| My wife dragged me along to an ideal home show - I | | | | thumbs and palms were being used on my back. |
| don't want to sound chauvinistic but I can't stand | | | | But the best was yet to come. You see the |
| window shopping for wallpaper and garden chairs - | | | | iSymphony gets its name because it plays music |
| however, I'm glad I went as I got to try out the | | | | during the massage. However, it just doesn't play the |
| iSymphony massage chair from a company called | | | | music; the music actually determines the sort of |
| OSIM. I've sat in other robotic massage chairs some | | | | massage you get. If you choose to play rock music |
| years ago and never liked them but this chair really | | | | you get a very aggressive and intense massage |
| did make me want to buy one. | | | | whereas slow classical music will give you a much |
| The chair itself looked like something out of Star | | | | more gentle massage. It's incredible; the massage |
| Trek, with its metal foot rails and the most | | | | synchronizes with the music and it's all automatic. |
| complicated looking control I've ever seen. However, | | | | Although not at the show, the sales lady told me |
| from the moment I sat in it I began to relax, it was | | | | that there's an audio visual model called the |
| so comfortable. But I hadn't seen anything yet. | | | | iSymphony AV. I'm not sure I'd want this version as I |
| The kindly sales lady operated the chair for me and | | | | quite like to close my eyes when having a gentle |
| briefly explained some of its key points. Anyhow, | | | | massage. |
| before I knew what was happening, the chair first | | | | Also on the stand was the iDesire chair. Apparently |
| locked my lower legs in its calf massager. It then | | | | this is one of the world's best. It comes with foot |
| began to scan my back using, I was told, infrared | | | | and arm massagers and a whole heap of massage |
| probes. During this phase the chair automatically | | | | programs, air bags, rollers and so on. I didn't try it out |
| moves the internal massage rollers to perfectly fit | | | | though; I thought it looked a little too scary for me. |
| the contours of your spine - quite incredible. | | | | And besides, it didn't come with the music therapy |
| It then began the massage. The massage I received | | | | system. |
| was one of the 5 Healthcare programs - I can't | | | | Technology really has moved on since I last tried a |
| remember which one. The massage was wonderful. | | | | robotic massage chair. I was never a fan of them |
| No, I've never been to a real-life, professional | | | | but after trying the OSIM ISymphony chair I've |
| massager but the company claims that the | | | | become a huge fan. I could well get used to having a |
| iSymphony is a genuine shiatsu massage chair. The | | | | daily massage while listening to some Beethoven. |
| lady explained to me what Shiatsu was and, although | | | | Now, if only I could persuade my wife to spend |
| I'm certainly no expert, it did feel as though fingers, | | | | $3,500 on one. |