Since coming onto the market in mid 2011 at Montreal's Ovarium Spa, I'm still looking for the neuro-massager to hit my neighborhood spa for its entertainment value alone. And why spas haven't latched onto it beats me.

Not only is it an amazing therapy in its own right – 20 minutes on the bed is akin to a 90 minutes traditional massage, it's also a value-added treatment to every single service in much the same way as many spas offer steams and saunas. Only this one is much cheaper to maintain and is virtually labour-free. In these economic times, spa owner's should be leaping at the opportunity to grab this competitive edge.

So what makes this so special?

Physical Concept
The bed, which is more like a mattress pad, is equipped with a number of pulsating pummelers that assuage the body in waves, as well as variable vibrators.

The bed comprises a network of neuro-transmitters that ‘feel’ the body’s tension which serve to customize every experience. For example, while some people may receive a massage from head to toe, others may only feel sensations in stress areas such as on the buttocks and lower back (people who sit at lot get this), or the wave will only ride as high as the shoulders where it will rest a while before working its way down the body again. Every experience is different because the whole concept is based on releasing tension from one’s neuro muscular system, which in turn, releases other energy blocks within the body.

The produce also has a strategically placed, built in sound system through which you listen to the sounds of nature, crashing waves, and musical arrangements that have been scientifically composed to influence brainwave patterns in much the same way as sleep-machines help insomniacs calm their minds. The added component here is that the bed incorporates ‘multi-frequency vibration accoustics’ –music that also responds to how the pummelers are doing their job. Consequently, every individual responds differently to the hybrid of sensations depending on their tension levels.
The one commonality is, however, that this sound immersion has a deep, ethereal quality.

Variable Vibration
Another key to this therapy is its variable vibration. After 10 minutes, any repetitive pulse is felt as stress by the body – think of it as a dripping tap that keeps dropping its water in exactly the same place. But with variable vibration, the vibes move horizontally and are in addition to the vertical wave which moves bottom to top in rhythm with the body’s natural harmonics. Hence, nerves are stimulated in a seemingly random manner so the body experiences only relaxation.

The Ovarium Difference
For The Ovarium, in Montreal, the beds are causing quite a sensation. This upscale day spa is already a stand out for its floatation tanks and holistic wellness therapies that often incorporate tried-and-true, non-traditional approaches into their classic services. Magnet therapy. Gemstones. Pulsar massage. Vibrational medicine. As a member of the prestigious Relais Sante Spa Network, you know the place is first class and an industry leader in many aspects of spa wellness.

My Final Word
It’s taken about ten years to develop and, unlike many spa inventions, this thin mattress has got legs to succeed. Not only has it been developed by an innovative furniture manufacturer with the capacity to produce these beds a serious quantities, it delivers a ‘tomorrow' experience -- a hybrid of hard-core and New Age science -- today.