I Tried a Robot Massage
I spend a lot of time on TikTok, which means I spend a lot of time hunched over, ruining my posture. One of the recurring ads the app serves me is for Aescape, an AI robot-massage service, which leaves me wondering if the app can see or hear me complaining about my back pain. Either way, I was game to try it out.
What is Aescape?
It’s a robotic massage that promises smarter, more targeted massages, powered by AI. Yes, robotic. If you’re expecting a Theragun or similar at-home device, it’s a bit more involved than that. Instead, two robotic arms break down the tension and tightness in your back muscles. With options ranging from 15 to 60 minutes, each treatment is specifically designed to target and restore a distinct set of muscle groups. All you have to do is choose your treatment.
How does it work?
Like any other massage, I headed to the spa, which was at an Equinox gym. I was checked in and led to a quiet, dimly lit room, yet instead of a massage therapist, I was met with the Aescape machine. I was given a top and leggings to wear that resembled a Skims collaboration with NASA, but I was told this would help the massage run smoothly without issues. It’s available in sizes 2XS–4XL, and I recommend sizing up.
After changing, I got on the massage table. Lying on your stomach like you usually would when getting a massage, you’re prompted to adjust the headrest and armrest to your comfort level. You’ll also find the screen where you can control everything. The Aescape is essentially a massage table with two robotic arms that will do all the work. There’s also a bolster for your legs that you have to make sure is adjusted properly before you start. After adjustments and a quick tutorial, it’s time to start.
It starts with a full-body scan and then displays the results on the screen, along with where the arms are working on your body. For the full body massage, it’s broken up into parts with details on how long each part will last and what’s happening for each step. So, for example, the upper back starts with relaxing the muscles with light heat and pressure, then moves onto lengthening the muscles. It’s not that far off from any other massage you’ve had.
You can adjust the pressure. I went for light pressure just to adjust to the device. But changed it for some parts where I felt like I needed more pressure. For the hour-long session, it was a full-body massage that started at my upper back and went all the way down to my calves, with a focus on upper and lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. You can focus more on certain areas or even skip some parts. I went with more pressure on my back and calves but skipped my hips and hamstrings, which are usually more sensitive.
Does it feel like a real massage?
Yes, once you move past the initial weirdness of the robotic arms, it doesn’t feel that different from any other full-body massage you’d get. I was even relaxed enough to almost fall asleep. I expected it to be comparable to something like a Theragun or massage chair, but it wasn’t like that at all. Devices like Theragun or a massage chair use vibration or rollers to massage over the muscles, while this uses a combination of heat, some vibration, and pressure to target muscles. So it feels more like a pair of hands and less like trying to get comfortable in a massage chair.
You are in control of the whole experience. The screen is directly in front of your face, so you can change the background from watching the massage to something calming, like ocean waves or rain. You can also change the music to anything from top 40 hits to hip hop, which I found out too late, but the default “chill lo-fi” was fine. The machine isn’t loud, but it obviously makes more noise than a massage therapist who might just ask you a few questions throughout your session, so the music helps with relaxing.
They also had a fan on in the room, which added to the noise, but it’s essential since you’re wearing a long-sleeve top and leggings, and it gets hot. Combined with the heat warming up to relax my muscles, I was grateful the fan was on.
Would I do it again?
Yes. I think this is ideal for recovery and targeting specific areas of the body, so I’d absolutely book an appointment after a hard workout or my next gym visit. It’s $120 for full body programs and starts at $60 for 30-minute treatments. I would also opt for shorter sessions that run from 15 to 30 minutes. As much as I enjoyed the hour-long massage, I do prefer for that experience to include a sound bath, essential oils, and me falling asleep on the massage table.