system with a percussive therapy device that includes a housing, motor, push rod assembly, and an attachment configured to provide therapeutic effects, equipped with actuators and sensors for biometric data acquisition, and a routine controller to initiate protocols for effective massage, along with wireless communication for remote device interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If percussive massage devices are used manually without automation, then the device structure remains simple, but the massage effectiveness is superficial and ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemassage effectivenessVSAvoiddevice automation level

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs self-assessment through sensors that detect muscle characteristics and automatically adjusts massage parameters without requiring user expertise or manual adjustment, enabling effective automated massage while maintaining ease of use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Sensors continuously monitor muscle response and provide feedback to the control system, which automatically adjusts percussion intensity, frequency, and duration to optimize massage effectiveness based on real-time muscle conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If sensors and actuators are added to provide automated therapeutic effects, then personalized treatment is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonalized treatment capabilityVSAvoidnumber of sensors and actuators

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single integrated sensor system performs multiple functions including muscle detection, temperature monitoring, and response assessment, while the actuator system provides both percussion and heating functions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining personalized treatment capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The control system integrates sensor data from multiple sources and coordinates multiple actuators through a unified control algorithm, enabling personalized treatment protocols that adapt to individual muscle conditions without requiring separate control systems for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250360048A1Percussive therapy device with electrically connected attachment

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 THERABODY INC

AI summary

A percussive therapy system includes a percussive therapy device that includes a housing, an electrical source, a motor positioned in the housing, a switch for activating the motor, a push rod assembly operatively connected to the motor and configured to reciprocate in response to activation of the motor, and an attachment configured to be operatively connected to a distal end of the push rod assembly of the percussive massage device and to provide at least one therapeutic effect to a user. The attachment may include at least one of an actuator configured to provide the at least one therapeutic effect to the user and a sensor configured to obtain at least one of biometric data of the user and information regarding operation of the percussive therapy device.