Published August 18, 2026 02:54PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I told my dad I was getting a robot massage. His response? \u201cThat\u2019s very bizarre.\u201d I understood his skepticism, because I was doubtful too. I had so many questions: Does it have human-like fingers? Would it know when to stop if the pressure got too intense? Can it actually relieve my aches in a way that\u2019s comparable to a typical massage? Despite my hesitation, I still booked the $89 60-minute Aescape session<\/a>, hoping it could ease my back and knee pain after a week of long runs. Here\u2019s how that went.<\/p>\n Aescape is an AI-powered massage robot. Founded by investor and tech entrepreneur Eric Litman, the robot masseuse stepped onto the recovery scene in 2017<\/a>. It\u2019s billed as \u201cprecision bodywork that adapts to your body and builds on every session before it,\u201d according to the website. Once you\u2019re in the system, it saves your preferences so that you don\u2019t have to readjust the machine every visits, saving you time.<\/p>\n This functions as an alternative recovery tool that you can schedule at any time your preferred location is open. Unlike humans, robots don\u2019t need days off making it convenient option for when you have knots you want worked out right away. And it may be cheaper than your usual massage. For example, a one-hour massage with my favorite massage therapist costs about $125 per session.<\/p>\n Aescape is available at over 140 locations across the U.S. and partners with Equinox, so you can easily find one at a nearby gym. However, the Aescape closest to me was at\u00a0<\/strong>the W Hotel in Boston. I had to book my session online before going over there.<\/p>\n The online form outlines an array of massage types to choose from. The \u201cExpress\u201d is just 15 minutes, and \u201cFull Back, Glutes, and Hamstrings\u201d targets knots, relieves tension, and lasts 45 minutes.<\/p>\n I selected \u201cCreate Your Own Aescape\u201d so I could customize my experience. I chose glutes, hips, lower back, and calves as my focus areas. I run\u00a0three to four times a week, logging two to five miles each session. I\u2019ve always had bad knees, but trail running has made them more sensitive over the years\u2014which is not uncommon for runners<\/a>. And going downhill<\/a> with admittedly lazy form when I get fatigued has given me some gnarly lower back pain. Even though the emphasis is on the lower body, the upper back and traps are still included. I chose a time slot and was ready to go.<\/p>\n I walked in through the giant glass doors of the hotel\u2019s main entrance; the Aescape room was the first door to my right. I checked in at the front desk with a man\u2014let\u2019s call him Rob\u2014and waited for the previous Aescaper to exit. After Rob reset the machine, he told me I could head in and offered to adjust the room temperature. Rob shut the door, and I was alone in a dimly lit room filled with an intoxicating aroma of incense.<\/p>\n The lightbulb cast a warm golden glow over six wicker bins lining the windowsill. Each bin was labeled with a size\u2014from XS to XXL. Rob had suggested I wear Aescape\u2019s yoga-like apparel so the machine could scan my body more easily. No bras. No shoes. No jewelry. He also cautioned that the massage could potentially rip regular clothes.\u00a0How intense was this thing? <\/i>I thought to myself. I heeded his warning because I didn\u2019t bring a second set of clothes. I pulled on the silky navy blue leggings and a short-sleeved shirt.<\/p>\n The machine had long, white spider-leg-shaped arms. To my mild disappointment, there were no fingers and no face. I was lowkey hoping for an I, Robot-style figure. Alas, this wasn\u2019t that, but I was still excited.<\/p>\n I lay face down on the plush, navy table and put my face inside the opening at the head end. I positioned the fronts of my ankles atop a bolster. My hands rested on the lower level of the table on either side of an iPad-sized screen. The built-in tablet asked me a few questions about my current muscle fatigue level, my activity in the last seven days, and whether I wanted to start with low, moderate, or high pressure. Because I rated my fatigue at seven out of ten and had a high-intensity training week, I chose moderate to start but could still adjust the pressure during my session.<\/p>\n Up next was making adjustments to the massage bed. I adjusted the headrest height, moved the ankle bolster until it rested just above the front of my ankles and kept my toes off the table (the iPad told me to do so), extended the headrest back for better neck support, and lifted the armrest a few notches so my arms weren\u2019t awkwardly hanging down beneath me.<\/p>\n Then the screen told me to stay still while the robot scanned my body from above. A purple-and-white scan of my body then popped up on the screen. I could tell it was accurate because it even captured my slightly bent left arm. I clicked Start and watched as the robot arms cast a shadow over me before making contact.<\/p>\n This massage was pretty damn great. The tips of the arms alternated between a thumb-like feel and palm-sized pressure. It started at the base of my neck and moved downward, working out all the kinks. I upped the pressure when it hit my traps, and an involuntary sound of relief escaped my mouth. Because I was alone, I ooh\u2019d<\/i> and aah\u2019d<\/i> audibly without embarrassment. That\u2019s perk one of a non-human massage. The second was that I didn\u2019t have to engage in the small talk that often precedes a massage. My introverted self was pleased.<\/p>\n There was a huge selection of music genres. I cycled through hip-hop, country, and house.\u00a0I decided on a genre called Space Dreams, which did, in fact, sound slightly eerie and otherworldly. It was perfect, and I descended into sunken-place level hypnosis.<\/p>\n I loved being able to adjust the pressure, and the steps called \u201clengthening,\u201d where the bot pulled my muscle fibers and my butt cheeks (yes, really) in opposite directions, felt heavenly. It soothed the pain in my calves and really dug into my lower back. There was a cool \u201cImmerse\u201d option where I could choose from a few moving outdoor scenes. I picked ocean waves. Overall, the massage itself was delightful. There were only a few things I didn\u2019t love.<\/p>\n Con number one of a non-human massage: the no-fingers thing meant that the tiny knots in my upper traps and on the sides of my calves were missed.<\/p>\n Con number two: I had to stay still, except for small movements when I adjusted the pressure or lowered the music volume. I went to adjust my shirt, and the robot immediately pulled its arms away, and the screen lit up with a scathing warning: Multiple body parts are out of alignment. Please readjust. Then, click continue. <\/i>Oops. I made the bot angry. It re-scanned me and proceeded to knead my lower half.<\/p>\n Con number three: the wearing clothes part took some getting used to. I generally enjoy the lotion-infused skin-to-skin contact of a typical massage. The machine\u2019s arms would sometimes catch on the fabric. It wasn\u2019t annoying enough to be a problem, but it was noticeable.<\/p>\n This brings me to the final and arguably biggest con: there was a scary moment when the machine jolted against my back, a few inches to the right of my spine (aka my most tender spot). But, fortunately, the machine recalibrated itself. While I couldn\u2019t say \u201cstop\u201d or \u201couch\u201d like I could to a human, I could push an emergency stop button if things got out of hand.<\/p>\n When the robot finished its work on me, I didn\u2019t want to leave. My body felt looser, and I was in a significantly better mood than when I had arrived. I tossed my yoga clothes in the nearby hamper before leaving the room. Rob offered me a bottle of water so that I could replace the fluids I lost<\/a> after sixty minutes of constant kneading and prodding.<\/p>\n Overall, I\u2019d recommend Aescape to anyone who needs some tension relief. I\u2019d be lying if I said it can completely replace a human massage. It\u2019s not quite there yet, but it\u2019s an excellent choice for someone who is introverted and whose current masseuse is completely booked. I would go back.<\/p>\n And in a cruel irony, the day after my session, I pulled a back muscle while deep cleaning my bathtub. My next Aescape appointment is in two days.<\/p>\n Want more\u00a0<\/b>Outside<\/i><\/b>\u00a0health stories?\u00a0<\/b>Sign up for the Bodywork newsletter<\/b><\/a>. And, f<\/b>or tips on how to train, fuel, and recover better,\u00a0sign up for the Sweat Science 101 newsletter.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\nAescape Is an AI-Powered Masseuse<\/h2>\n
The Aescape Room Feels Like a Solo Spa<\/h2>\n
Getting Scanned By the Bot<\/h2>\n
It Found Almost Every Knot in My Body<\/h2>\n