A step into the dimly lit room of a spa, and I’m already looking forward to a peaceful, healing experience: an hour-long full-body massage that leaves me relaxed and rejuvenated.
But a recent appointment at the ila Only Spa at the luxury Lotte New York Palace Hotel was unlike any spa experience you’ve had before.
Although a human escorted me into the room, a machine performed the massage — namely, an artificial intelligence robot courtesy of Aescape, a New York-based lifestyle robotics company.
Entrepreneur Eric Litman founded Aescape in 2017 after dealing with a bulging disc in his neck that he attributed to frequent flying, he said.
He flew so often, he said, that he needed a daily massage for months. Those appointments got him thinking: Is there a better option for people like him who need regular massages, rather than a day at the spa?
Littman secured $80 million in funding and spent seven years in research and development before launching the world’s first customizable robot massager in March.
Lotte New York Palace is the first hotel to partner with Aescape. leased the machine and debuted the treatments on July 18th. It’s also available at select Equinox gyms in New York City as well as Press Modern Massage in Union Square, according to the company.
But this is only the beginning. Aescape plans to develop a myriad of partnerships later this year, Litman said.
Tristina Damico, the hotel’s spa director and licensed massage therapist, said Aescape is a good fit for the 900-room Lotte New York Palace, which attracts business and leisure travelers.
A mix of people have made appointments with the robot since it launched, he said, including hotel guests and New Yorkers who live or work in Midtown Manhattan. They often schedule sessions during lunch because the massages are oil-free, she said.
“It’s a quick way to recharge,” Damico said.
Littman said the ability to book on-demand massages will fill a gap in the global wellness market, an economy projected to reach $7.4 trillion by 2025, according to the Global Wellness Institute, a US-based nonprofit .
“I started looking into why people get massages and I was surprised to find that most people [want] to fix something that’s going on in their body,” he said. “A lot of people wanted more specificity — more pressure here, less focus there — and they had challenges getting that in a way that worked for them.”
A shortage of massage therapists in an ever-growing industry also contributed to Aescape’s founding, Litman said, though he acknowledges the two are very different.
Therapists vary in style and skill, but Aescape’s bot aims to replicate the same experience every visit. Stores customer data, which resides on each machine.
“We save natural preferences,” Littman said. “The idea is that we’re making a massage that gets to know you over time.”
What is a robot massage like?
For those who feel uncomfortable undressing in front of a stranger, Aescape solves the problem. This massage requires clothing.
Before the treatment, I slipped into Aerwear, the brand’s proprietary spandex garment designed to ease the friction between the robot and human skin. After I changed, an attendant came back to show me how to operate the robot.
I lay face down on the massage table, which was firmer than a typical spa table. It also comes with armrests, a footrest, and a face opening that reveals a tablet underneath, where I adjusted the table and music to my comfort level.
Aescape only focuses on the back, so unfortunately there are no leg or foot massages. Sensors scanned my body—the system is supposed to capture 1.2 million data points to map a user’s muscle structure—before its futuristic arms and knuckles moved up and down my back in a steady parallel motion.
The parts, although hard to the touch, were warm. A monitor showed every step of my massage and allowed me to control the pressure.
I usually request medium pressure from massage therapists, but Aescape’s medium setting felt intense. For most of my massage, I could tolerate the lower force from the robot. That said, I did comfortably raise the device to height during the buttock portion towards the end of the massage.
I felt the machine’s movements coincide with my breathing and could stop the robot when I needed a break. With the push of a button, I could move around, raise my head, or even stand up for a quick stretch.
With that in mind, I could see Aescape benefiting travelers looking for short, flexible spa treatments. The bot could also attract people looking for more affordable massages that are easy to book — Aescape sessions are booked through an app. The price is $75 for a 30-minute massage at the Lotte New York Palace.
Aescape massages are booked through an app.
Source: Aescape
My original appointment was postponed due to maintenance on the device, but the robot was up and running the next day.
As someone who deals with chronic pain, I find that the kneading, rubbing and pressing of human hands can do wonders to relieve discomfort. However, I didn’t get similar results from the AI-based bot.
I didn’t find the session relaxing and didn’t feel as pampered as a spa day, but the experience was a fun escape from the chaos of Midtown Manhattan.
