"Hey Body, I was at the computer all day at work and my shoulders are stiff"
I sat down in a Bodyfriend massage chair and spoke to it as I normally would. In response, it asked, "Shall I generate a customized massage?" When I requested one, the massage balls inside the backrest smoothly rose up and began applying focused pressure to my neck and shoulders.
This time, I tried changing the order while receiving the massage. When I said, "Please also massage my legs," the airbags wrapping my thighs and calves moved, initiating their signature kicking motion. Following that, when I said, "Add more time," the massage duration increased from 20 minutes to 25 minutes. And when I said, "I have to leave in 10 minutes," it reduced the time to 10 minutes.
On the 1st, I directly experienced the healthcare robots "Quantum AI Pro" and "Da Vinci AI Pro," equipped with generative artificial intelligence (AI), at the Bodyfriend Gongdeok Lounge in Mapo District, Seoul. These are products launched by Bodyfriend last month, where if a user describes their physical condition or desired massage, the AI interprets it to create a massage program.
Users simply need to speak as if in everyday conversation. If you say, "It's a bit cold right now," the heating function activates, and if you request, "I wish the massage were faster," it increases the speed. Elderly users unfamiliar with operating devices can also request their desired massage using voice alone by calling out "Hey Body" or "Friend."
The clearer the request, the faster it is understood. When I said, "I'm very stressed," it took time to grasp the intent, but when I explained, "I've been under a lot of stress and want to find peace," it quickly transitioned into a massage. Additionally, if you say, "I came back from playing soccer and it hurts," it targets the legs, and when I said, "My boss scolded me today and I'm having a hard time," it proceeded with a warm massage using the heating function along with music.
Safety has also been enhanced through voice recognition features. During the massage, when the reporter intentionally made an "Aah" sound as if in pain, it immediately stopped operating, stating, "Emergency voice detected." It is explained that safety has been strengthened so that the operation stops simply by making a sound if the user feels pain during the massage or encounters an unexpected situation.
While AI-based massage recommendation features existed previously, most were at the level of selecting a suitable course from among already created programs. The AI Pro products create new massage programs reflecting the body parts, intensity, and time desired by the user. Preferred courses can also be saved.
In reality, the number of massage combinations that the Quantum AI Pro and Da Vinci AI Pro can theoretically generate exceeds the trillion level. The basic unit for creating customized massages is the "massage block," with 134 massage blocks applied to these two products alone. The AI combines blocks by varying body parts, movements, time, and order.
In the one month since launch, approximately 19,000 instances of generative AI massage were implemented via voice requests for the Quantum AI Pro and Da Vinci AI Pro. Requests describing current physical conditions, such as "My back hurts" or "I'm tired," accounted for 12% of the total, and the most requested massage areas were the lower back, shoulders, and legs, in that order.
The two products also showed their presence in early sales. During last month's Chuseok holiday period, the Da Vinci AI Pro accounted for 11.3% and the Quantum AI Pro for 5.2% of Bodyfriend's total sales volume. Driven by this, the sales proportion of products priced at 6 million won or more increased from 13.9% last year to 43.9% this year. The lump-sum price of the two AI Pro products is approximately 10 million won.
A Bodyfriend official stated, "Previously, AI was at the level of recommending already created massage programs, but the AI Pro products understand the context desired by the user to create customized massages," adding, "We will further advance the technology so that users can comfortably receive their desired massage through everyday conversation."
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