If you’ve got R320,000 lying around your somewhat dirty home, Tuesday Labs hopes to send you its Voxel 1 to trundle around cleaning things. There are some hoops you need to jump through; the main one being an American delivery address. Pre-orders are probably also a good idea.
The humanoid(ish) robot is being billed as a “gentleman in training.” ‘Gentleman,’ in this instance, refers to its role as a butler rather than someone with decent manners. Tuesday Labs’ showcase video shows the critter with arms, legs, and a strangely placed ‘face’ performing tasks around the home. It’s doing… well.
Built with Voxel tech
But is the Voxel 1 doing well enough to justify 300 grand? The company behind it reckons that the bot’s gripper hands are capable enough to help with household chores. Putting away dishes, sweeping up spills, and watering plants are within its purview. It’ll also bring you objects, if you need it to. That seems like the height of laziness, given how slowly these robots move, but if you’re lazy enough, that won’t bother you. It’s still faster than summoning the urge to get off the couch.
The Voxel 1’s arms offer seven degrees of freedom. The grippers only have one. The torso/head includes dual RGB cameras and a sensor array. It’s controlled mostly by voice commands, a refreshing change. Another decent feature is a seeming lack of telepresence functions. Previous robots of this type have relied on remote operators to complete more useful tasks. But letting a distant human into your home via telepresence is more than a little… creepy.
Instead, Tuesday Labs is relying on an artificial intelligence system that’ll handle control, navigation, and command responses. That, combined with its unusual shape, will supposedly make it a versatile home helper. We’re looking forward to the eventual launch, scheduled for 2028. Perhaps you can get it delivered at the same time as your new Tesla Roadster.
