Tired of collecting toys? Future Dyson home robots want to do it for you

Today, Dyson shared his ambitious plans to sell robots that can do your homework. The company, best known for its vacuum cleaners, is in the midst of a massive push for hiring as it seeks to make consumer robots roam the houses and do more than suck up dust. The company wants to supply these robots to homes for 10 years.

For 20 years, Dyson has been producing washer-shaped vacuum cleaner robots that move around homes, removing dust and dirt. But for the past 10 years, Dyson has also been researching stand-alone robots with grasping hands.

In the video, Dyson showed prototypes of robots that do homework, including cleaning dishes and helpfully putting bleach on the counter.

Dyson’s “Lab of Perception” in an air hangar at Hallowington Airfield in Wiltshire, England, focuses on the “brains” of robots. The lab is also working on vision systems that allow robots to use cameras, sensors and thermal imaging cameras to move without crashing into things. Dyson has experience in this field, having previously developed vision-based imaging algorithms and a 360-degree camera for its robotic vacuum cleaners.

The company is also exploring how to make its robots safe for homes, including making them strong enough to withstand shocks. In addition, Dyson will conduct research and development of robots at the Dyson Robotics Lab at the English Imperial College London in the new laboratory and at its headquarters in Singapore.

A huge push for hiring

However, Dyson’s work is still far from complete. This year, 2,000 people were hired, half of them engineers, scientists and coders, and Dyson said that’s only 50 percent thanks to the largest-ever hiring of engineers. The company is looking for 250 robotics engineers with experience in computer vision, machine learning, sensors and mechatronics; they will be working at the aviation hangar in Hallowington, which Dyson has been updating for the past six months.

Over the next five years, Dyson expects to add 700 robotics engineers to the company. They will primarily work on the robot’s brain. In addition, Dyson said it would invest £ 2.75 billion (about $ 3.45 billion) in Hullvington in order to make it “the largest, most advanced robotics center in the UK”. Dyson will spend £ 600 million (about $ 753 million) from this 2022 budget.

Welcome to the party

Of course, Dyson isn’t the first to get it a robotic arm to do something impressive. And this is not the first company that will get in the house of a modern autonomous robot with human parts.

French company Pollen Robotics is currently selling its open source humanoid Achievable robotwhich has an extra movable base, flexible arms, sturdy clamps and 7 degrees of freedom. It is estimated that it can lift up to 1.1 pounds. Pollen Robotics basically showcases a robot as an entertainment item; he can do things like play games and receive guests.

Starting at 8,990 euros (about $ 9,603) for just one arm and 32,990 euros (about $ 35,241) for the entire robot and mobile base, Reachy is clearly aimed at a limited audience.

Meanwhile, UBTech is also working on its biped, similar to the Power Ranger Robot Walker Xwho can perform tasks such as bringing drinks and snacks, playing games and climbing stairs.

Among other efforts are high-profile names Amazon Astro. The robot is now available for $ 1,000 (via invitation) and focused on home monitoring. He has no hands, but has virtual clear eyes and a box into which you can throw things and get the Astro to deliver to someone in the house. And CEO Elon Musk says so Tesla’s humanoid robot a prototype will be shown next year.

However, Dyson’s years of work in related fields, as well as his demonstration of a willingness to open his pockets and invest in human resources, point to the exciting potential of home robotics. Because of his long history of getting products into people’s homes, Dyson seems to be in a good position to continue the work he apparently started ten years ago.

You can watch the Dyson video, which showcases the research and development of robotics below.

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