One step inside a spa’s dimly lit room, and I’m already anticipating a serene, therapeutic experience: an hour-long full-body massage that leaves me relaxed and revitalized.
But a recent appointment at ila Only Spa on the luxurious Lotte Recent York Palace hotel didn’t resemble past spa experiences.
Although a human escorted me into the room, a machine executed the massage — specifically, a man-made intelligence-powered robot courtesy of Aescape, a Recent York-based lifestyle robotics company.
Entrepreneur Eric Litman founded Aescape in 2017, after experiencing a bulging disc in his neck that he attributed to frequent flying, he said.
He flew so often, he said, that he needed a each day massage for months. Those appointments got him pondering: Is there a greater option for people like him who need regular massages, moderately than a day on the spa?
Litman secured $80 million in funding and spent seven years on research and development before launching the world’s first customizable robot massage in March.
Lotte Recent York Palace is the primary hotel to partner with Aescape; it leases the machine and debuted the treatments on July 18. It is also available at select Equinox gyms in Recent York City in addition to the Press Modern Massage in Union Square, in accordance with the corporate.
But this is barely the start. Aescape plans to roll out myriad partnerships later this yr, Litman said.
Tristina Damico, the hotel’s spa director and a licensed massage therapist, said Aescape is a fit for the 900-room Lotte Recent York Palace, which attracts business and leisure travelers.
A mixture of individuals have booked appointments with the robot because it launched, she said, including hotel guests and Recent Yorkers who live or work in Midtown Manhattan. They often schedule sessions during lunch hours for the reason that massages are oil-free, she said.
“It’s a fast method to recharge,” said Damico.
Litman said making massages bookable on demand will fill a void in the worldwide wellness market, an economy projected to succeed in $7.4 trillion by 2025, in accordance with the Global Wellness Institute, a U.S.-based non-profit organization.
“I began looking into why people get massages and was surprised to search out that the majority people [want] to repair something happening of their body,” he said. “A whole lot of people wanted more specificity — more pressure here, less focus there — and had challenges getting that in only the best way that worked for them.”
A shortage of massage therapists in an ever-expanding industry also contributed to the founding of Aescape, Litman said, although he recognizes that the 2 are very different.
Therapists vary by style and skill, but Aescape’s robot goals to duplicate the identical experience on every visit. It stores clients’ data, which might be found on every machine.
“We save the physical preferences,” Litman said. “The concept is we’re constructing a massage that gets to know you over time.”
What a robot massage looks like
For many who are uncomfortable stripping down in front of a stranger, Aescape solves the issue. This massage requires clothing.
Before the treatment, I slipped into Aerwear, the brand’s proprietary spandex-like apparel that is designed to alleviate friction between the robot and human skin. After I modified, an attendant returned to indicate me the way 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 revealing a tablet beneath, where I adjusted the table and the music to suit my comfort level.
Aescape focuses only on the back, so sadly, there aren’t any leg or foot massages. Sensors scanned my body — the system supposedly captures 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 consistent parallel motion.
The appendages, albeit hard to the touch, were warm. A screen showed every step of my massage, and allowed me to manage the pressure.
I typically request moderate pressure from massage therapists, but Aescape’s middle setting felt intense. For many of my massage, I could tolerate the bottom force from the robot. That said, I comfortably cranked up the device to high through the glute portion toward the top of the massage.
I sensed the machine’s movements coinciding with my respiration, and I could pause the robot after I needed a break. With the press of a button, I could shift, lift my head, and even rise up for a fast stretch.
With that in mind, I could see Aescape benefiting travelers on the lookout for short, flexible spa treatments. The robot could also appeal to people on the lookout for cheaper massages which are easy to book — Aescape sessions are booked through an app. The worth is $75 for a 30-minute massage at Lotte Recent York Palace.
Aescape massages are booked via an app.
Source: Aescape
My original appointment was postponed due to maintenance on the device, however the robot was back up and running the next day.
As someone who navigates chronic pain, I find that the kneading, rubbing and pressing of human hands can do wonders to alleviate discomfort. Nevertheless, I didn’t get similar results from the AI-driven robot.
I didn’t find the session relaxing, and I didn’t feel as pampered as I do on a spa day, however the experience was an amusing escape from the chaos of Midtown Manhattan.
