Walking through the Equinox entrance I wasn’t nervous, per say, but the thought of receiving an AI driven massage did give me pause. Initially when I was invited to try Aescape it felt like a no-brainer. Of course I wanted to try the first commercially available fully automated, customizable massage experience—and on the heels of my busy New York Fashion week. Sign me up!
But as I was handed the bodycon two piece set to wear during the machine-operated massage anticipation crept in. How would the machine feel? Would the pressure be too much? Would I fall asleep and be locked in the gym all night? While that was definitely a stretch, my other concerns were valid: how would my body respond to the AI massage table?
Unlike in traditional massage settings where you are welcomed by a therapist who tells you to disrobe, you are welcomed by a glowing touchscreen beneath the headrest of the massage table. The screen advises you to position yourself onto it before walking you through steps to adjust it for your comfort.
Once you’ve adjusted the table, Aescape performs a scan of the body, mapping its position and anatomical points. The massage begins by asking you to choose your starting pressure. Throughout the session you have the option of following the cursor indicating what parts of the body are being massaged or immersing yourself into your choice of visual landscapes.
Of course you also have the option of closing your eyes completely, but if you find yourself captivated by the rendering of your body— as I was and choose to follow along—the screen features a dashboard to keep you in control. To the left of the rendering is the guide Aescape will follow for your massage, think of this as a table of contents listing out the target areas. To the right is a key that allows you to adjust the pressure of the massage at any point and below a media player controlling the volume and soundtrack as well as the option to pause the massage at any time. What I appreciated most about the touchscreen interface were the two keys at the bottom: one to indicate points you love and the other alerting the machine to move on.
Aescape focuses on precision leaning more towards recovery over relaxation. Its touchpoints are modeled after the human body, providing the same focus with the limitation of not having fingertips to rub shoulders and toes. It is for the client who enjoys having complete control of their massage and has the discipline and self regulation to remove distractions.
The Aescape client may lament lying nude with the option of body oil and hot rocks offered in the traditional massage setting. But they can now enjoy the comfort of a butt rub and the convenience of adjusting the pressure at a moment’s notice without having to continually speak up to advise their masseuse.
In the comfort of complete solitude, and the dashboard at my fingertips, I found myself quickly easing into the massage. Aescape’s warm and responsive touch alleviated my apprehension and provided me with an efficient and deep massage.
For $60 users can experience Aescape at Equinox and non-members can enjoy a free day pass to the gym with their purchase.
