“The table will guide you on next steps once you enter the room,” the Equinox front-desk attendant says to me, smiling serenely. “The... table?” I ask. “Yes,” he replies, smile unwavering. Without further explanation, he hands me a stretchy black bodysuit and directs me to the spa on the second floor of Equinox’s Brookfield Place location. I climb the winding stairs and see a nondescript sign for the spa directly across the weights area, where three muscular individuals are lifting dumbbells the size of my head. I tentatively open the spa door to reveal my masseuse. “Um... hi?” I say. My masseuse is stoic and silent — because my masseuse is a robot.
I didn’t have “get a massage from a robot” on my 2024 bingo card, but I also didn’t predict Charli XCX and Ariana Grande collaborating on a “Sympathy Is A Knife” remix. So actually, of all the unexpected things that have happened this year, getting a massage from a nonsentient being falls lower on my list than expected. Just a few months ago, in fact, I experienced a massage from a robot chair at the new Delta One lounge at JFK, and I worked on a story about robots that apply eyelash extensions and paint your nails. Robots are taking over the world, but I had yet to encounter one that promised to help me destress — and one with actual arms that would soon cradle me in a tender embrace.
My robot masseuse goes by the name Aescape and has been slowly rolling out its services in select Equinox locations in New York. Created by entrepreneur Eric Litman in 2017, Aescape is an AI-powered robot machine that offers “a fully automated customizable massage experience to give people more control of their self-care,” according to a press release from the brand. Over the last seven years, Aescape has been honing its craft, taking into account feedback from human masseuses to ensure that it delivers a soothing, relaxing massage for all body types and needs. “Aescape provides a new option that is quick, convenient, effective, and feels great,” says Equinox Spa Director James Gu.
I’ve sat in a massage chair a few times in my life and usually turned it off after five minutes because I don’t love the feeling of being repeatedly punched in the back. In contrast, Aescape operates on an actual massage bed, or the aforementioned smart “table” referenced by the front-desk attendant, with sleek metal arms that protrude like those of Dr. Octopus.
My Aescape Experience
After I change into my bodysuit, I tentatively lie down face-first and realize I’m facing a screen lit up with my own name, welcoming me to my Aescape experience. It instructs me to stay completely still as the robot performs a body scan (supposedly using over 1.1 million 3D data points), mapping my body’s position on the table and identifying key points for the massage. On the touchscreen, I’m able to select the playlist (I opt for a “chill” mix, which ends up being mostly Beach House) and adjust the brightness of the visuals (I turn it to the lowest setting because I plan on closing my eyes, like I would in a normal massage).
Then, the massage starts. The whirring sound of the mechanical arms is jarring at first — I can’t help but feel like I’m about to be operated on — but when the robot appendages make contact with my tense shoulders, I’m shocked at the warmth (the round knobs at the end of the massage are heated, which adds to the relaxing feel). The kneading motions are unexpectedly gentle, and I feel my shoulders loosen up as the robot presses into my scrunched-up muscles. I’m shocked at how human-like the touch is. It almost feels... tender? Unlike the rhythmic motions of a massage chair or Theragun, Aescape’s motions seem to fluctuate between hard and soft in a distinctly lifelike way. It presses into a particularly sore spot below my shoulder blade and holds the pressure there for a few seconds, then gently releases — just like a real masseuse would. I can’t predict its next move, and that’s what makes it feel so relaxing and vaguely human.
There are three time options for experiencing Aescape at the Equinox locations where it’s available: 15, 30, and 60 minutes, at $2 a minute. I signed up for the 30-minute massage, and honestly, I wish I had opted for the full hour instead because it was really that enjoyable. The massage started at my shoulders and ended at my glutes, which was a bit jarring as I’ve never had my butt touched by robot arms before. (One added benefit of Aescape is that I’d probably feel uncomfortable with a human masseuse focusing on this area, but felt completely at ease with a robot doing it.) I wonder if the 60-minute session would extend to my legs, which were sore from a workout and sadly not included in the shorter session.
I wouldn’t say that Aescape feels like a massage from a human, but that’s not the point. “It's not a better or worse option than a session with a massage therapist — it's different,” Gu emphasizes, adding that the point is not to replace the work of licensed massage therapists, but to offer an accessible, more affordable option for people who want to relax and recover post-workout. (Gu, for example, says he still plans on seeing Equinox’s licensed massage therapists on a regular basis while adding a weekly session with the Aescape on leg days.)
After my 30-minute session, the Aescape machine gently lifts up its “arms,” and the whirring slows to a stop. Suddenly, it was just me, alone in a quiet room, feeling a lot less tense than I had when I arrived. I wanted to thank my masseuse for her service, but she remained as quiet as ever.
Aescape will be available at select Equinox locations in New York City with more locations rolling out nationwide through the rest of the year.
