Exclusive: The massage robots have arrived in Miami
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The Aescape robot massage table. Photo: Courtesy of Aescape
Infrared sensors scan your skintight bodysuit before robotic arms dig into the knots in your back. A touchscreen below your face plays music and lets you adjust the pressure.
- There's no nudity. No small talk. No human interaction.
Why it matters: The massage robots have arrived in Miami.
What they're saying: New York tech company Aescape believes its robots are the future of massage.
- "I built Aescape, really, to be a solution for all the people out there who want to self-direct their massages — who want to be in control," founder and CEO Eric Litman tells Axios.
After launching at New York fitness clubs and hotels earlier this year, Aescape expanded to Miami's Kimpton EPIC Hotel in late August – the company's first installation outside New York.
- Litman says he created the company to provide on-demand massages at an affordable price.
- It's perfect for people who feel uncomfortable being nude or speaking up at massages, or those who don't want to shower afterward, he says.
How it works: The massage table is made of a memory foam mattress, with bolsters for your ankles and an armrest that allows you to control the touchscreen below your face or use your phone if needed.
- The touchscreen allows you to adjust the headrest, armrest and bolsters. Choose your pressure, skip body parts you don't want massaged and select different music genres or backgrounds to guide your relaxation journey.
- You need to wear a special compression suit to enable the robot arms — which are heated to 95 degrees — to more easily glide over your body.
- The infrared scan creates a 3D model of your body and the robot uses that to customize its massage to your muscle structure.
- The robot simulates the touch techniques of a massage therapist, imitating a human thumb, a cupped hand, an elbow and other methods.
- Your body is displayed on the touchscreen and you can watch along as the robot works.
Safety: There's a pause button if you need a break and a kill switch in case of emergency.
Pricing: Customers can book online or through the app. Massages at the Kimpton start at $40 for a 15-minute appointment or $60 for half an hour.
- By comparison, national chain Massage Envy offers a $95 introductory rate for a 60-minute massage — plus tip.
Litman tells Axios his robots do twice the work in half the time because both robot arms are working simultaneously.
- "We're doing at least an hour's equivalent in our 30-minute massage."
- The massage robots are not meant to replace human therapists, he says, but are meant to work alongside them amid vacancies in the industry and high demand.
What's next: Aescape is finalizing plans to ship its robot massage tables to office buildings, condominiums and professional sports teams across the country, including more in Miami.