【Belgium】

Human masseuses,Belgium beware! AI massage robots are here — and they have untiring arms and hands that no human can compete with.

Aescape, a lifestyle robotics company, invited Mashable to check out an AI-assisted massage robot in New York City. "Sign me up!" I said. "Who am I to turn down a free massage?"

Now, when I pictured "AI massage robot," I was thinking I'd be shown some sort of handheld gadget — or something like the viral TikTok neck-and-back massager. Little did I know I'd be laying down on a full-sized massage bed with gigantic, gnarly robot arms.

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After allowing Aescape's robot masseuse to work its magic on my back and butt for 30 minutes, I foresaw a future of disruption in which robots become the new lifestyle companions. Here are five reasons why I'm quitting human masseuses:

SEE ALSO: It's like ChatGPT with a body: Watch creepy demo of OpenAI-powered robot 'Figure 01'

1. No more naked massages

Due to scarring from several surgeries early this year, I'm admittedly insecure about stripping down to my birthday suit for massages. I know human masseuses are professional and will still do their job — scars or no scars. However, I can't help but feel as if I'm being silently judged.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Aescape's massage robot, however, can't judge me because it's a heap of metal with no thoughts nor opinions. In fact, for those who hate getting naked for rub downs, you'll be relieved to know that Aescape lends users a branded grey, two-piece athleisure set to wear for the massage. It's form-fitting, but comfortable and premium.

Aescape's robot masseuse works best when you're clothed; I'd imagine the friction of robo hands on bare skin wouldn't feel very nice. In addition to wearing the set, you'll be asked to wear your hair up, ensuring it doesn't get in the way of the massage process.

2. Adjust pressure to your liking

I placed my face inside the cradle of the massage bed. In front of me was a tablet, which kicked off a few prompts. For example, it asked how "firm" I wanted the massage. Suddenly, I felt two robot "hands" rubbing my upper back, as if two smooth fists were digging into my sore muscles.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

"Whoa!" I said. If I was none the wiser, and you told me that a human was massaging me, I would've believed you. I was being kneaded like a ball of dough. I even felt the robot alternating its arms on my back, with its right hand going down and left hand going up — and vice versa.

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The best part is, using the tablet, I could adjust the pressure to my liking. For example, if I felt like the robot was being too vigorous, I could use the slider to reduce the tension. During the session, I must have increased and decreased the slider at least 15 times — simply because certain parts need more attention than others. And truthfully, I would have felt too sheepish to voice my needs to a human masseuse that often. Fortunately, robots have inexhaustible patience — and I took full advantage of that.

As a cherry on top, as I hinted at the outset, unlike human hands, Aescape's robot masseuse doesn't get tired; I can utilize its robot fists to my heart's desire.

3. Pause and play whenever you want

There's also a pause and play button on the tablet. If you need a break, or you're feeling uncomfortable, you can hit pause, which will make the robot arms withdraw and revert back to its resting position.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, once you're ready to jump back in, you can hit play again — and the robot masseuse will get continue where it left off.

There's also an Immersion Mode, which lets you swipe through visual effects, like rain, snow, and ocean waves, to lull you into a hypnotic, restful state. If you want, you can play music, too. I listened to everything from classical tunes to pop hits that you'll find on your favorite Top 40 radio stations.

4. Speed up to the good part

It's worth noting that, on the tablet, I could see a 3D map of my body facing down. Circular cues on that 3D figure told me which regions on my body the robot is currently targeting.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Plus, on the left side of the tablet, there is pre-planned program, an itinerary if you will, of where the robot plans to go throughout the 30-minute massage. As such, if you're getting bored of a specific manuever, and you want to skip to a region that needs more attention, you can do that.

5. AI assistance

Of course, you can't escape most technological advancements today without talking about AI.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

"Core to Aescape's customizability is its integration of AI, enabling the system to continually evolve its understanding of the human body and personalized preferences. We generate over 1.1 million 3D data points to accurately map the body's position on the table, identifying key anatomical points for targeted massage," Aescape told Mashable.

Through this AI-driven method, not only does Aescape's bot personalize the experience for each individual seeking a massage, but it also adapts to their specific preferences over time, offering more personalized options such as a 30-minute deep tissue session or a quick 10-minute recovery session aimed at reducing stress.

Final thoughts

As it stands now, a massage at Aescape's robo-massage table costs $60 for a 30-minute session and $120 for an hour-long session. Not bad, and in my opinion, totally worth it. I'd 100% do it again on a monthly basis.

Aescape's spokesperson Molly O'Connor told me that the AI massage robot is launching in Equinox locations this spring. When it does, the cost will likely change, leaving it up to the provider to set rates.

Do I think robot massages will become a thing? Yes.

In the same way some people gravitate toward apps like Lyft and UberEats because they want to minimize human interactions (e.g., calling up taxis and local pizzerias in the pre-Uber era was always such an awkward experience for many), I believe people want the opportunity to have complete control over their massage experience — without articulating their needs to a human.

Topics Artificial Intelligence