San Francisco-based startup Tau Robotics has begun testing its 4.5-foot (about 1.4 meters) tall humanoid robots designed for home cleaning tasks. While the ultimate goal is fully autonomous robots, current devices are remotely controlled by human pilots via cameras mounted on the robots' heads and wrists. The machines perform tasks like folding laundry and making beds through kinematic guidance, copying human movements to generate training data for their AI models.
The beta-stage devices feature a 3D-printed head with antennae and 3D-printed claw hands, chosen for durability. According to co-founder Cornelia Weinzierl, the robots can already vacuum and mop without human intervention. However, the system encounters operational hurdles, including coordination issues from signal transmission delays, difficulties navigating stairs, and the occasional overheating of remote operator equipment. During one test, a robot completed a toilet cleaning but knocked over an olive oil bottle and left taps dripping.
To accelerate data collection, the startup initially offered an hourlong cleaning with one robot for $30, though pricing is now $60 for a weekly two-robot service or $100 for a one-time visit. Pointing to the high turnover and injury risks in the cleaning industry, Weinzierl suggests these robots could eventually be deployed for hazardous duties like mold remediation or home health care. However, the hardware's early testing phase indicates a long development path before widespread autonomous use.