Are Massage Chairs Having More Motors
26 Mar 2010There is a massage chair myth that has been permeated through time about the number of motors. This myth claims that the more motors contained in the massage chair, the better the massage chair. At the height of this myth, companies were claiming to have more and more motors in their massage chairs. The thought being that with more motors, the massage is greatly enhanced. Claims were made to have a massage chair with 6, 8 and even 18 motors. Of course, having more motors could enable more varied movements in the shiatsu massage chairs, but is this actually true?
The more motors the better the chair myth is going to be put to the myth buster test. Obviously, having more motors enables more massage options to be possible. Motors are not cheap, in fact they are expensive. Immediately, there is a quality versus quantity tradeoff. Having 18 motors versus 3 motors would make the cost of the 18 motor chair skyrocket, if they use the same quality motor. First concern is the quality level of motors in a massage chair with 18 motors.
Space is another constraint like in any product. Motors used in shiatsu massage chairs are not small motors and must be allocated space. As the number of motors increases, then more mechanisms must be installed around each motor taking up more space. Motors weigh from 2 lbs to 5 lbs each. A massage chair having 3 motors would have 6 lbs in motor weight, whereas, as a massage chair having 18 motors would have 36 lbs each or if 5 lbs each 90 lbs, just in motors. More motors equal more weight.
How are high end luxury massage chairs designed with motors? Most manufacturers use 3 high quality motors. One for the kneading massage, one for the tapping massage and the third motor for moving the roller unit up and down. Software synchronizes the movements of the motors and running the tapping and kneading motors together produces the shiatsu massage.
If you examine the top of the line massage chairs, most use 1 motor to move the rollers up and down the chair back and 2 motors are used for the kneading and for the tapping. If the design runs each left and right roller independent, then this is done with 5 motors. The motors in this case do not provide any further massage capabilities, but will put less wear and tear on the motors, since their duties are split. Again, neat design, but no real improvement in the actual massage delivered.
If the motor does not create a new and unique massage, then what value does it add? Why have more motors and potentially more problems? The simpler the design, the higher the quality and the less problems down the road. Remember, each motor needs to have controls, software, wiring, etc. to integrate it into the overall massage chair. This drives complexity, increases the testing required to ensure quality and if cheaper motors are substituted, then reduces reliability. Do not buy into the myth that more motors the better for a shiatsu massage chair. Simple is always better!
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