Robot massages now available at South Hills wellness center - WTAE Pittsburgh

[Janelle Hall]

Across the country, there are only about 20 of these robots that can give a massage, mostly in high-end hotels or spas.Now, for the first time, people in the Pittsburgh area can pay to have this robot give them a massage."Sometimes you don't want somebody touching you, so a robot might be the way to go," said Jodi Seftchick of Upper St. Clair.With the touch of a button, the viral robot massage begins at the Longevity Lab wellness facility in Bethel Park."It's an actual table with robotic arms. It's by Aescape. It was one of Time Magazine's Inventions of the Year in 2024, and it's a really amazing piece of equipment," said Aaron Schnizer, owner of Longevity Lab. "It is the only one here in Pittsburgh."Powered by AI and an app, the process starts with selecting and booking a massage online. Then, you put on a clean compression outfit that's provided to make it easier for the robotic hands to glide across their back."It feels like a human elbow or a human palm, so it's heated," Schnizer said.Camera sensors map out the body's muscle structure and areas of tension, providing a personalized massage for each patient."If you want to focus on your lower back or your upper back, you can do that. You get to choose where the robot is targeting," Schnizer said. "You also get to choose the intensity, so if you like a tougher massage, you can do that, but if you want to relax and just take it easy, you can do that as well."Through a touchscreen below the headrest, users stay in control by adjusting the pressure and guiding the robotic arms to target any areas of tension, with the option to stop the massage at any time."What a lot of people are finding, and with the labor shortage, is it's really hard to get into some of the major salons, so this is easy to turn over," Schnizer said. "People can come in one right after the other. You can book online, and a lot of times, you can get in on the same day or within an hour.""I think I'll try it because from working out, I have soreness, pain," Seftchick said."I am of perimenopausal age. I'm 47, and I spend a lot of time learning about longevity and health for women over 40. Part of longevity and feeling good, I include that with taking care of yourself and self-care," Mascaro said. "I really wanted to feel better, so stuff like this is right up my alley."When it comes to options for the length and cost of a massage from this robot at the Longevity Lab, users can select a time slot ranging from 15 to 60 minutes that will range in price from $30 to $120.

BETHEL PARK, Pa. —

Across the country, there are only about 20 of these robots that can give a massage, mostly in high-end hotels or spas.

Now, for the first time, people in the Pittsburgh area can pay to have this robot give them a massage.

"Sometimes you don't want somebody touching you, so a robot might be the way to go," said Jodi Seftchick of Upper St. Clair.

With the touch of a button, the viral robot massage begins at the Longevity Lab wellness facility in Bethel Park.

"It's an actual table with robotic arms. It's by Aescape. It was one of Time Magazine's Inventions of the Year in 2024, and it's a really amazing piece of equipment," said Aaron Schnizer, owner of Longevity Lab. "It is the only one here in Pittsburgh."

Powered by AI and an app, the process starts with selecting and booking a massage online. Then, you put on a clean compression outfit that's provided to make it easier for the robotic hands to glide across their back.

"It feels like a human elbow or a human palm, so it's heated," Schnizer said.

Camera sensors map out the body's muscle structure and areas of tension, providing a personalized massage for each patient.

"If you want to focus on your lower back or your upper back, you can do that. You get to choose where the robot is targeting," Schnizer said. "You also get to choose the intensity, so if you like a tougher massage, you can do that, but if you want to relax and just take it easy, you can do that as well."

Through a touchscreen below the headrest, users stay in control by adjusting the pressure and guiding the robotic arms to target any areas of tension, with the option to stop the massage at any time.

"What a lot of people are finding, and with the labor shortage, is it's really hard to get into some of the major salons, so this is easy to turn over," Schnizer said. "People can come in one right after the other. You can book online, and a lot of times, you can get in on the same day or within an hour."

"I think I'll try it because from working out, I have soreness, pain," Seftchick said.

"I am of perimenopausal age. I'm 47, and I spend a lot of time learning about longevity and health for women over 40. Part of longevity and feeling good, I include that with taking care of yourself and self-care," Mascaro said. "I really wanted to feel better, so stuff like this is right up my alley."

When it comes to options for the length and cost of a massage from this robot at the Longevity Lab, users can select a time slot ranging from 15 to 60 minutes that will range in price from $30 to $120.