Dyson secretly creates robots – TechCrunch

You probably know Dyson by their vacuum cleaners, or maybe by the overly powerful dryer you put your hands in before waiting for the flight. You may have seen their hair dryers or fans. Dyson is a company that develops premium air-moving products. Basically, if they don’t suck, they blow.

Recently, the firm has expanded with a very strange facial air purifier. Demonstrating the product, Dyson took care to highlight some of the research behind it. He offered a peek into their labs, giving some insight into the future of products that go far beyond premium vacuum cleaners. It turns out this includes robots.

Today at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Philadelphia, Dyson revealed “secret prototype robots” that are part of a larger study that they have so far managed to hold tight. The discovery included several shots of the robot’s hand, which looks quite similar to the smaller industrial models of companies like ABB.

At first glance, the big difference here is the investment. This includes a hand with soft handles that are very similar to a human hand, and a naturally vacuum nozzle. According to the company, robotic things are nowhere to be found – an amazing amount of vision processing, AI and autonomy turn into something like a robot vacuum. But from a purely investment point of view it can be much more than simple childish steps.

Image Credits: Dyson

I’m always a little wary of these twists / extensions. Some, like Toyota’s work with the TRI, are thoughtful and thoughtful, while others, like Samsung’s efforts in robotics, seem more revealing. As for Dyson, it says he remodeled an aircraft hangar at Halowington Airfield, a former RAF station in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, which the company acquired back in 2016. It is planned to transfer about 250 robotics to the new laboratory.

Image credits: Dysan

In a press release, the company notes:

Dyson was halfway through the largest recruitment of engineering personnel in its history. This year, 2,000 people have joined the technology company, 50% of whom are engineers, scientists and coders. Dyson is committed to its ambitions in robotics by hiring 250 robotics engineers in a variety of disciplines, including computer vision, machine learning, sensors and mechatronics, and expects to hire another 700 in robotics over the next five years. Master plan: create the largest, most advanced robotics center in the UK at Halowington Airfield and bring technology to our homes by the end of the decade.

Hopefully soon.