Dennis Ledenkof is the CEO and founding father of roboSculptor the roboSculptor, an autonomous platform for body treatments developed by health industry experts and powered by AI. It ideally suits the longevity concept and delivers precise, secure, and cozy touchless wellness treatments.
Are you able to share the journey that led you to create roboSculptor?
I got here up with the concept to construct a robotic body therapy system in 2019 during my trip to the US. I used to be on the lookout for a distributor for an aesthetics device. While the potential partner liked the outcomes, the procedure was too time-consuming and required highly expert labor, making the unit economics unclear. The procedure took an hour and was physically demanding, with such specialists being hard to search out. During that trip, I didn’t get a distributor, but I got useful advice. To invent something that doesn’t require human power.
It took my team nine months to make a demo that showcased the concept of a robotic massage. At first, we desired to develop a product that simply combined the classic shape of a body contouring device with a cobot. , just on top of it. It appeared like an easy-to-implement idea.
1st iteration of adding a robot to a conventional aesthetic device. Scheme.
Nevertheless, as we delved deeper into the project, we realized our initial vision didn’t align with the intricate demands of the system we were constructing. We underestimated the complexity of the enterprise.
The following iteration of the system got a tunnel-like shape.
Early version of roboSculptor – portal-like shape.
It has been exhibited in some trade shows as an idea. The feedback was that the machine appeared quite massive and, to some, even intimidating. During additional robot movement tests, our engineers found that the system wasn’t rigid enough to perform massage movements at higher speeds. After collecting all this information the engineers began to work on a brand new structure. It was a difficult task to construct it. Still, it resulted in a distinct, more open and friendly design.
The actual roboSculptor design.
How has your experience with previous ventures influenced the event of roboSculptor?
Working within the aesthetics marketplace for over a decade gives you a solid understanding of where trends are inclined to shift, you begin to learn more in regards to the corporations and what products they construct. But most significantly, you learn to see the gaps between what the market needs and what other players do.
With experience in implementing body contouring devices, our company got down to develop a robotic system able to delivering a full-body therapeutic massage based on lymphatic drainage. The Vibrocompression by spheres method goes beyond mere rest—it is a scientifically proven technique for reducing body volume and improving skin oxygenation, achieved solely through mechanical application. No laser or electromagnetic emission. Pretty natural and healthy although very efficient treatment. All we do is just mix many years of experience and research with currently available tech and robotic instruments.
How does roboSculptor utilize AI and robotics to personalize massage techniques?
Our engineers discovered that constructing a robotic machine for body treatment requires a system able to translating the position of a physical body into signals the machine can understand. Simply put, we wanted to create a digital map of the human body to guide a robotic manipulator. It is a significant challenge, but a fair greater one is the necessity to continually track the patient’s position—generally known as dynamic pose detection—because humans can move unexpectedly. And most of the people would not need a massage in a spot where their leg was just a couple of seconds ago.
To resolve this, we developed a system using 4 lidars that create a degree cloud, which is combined with a 3D model of the human body and continually updated. This map then guides the robot over the body’s surface. Constructing this map appropriately requires analyzing a big amount of knowledge. To accurately detect the pose, we’ve got created an AI/ML model that optimizes pose detection. Our system can now map the body at a speed of 5-10 frames per second and supply the robot with proper commands to execute massage protocols.
How does roboSculptor incorporate feedback from users and therapists to refine its algorithms?
In terms of massage therapy, there has all the time been a certain level of subjectivity around what’s effective. As an illustration, what pressure level is required to perform an efficient procedure? A robotic massage system gives us a precise instrument for measuring pressure in grams and controlling tool movement speed. We’ve designed the system in a way that the manipulator’s movements are recorded with all precise dynamics and pressure levels. The movement history maylater be replayed and analyzed by algorithms. By comparing patient preferences with specific parts of the movement history, we are able to pinpoint probably the most effective techniques for every individual, much like how a preferred video platform uses likes to find out viewer preferences. Gathering more data on the effectiveness of treatments will ultimately improve the standard of care based on big data evaluation.
Could you explain the role of the 3D camera system in enhancing the effectiveness of the treatments?
A robot is an automatic system which will interact with real objects based on the duty it’s preprogrammed for. Simply put, it’s a machine that may see, make decisions and act in line with its assigned tasks. Some of the effective ways to detect a human body’s position is through the use of Lidars—3D depth sensors, also known as ‘3D cameras.’ They assist create an in depth 3D map of the patient’s body. You possibly can consider massage lines as tracks which might be mapped onto the patient’s body. Lidars generate a degree cloud, which is then used to construct this precise map.
Dennis, the founding father of roboSculptor, envisioned by 3D scanners as a degree cloud.
Are you able to explain how the system adapts a massage session based on the user’s biometric feedback?
Through the procedure, patients may adjust the pressure level. The system is paired with an app that lets users define ‘no-go zones’—sensitive areas the machine should avoid during treatment.”
It’s probably not biometric feedback that we implement in the present version, although we’ve got evaluated different evaluation systems like measuring BMI, skin quality, etc. While these could make the system more personalized, they’d also complicate its operation. At later stages, we are going to get back to those topics. The present version of roboSculptor allows patiens to decide on various treatment programs depending on their goals, with the alternative acting as a setting. Through the procedure, patients may adjust the pressure level. The system is paired with an app that lets users define ‘no-go zones’—sensitive areas the machine should avoid during treatment.
illustration of no-go zones on a female three-D model. roboSclulptor.
What significant challenges did you face while developing roboSculptor, and the way did you overcome them?
First comes the safety. Fortunately for clients, you possibly can’t just put a product or a technology in the marketplace without passing all of the crucial tests. But passing them takes time for business, sometimes greater than expected. Furthermore, the complex interplay between innovation and regulation can slow the adoption of disruptive technologies, resulting in a paradoxical situation where cutting-edge solutions face resistance from traditional frameworks.
Economic uncertainty adds one other layer of complexity. Fluctuations in market demand, regulatory changes, and unexpected geopolitical events can all throw a wrench. For starters, they might affect the feasibility and profitability of startups and repel potential investors with the funds to support product development. And raising funding for robotics is difficult enough now because it is. Historically, investors hesitate to back robotics ventures resulting from the high cost of research, development, prototyping, manufacturing, and longer development cycles in comparison with software-based ventures. We are able to see this from corporations like ARTAS, the developer of a robot for hair transplantation, which still hasn’t turned a profit.
Furthermore, some solutions are hard to duplicate quickly resulting from their high costs. Due to this fact, corporations may not grow on the pace that you just would expect. And it could take years for investors to exit and get returns from their investments.
What machine learning techniques are used to reinforce the therapeutic outcomes of roboSculptor continually?
Body detection involves processing a considerable amount of data. To optimize the strategy of pose detection in real-time, we use a neural network. Through machine learning, we’ve developed a model that repeatedly monitors patients’ body positions in real time. This data is used to update a body map that assists a robot in delivering a customized massage. This enables the robot to adapt to any posture changes and supply precise tool positioning and effective treatment.
How do you see the role of AI and robotics evolving within the healthcare and wellness sectors over the following decade?
In line with data from the International Spa Association (iSpa), there was a shortage of 29,000 massage therapists within the US in 2022. And the deficit remains to be present. Robotic solutions can close this gap. One other profit is that they will provide massages to those that cannot resort to traditional masseuses for various reasons (from being uncomfortable with human touch to cultural nuances).
As well as, robotic and AI-based solutions can significantly increase the revenue of SPA providers. For starters, robots can work more efficiently than humans, performing tasks faster and more precisely. Our research shows that they will perform double the procedures of a human therapist, generating as much as 2.4 times more revenue for wellness facilities. Furthermore, operational costs could drop by as much as 40%, with returns on investment hitting 54% per device annually.
Moreover, integrating robots and AI in healthcare can automate routine tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on direct patient care and complicated decision-making. These technologies may reduce errors, improve efficiency, and improve patient service.
How do you envision roboSculptor transforming the wellness industry?
Considered one of the issues in hotels’ SPA/wellness centers is the dearth of expert therapists. Through the pandemic, some therapists who lost their jobs at the moment just modified professions. The others don’t need to work full-time and like more life of their work-life balance than before. The opposite one is that therapist’s schedules are determined by labor laws and their physical abilities. Within the era of repeatedly rising consumption, the demand must be covered. And the labor market doesn’t have enough specialists to supply.
As cited in ISPA 2023 research paper ‘Staff shortages were most frequently cited as the first reason given by spas reporting a decrease of their weekly hours of operation and likewise those saying that they had decreased the variety of service provider shifts per day.
Limited SPA zones working hours decrease the return on investment of SPA and wellness centres. In the closest healthcare industry, it’s physiotherapists’ needs are removed from fully covered by specialists available.
Labor is one in all the constraints in lots of industries and economics usually. I imagine that implementing automation is not going to only deliver treatments at more flexible and convenient times for consumers but in addition significantly impact the wellness industry. By adding robotics, we are able to expand accessibility to vital services and ensure consistent quality for a much larger number of individuals worldwi
