Healthcare robot corporations Bodyfriend said on the 20th that it registered a patent for a structure and technology that freely rotates the leg massage unit horizontally to assist adduction and abduction stretching.
The official name of the newly registered patent is "patent for a massage device with leg adduction and abduction functions." Adduction and abduction refer to movements of bringing the legs toward the body or spreading them outward.
This technology applies a structure to the main body frame where the leg massage unit is mounted that allows it to move left and right. Users, while seated, can naturally spread or bring both legs inward and outward. Through this, stretching and massage can be applied to the legs and pelvis at various angles. It also enables care for the inner and outer thigh muscles, which were previously difficult to stimulate.
Users with different leg shapes, such as intoeing and out-toeing, can adjust the settings to their body type to receive massage and stretching. Leg adduction and abduction stretching is known to increase the range of motion of the hip joint and the flexibility of surrounding muscles and ligaments, improve pelvic stability and lower-body alignment, and enhance gait and balance.
A Bodyfriend official said, "With this patented technology, we have been able to dramatically expand the range of motion of Robo-Walking Technology, the proprietary technology of Bodyfriend healthcare robots," adding, "We will continue to research technologies that allow users to manage their health easily while receiving a wide variety of stretching and massage."
Bodyfriend received the commissioner of the Intellectual Property Office award at the "Corporate Intellectual Property Awards," the highest-authority government commendation given to corporations recognized for innovative achievements while strengthening intellectual property (IP)-based management, on the 30th of last month. As of September, Bodyfriend's domestic and overseas intellectual property applications exceeded 5,000. Over the past 10 years alone, it filed 803 patents in the "therapeutic assistive devices" field.