Home robots, once the stuff of science fiction for decades, are moving closer to reality. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, the first multi-tasking home robots are expected to enter homes this year, primarily in the United States. In Silicon Valley, tech startups are training robots to perform everyday tasks like folding laundry, cleaning, loading the dishwasher, and tidying up the house. Despite the optimistic promises, however, these robots are not yet fully autonomous.
In testing, robots like Tangible AI’s Eggie and 1X’s NEO managed to perform some household tasks, but in slow motion and often with the help of human operators at a distance, a fact rarely mentioned in promotional videos. According to company executives, human control is used to train the artificial intelligence and collect data from real-world home environments, which are much more complex than industrial environments. Home robots are currently expensive and intended for a limited group of users. The NEO robot, for example, is expected to cost about $20,000, or $500 per month. The companies acknowledge that early customers will have to be patient and willing to accept human intervention and privacy challenges.
Meanwhile, other startups are testing more specialized solutions. In San Francisco, Isaac robots are being used to fold clothes at laundromats, while other companies are focusing on developing the “brains” of robots without manufacturing the physical device itself.
The humanoid robot industry is attracting billions of dollars in investment and competition is growing, especially from China. However, according to the International Federation of Robotics, it could take up to 20 years for home robots to become truly useful and widespread. Despite skepticism, technology companies remain confident that robots will become part of everyday life, changing the way people manage household chores.