Imagine stepping into a serene space, lying on a memory foam table, and having infrared sensors scan your skintight bodysuit. Moments later, robotic arms heated to 95 degrees Fahrenheit begin to work their way across your back, digging into knots with precision. A touchscreen positioned below your face allows you to adjust the pressure, choose background music, or skip certain areas you don’t want massaged. No nudity, no small talk, and no human interaction — just a personalized, tech-driven massage experience. Welcome to the world of Aescape, the next generation of massage therapy.
Why It Matters
The massage robots have officially arrived in Miami. New York-based tech company Aescape has launched its first installation outside of New York at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Miami, marking a new chapter in automated wellness services. This expansion follows successful launches earlier this year in fitness clubs and hotels across New York City. Aescape’s founder and CEO, Eric Litman, is confident that his robots are the future of massage therapy.
“I built Aescape to be a solution for all the people out there who want to self-direct their massages — who want to be in control,” Litman explained in an interview with Axios. The company aims to offer on-demand massages at an affordable price, making massage therapy more accessible to people who might feel uncomfortable with traditional, human-delivered massages.
How It Works
The Aescape robot massage table is designed to deliver a highly customized experience. Made of a memory foam mattress with bolsters for ankle support and a touchscreen interface below your face, it allows users to control their session entirely. The touchscreen offers options to adjust the headrest, armrest, and bolsters, customize the pressure, skip unwanted body parts, and select different music genres or relaxation backgrounds.
To enable the robotic arms to perform optimally, customers wear a special compression suit that facilitates the infrared scanning process. This scan generates a 3D model of the body, enabling the robot to tailor its massage technique to the individual’s muscle structure.
The Cost Factor
Customers can book their massage sessions online or through the Aescape app. At the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Miami, prices start at $40 for a 15-minute session or $60 for a half-hour appointment. By comparison, a 60-minute massage at a national chain like Massage Envy is priced at an introductory rate of $95, plus a tip.
A New Era of Massage Therapy
Aescape’s massage robots provide a novel solution for those who may find traditional massage environments uncomfortable — whether due to the requirement of nudity, the need for small talk, or the post-massage cleanup like a shower. The company’s approach offers privacy, convenience, and affordability, catering to a wide audience eager for a stress-free experience.
As Aescape’s robotic massage technology makes its way beyond New York and Miami, it signals the dawn of a new era in wellness and self-care. Whether this trend will reshape the massage industry entirely remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the future of massage has arrived, and it’s automated.
