The Media Line: Israeli Startup Uses ‘Automation Therapy’ To Tackle Stress and Trauma 

Israeli Startup Uses ‘Automation Therapy’ To Tackle Stress and Trauma 

Chronic stress can lead to serious health issues and a range of debilitating symptoms, from headaches and fatigue to irritability and mood swings, according to a wide body of research 

By Maayan Hoffman / The Media Line 

Humans are “social species biologically wired for community and trust.” Yet modern life has “outpaced our biology by replacing these foundations with digital isolation and a relentless, technology-driven race that our nervous systems were never designed to endure.” This is how Emanuel Natanov, co-founder of the mental health biofeedback company ARHIMOTION, describes the world, asserting that this mismatch is driving much of the deep anxiety seen today. 

“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.” 

He added 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.” 

Natanov’s proposed solution is nervous system regulation, which he said helps people sleep better, react less impulsively, and feel physically safe. Starting with the individual, he believes this is “the foundation for a happier society.” 

“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.” 

Chronic stress can lead to serious health issues and a range of debilitating symptoms, from headaches and fatigue to irritability and mood swings, according to a wide body of research. 

A few years ago, just before the October 7 massacre, Natanov, who spent more than 15 years in the high-tech industry, said he realized that the world often uses technology to maximize productivity while neglecting the human being behind it. He felt a sudden urge to shift that paradigm and have technology serve human health and happiness, “because we cannot truly succeed if our mental well-being is broken.”  

That realization led to the creation of ARHIMOTION, a biofeedback company that synthesizes clinical neuroscience, advanced robotics, and artificial intelligence. Biofeedback devices generally track automatic body responses, such as heart rate and skin temperature, and convert them into visual or auditory feedback. 

When Hamas attacked Israel, the company had not yet secured the capital needed to scale or finalize its regulatory pilots. As a result, it was limited in the number of people it could reach during a critical period.  

Still, the massacre and the ongoing war pushed the team to move faster. The company quickly began opening its clinics to provide free therapy to those affected, and positive results soon 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.” 

What Is ARHIMOTION? 

ARHIMOTION is built around the concept of “automation therapy,” in which artificial intelligence systems act as a “supportive partner” by helping people restore balance. 

Natanov explained that automation therapy “transforms the user from a passive recipient into an active creator of their own care.” He distinguished it from wearables that only track data and from apps that offer static content. He said ARHIMOTION combines therapy and diagnostics into a single, evolving ecosystem.  

“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.” 

Specifically, ARHIMOTION is a biofeedback system that, in its current generation, is embedded in a mattress and has the potential to expand into other formats. During what the company calls a “therapeutic session,” the patient lies back on the bed and is initially guided by a therapist’s voice until the motion itself takes over and guides the person into deep relaxation.  

In an “active biofeedback session,” or what ARHIMOTION calls “mental fitness training,” the patient actively interacts with the system, receiving feedback. In this setting, the AI functions more like a personal trainer.  

Therapists can also use the system’s “creator mode,” lying on the bed and guiding the AI to generate new protocols in real time, teaching the system to reflect specific biomarkers for future users. As the Mayo Clinic explains on its website, biofeedback devices “mirror” physiological processes. This allows individuals to immediately see the effects of the changes they are making by taking certain actions, such as deep breathing and better control of bodily functions, like 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.” 

In Natanov’s words, this is “body biofeedback.” 

The company has moved beyond theory and is preparing for clinical validation through active collaborations with hospitals to demonstrate the technology’s efficacy. Natanov said ARHIMOTION is seeking funding, has already prepared the protocol, and has launched a collaboration with Tel Aviv’s Hormesis health and well-being 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 elaborated on that concept, saying that on an individual level, the system enables remote therapy, allowing verification of the device’s mechanical integrity and therapists to guide sessions from afar. On a macro level, it powers the company’s data science. Aggregating anonymous data across thousands of sessions enables continuous protocol refinement and can even yield regional or national insights into mental health trends. This ability gives the system predictive capabilities similar to those of diagnostic apps, but based on direct physiological feedback. 

Natanov stressed that the specific algorithms governing how the system adapts remain proprietary, but he said the ultimate goal is for the system to actively teach patients to control their own stress response. 

For people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is not yet enough clinical data. Natanov said the team has received feedback from psychiatrists indicating that the platform is effective for acute trauma, especially sleep disturbances, which are often central 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 added that, on a societal level, the number of people using the system could play a critical role. 

“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.” 

Take Eden, who shared her story via video with ARHIMOTION and asked that her full name not be used. Eden, who also works in the high-tech industry, had undergone a range of treatments to help her better manage life’s stress. Yet she said, “I never experienced anything like ARHIMOTION.” 

According to Eden, an 18-minute session felt like an hour, as she became so relaxed that time seemed to slow down. 

“I felt like I was healing, letting go of my whole body,” she said. When the session ended, 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.” 

That sensation lasted for hours after the treatment. 

Although many users are skeptical and the experience can sound too good to be true, Natanov said people are willing to try it because their need for relief is so profound. Since the technology is drug-free, noninvasive, and physically feels like a soothing massage, there are relatively few barriers to getting started. 

He noted that the bigger challenge is gaining the trust of the investment community, which is more accustomed to digital apps and pharmaceuticals. Investors often struggle to grasp 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 written extensively on his company 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 emphasized that robots can offer more accessible, consistent, and “non-judgmental” therapy for people who struggle with traditional cognitive therapy methods. 

This does not mean there are no concerns. Natanov acknowledged fears that people using tools like his for treatment could become too dependent on technology. At the same time, he argued that some alternatives may be even more troubling, pointing to what he described as the world’s “opioid and benzo crisis.”  

According to an article published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, combining opioids and benzodiazepines can increase the risk of overdose because both types of drugs can cause sedation and suppress breathing. In 2021, the institute reported that more than 10% of overdose deaths involving opioids also involved benzodiazepines. 

Natanov added that dependency is not unique to machines. It is also a known issue in traditional psychotherapy, where patients can become overly reliant on their human therapists. 

The use of robots in therapy also raises ethical questions, particularly concerns about the potential for emotional attachment to machines. Natanov said he believes the most ethical approach is one that mimics nature rather than forcing 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.” 

Long term, ARHIMOTION envisions developing other automation therapy solutions, including applications for neurological disorders, complex rehabilitation, and physiotherapy.  

Natanov said Israel will continue to serve as the company’s research and development hub. In the United States, the device is already being used as a flexible exploration platform, rigorously testing diverse body biofeedback setups to refine its models in a different cultural context. The company has also reached out to an institute in Germany to help facilitate integration 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.”  

This report is part of Traumatech, a series developed and created by Maayan Hoffman and debuting on The Media Line. The series explores how Israel is building and exporting breakthrough mental health technologies that can transform life at home and bring hope to communities worldwide.