Backpack massages muscles when it detects they’re fatigued

A wearable backpack can detect when back muscles become fatigued during activities like lifting dumbbells and automatically massage the affected areas to aid recovery. This innovative system, developed by researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Technology in China, uses electrodes on the skin to monitor electrical activity in four groups of back muscles.

When fatigue is detected, soft massage heads move to the affected areas and adjust the force based on the fatigue levels. In a study involving 15 participants, those who received the adaptive backpack massage showed significantly higher muscle recovery compared to those who received pre-programmed massages or heat therapy. The researchers hope to make the device smaller, more compact, and test it in larger groups of people working in conditions that cause back pain.