A cutting-edge Israeli company is revolutionizing mental health treatment through what it calls ‘automation therapy’ – an innovative approach that combines artificial intelligence with gentle physical movements to help people overcome stress and trauma.
Emanuel Natanov, co-founder of the biofeedback company ARHIMOTION, believes modern society has created a dangerous mismatch between human biology and contemporary life demands. People are naturally designed as social creatures who thrive in communities built on trust, but today’s world has replaced these foundations with digital isolation and relentless technological pressures that our nervous systems weren’t built to handle.
“We are forced into a high-paced global competition where the demand for speed, higher salaries, and mercantile achievement creates unbearable pressure,” Natanov told The Media Line. “We see this clearly in our stress-driven economy, where the constant push for immediate results and wealth generation keeps workers in a state of chronic hyperarousal, while the overwhelming flood of information paralyzes our ability to make decisions, essentially eroding our spiritual foundation.”
Natanov further explained that “by prioritizing economic velocity over human well-being, we have created a world of global tension where we are running faster than our biology allows, leaving us materially ambitious but spiritually and emotionally exhausted.”
The solution, according to Natanov, lies in nervous system regulation – helping individuals sleep better, respond less impulsively, and feel physically secure. He views this individual transformation as the building block for broader societal improvement.
“When we transform a stressed, reactive individual into a calm, balanced parent, partner, or colleague, that ripple effect creates the tolerance and collective well-being we envision,” Natanov explained. “Ultimately, success is normalizing ‘mental fitness’ so that happiness becomes a sustainable state, not just a fleeting moment.”
Medical research has extensively documented how prolonged stress can trigger severe health complications and debilitating symptoms, including persistent headaches, exhaustion, irritability, and emotional instability.
Several years ago, shortly before the October 7 massacre, Natanov – who had spent over 15 years working in the technology sector – came to a startling realization. He noticed that society frequently employs technology to boost productivity while ignoring the human element. This insight sparked his desire to reverse that trend and make technology work in service of human health and wellbeing, “because we cannot truly succeed if our mental well-being is broken.”
This epiphany led to ARHIMOTION’s creation – a biofeedback enterprise that merges clinical neuroscience, sophisticated robotics, and artificial intelligence. Traditional biofeedback devices monitor involuntary bodily responses like heart rate and skin temperature, then transform this data into visual or auditory signals.
When Hamas launched its attack on Israel, the company hadn’t yet obtained the funding necessary for expansion or completed its regulatory testing programs. This limitation restricted how many people they could assist during this crucial time period.
Nevertheless, the massacre and continuing conflict motivated the team to accelerate their efforts. The company rapidly opened its facilities to offer complimentary therapy sessions to those impacted, and encouraging outcomes quickly emerged.
“This [October 7] situation proved to me, not just as a founder but as a daily user of the technology, that the urgency is 1000% real,” Natanov said. “We witnessed a nation in trauma facing a severe shortage of therapists, a gap that our robotics were designed to fill. If we had the resources to deploy even just 15 additional automated units, we could have treated thousands more, effectively providing an ‘army’ of automated support.”
Understanding ARHIMOTION’s Technology
ARHIMOTION operates on the principle of ‘automation therapy,’ where artificial intelligence systems function as supportive companions by helping individuals restore internal balance.
According to Natanov, automation therapy “transforms the user from a passive recipient into an active creator of their own care.” He differentiated it from wearable devices that simply monitor information and from applications that provide unchanging content. ARHIMOTION merges therapeutic treatment and diagnostic capabilities into one comprehensive, adaptive system.
“We are building a platform where advanced AI doesn’t just deliver a pre-set treatment; it allows us to ‘teach’ it,” Natanov said. “Users and therapists can program their own therapeutic sessions, customizing movements and sensory inputs, and share them with a community. In this model, the AI acts as a student and an optimizer. Through advanced data analysis and policy learning, it observes which user-generated sessions are most effective, learning from our collective wisdom to continuously refine and create the ‘best’ therapy protocols. … The therapy evolves faster than any static medical device ever could.”
More specifically, ARHIMOTION consists of a biofeedback system that, in its present form, is integrated into a mattress with potential for expansion into additional formats. During what the company terms a ‘therapeutic session,’ patients recline on the bed and initially receive guidance from a therapist’s voice until the movement itself assumes control and leads the person into profound relaxation.
During an ‘active biofeedback session,’ which ARHIMOTION refers to as ‘mental fitness training,’ patients actively engage with the system while receiving real-time feedback. In this configuration, the AI operates similarly to a personal fitness coach.
Therapists can also utilize the system’s ‘creator mode,’ lying on the bed and directing the AI to develop new treatment protocols instantly, training the system to recognize specific biological markers for future patients. As explained on the Mayo Clinic’s website, biofeedback devices ‘mirror’ physiological processes. This enables individuals to immediately observe the effects of changes they’re implementing through actions like controlled breathing and improved management of bodily functions such as heart rate and muscle responses.
“We aren’t rewriting biology; we are simply speaking its language,” Natanov said. “The mechanisms we activate are deeply rooted in our nature, much like the instinct to rock a crying baby to soothe them. We leverage scientifically validated methods like vestibular stimulation, which has extensive research supporting its ability to regulate emotions, along with bilateral stimulation and vibration therapy, which are well-known for releasing muscle tension and calming the nervous system. These are primal, effective pathways that the human body already understands and trusts.”
Natanov describes this approach as ‘body biofeedback.’
The company has progressed beyond theoretical concepts and is now preparing for clinical validation through active partnerships with hospitals to prove the technology’s effectiveness. Natanov stated that ARHIMOTION is pursuing funding, has already developed the testing protocol, and has established a partnership with Tel Aviv’s Hormesis health and wellness center.
“Think of our system like automated robotic surgery: the robotics provides the physical intervention, while the AI acts as the ‘surgeon’s brain,’” Natanov explained. “The Internet of Medical Things is the nervous system that binds them into a living, learning entity. It doesn’t just connect the parts; it creates a continuous value loop.”
He expanded on this concept, explaining that on an individual basis, the system enables remote therapy sessions, allowing verification of the device’s mechanical performance and enabling therapists to conduct sessions from distant locations. On a broader scale, it powers the company’s data analysis capabilities. Collecting anonymous information across thousands of sessions enables ongoing protocol improvement and can even provide regional or national perspectives on mental health patterns. This capability gives the system predictive abilities similar to diagnostic applications, but based on direct physiological responses.
Natanov emphasized that the specific algorithms controlling how the system adapts remain confidential, but he stated the ultimate objective is for the system to actively train patients to manage their own stress responses.
Regarding people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insufficient clinical evidence currently exists. Natanov mentioned the team has received input from psychiatrists suggesting that the platform shows effectiveness for acute trauma, particularly sleep disruptions, which are often fundamental to PTSD.
“By physically resolving that immediate physiological tension and restoring the ability to sleep, we are directly addressing the acute root of the trauma, not just managing long-term stress,” Natanov said.
He noted that, on a community level, the number of people utilizing the system could serve a vital function.
“Take, for example, soldiers dealing with PTSD or people suffering from anxiety due to the war and geopolitical situation. When the society around them is also highly stressed, it becomes less tolerant and has no patience for their pain,” Natanov said. “This creates a dangerous downward spiral: the person is already suffering, and the lack of societal support makes their condition even worse. We focus on stress because if we can lower the general pressure, we don’t just heal the individual; we build a more tolerant society that gives people the space they need to actually recover.”
Consider Eden, who shared her experience through video with ARHIMOTION and requested that her complete name not be disclosed. Eden, who also works in the technology sector, had tried various treatments to help her better cope with life’s pressures. Yet she stated, “I never experienced anything like ARHIMOTION.”
Eden reported that an 18-minute session felt like an hour, as she became so deeply relaxed that time appeared to slow down.
“I felt like I was healing, letting go of my whole body,” she said. When the session concluded, Eden described her body as “full of strength. I felt like I could run a marathon, even though I have never run before. I felt so much energy.”
This feeling persisted for hours following the treatment.
While many users approach the technology with skepticism and the experience may sound too promising to believe, Natanov explained that people are willing to attempt it because their need for relief is so urgent. Since the technology is medication-free, non-invasive, and physically resembles a comforting massage, there are relatively few obstacles to beginning treatment.
He observed that the greater challenge involves earning the confidence of the investment community, which is more familiar with digital applications and pharmaceutical solutions. Investors frequently have difficulty understanding the economic potential and urgency of this type of therapy.
“We find ourselves constantly having to educate the market on why this tangible, robotic revolution is the inevitable next step for mental health,” Natanov commented.
Natanov has published extensively on his company’s blog about how robots can support therapeutic care, from interactive systems that engage directly with patients to technologies that provide remote assistance or companionship.
He stressed that robots can offer more accessible, consistent, and ‘non-judgmental’ therapy for people who struggle with traditional cognitive therapy methods.
This doesn’t mean concerns don’t exist. Natanov recognized fears that people using tools like his for treatment might become overly dependent on technology. Simultaneously, he argued that some alternatives may be even more concerning, pointing to what he described as the world’s ‘opioid and benzo crisis.’
According to research published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, combining opioids and benzodiazepines can increase overdose risk because both drug types can cause sedation and suppress breathing. In 2021, the institute documented that more than 10% of overdose deaths involving opioids also involved benzodiazepines.
Natanov noted that dependency isn’t exclusive to machines. It’s also a recognized issue in traditional psychotherapy, where patients can become excessively reliant on their human therapists.
The use of robots in therapy also presents ethical considerations, particularly concerns about the potential for emotional attachment to machines. Natanov stated he believes the most ethical approach is one that works with nature rather than against it. “Because our solution is based on natural mechanisms, like rocking or vibration, it creates an intuitive, subjective experience where consent is felt physically. We see this clearly in our data: about 90% of users naturally adapt and surrender to the motion, while 10% instinctively feel it isn’t for them, preferring options like medication, yoga, or sport. We respect that completely. We don’t believe in a single universal solution.”
Looking ahead, ARHIMOTION plans to develop additional automation therapy solutions, including applications for neurological disorders, complex rehabilitation, and physiotherapy.
Natanov stated Israel will continue serving as the company’s research and development center. In the United States, the device is already being utilized as a flexible exploration platform, rigorously testing diverse body biofeedback configurations to refine its models in a different cultural environment. The company has also contacted an institute in Germany to help facilitate entry into the European market.
“We are proud to be the pioneers defining this category, proving that the most effective way to treat stress in a chaotic world is through intelligent, automated physical intervention,” Natanov concluded. “We plan to lead this revolution, believing that even a small improvement in individual resilience can create a massive ripple effect for society.”
