Companies Pursuing Movie-Like Robots Despite Unclear Objectives
Imagine a robot that picks up your clothes, does the laundry, and even loads the dishwasher. For decades, this was just a fantasy reserved for science fiction. But today, they say it’s about to become a reality. The future of the home, they claim, will walk on two legs.
The idea is captivating the public and investors once again. In promotional videos, these robots move with almost human-like coordination, opening doors, lifting boxes, and even dancing. But the real question on many minds is not if they can do it, but why would we want them to do it?
The companies pushing for a robot in every home
Based in California, is leading this new craze. They promise a “robotic butler” capable of taking care of almost all household tasks. The company, valued at over $39 billion, has investors like , , and , and plans to manufacture more than 12,000 units per year.
But they are not alone. is another player in the game, with Elon Musk claiming it will cost less than a car and become the new household companion. While we’ve only seen it move an egg without breaking it so far, they assure that in five or six years, anyone can have one at home.
Meanwhile, in Norway, 1X Technologies is moving forward with the Neo Gamma, a model covered in soft materials and capable of interacting with humans. Their goal is to manufacture 100,000 robots in 2027 and “millions more in 2028,” making them one of the most serious contenders in the sector.
On the other hand, China is taking a different route with . The Unitree G1 model is already being sold for $16,000, while the more advanced H1 costs over $130,000.
Between fascination and doubt
The obsession with robots doesn’t convince everyone. Rodney Brooks, co-founder of iRobot, considers them a costly and inefficient fantasy: standing up consumes too much energy, and recreating the dexterity of a human hand is almost impossible. Other engineers, like Ehsan Saffari, argue that designing a humanoid robot for tasks we already have specialized appliances for doesn’t make sense.
“Imagine if, instead of inventing the washing machine, we had built a robot to wash clothes by hand,” summarizes Saffari. The statement illustrates the paradox.
The empathy (and price) question
Despite this, there are emotional reasons behind this craze. Studies show that we tend to empathize more with robots that resemble us. Seeing them with faces and limbs makes us treat them as companions, not objects. But when they become too realistic, the opposite happens.
None of these companies have disclosed specific figures, and that is usually a bad sign. Today, even the most basic models cost more than a car, indicating that this promise is intended — for now — for a select few.
Do we want helpers, or do we want mirrors?
