Amazon’s Secretive Smart Home Robots Could Be in Your Home Soon

Amazon’s expanding its lineup of smart home products. They recently rolled out a web app that allows you to create custom Alexa greetings, responses, workflows, and more. The tech giant is also allegedly working on a smart home robot. Amazon has been extremely secretive about details surrounding the new smart home robots.

The Future of… Chores?

We do know that San Francisco-based developer Lab126 is working on the robots. The company is effectively Amazon’s hardware research and development department. The robot project, codenamed “Vesta”, could possibly launch for sale in 2019.

Vesta began a few years ago, and Amazon has been hiring more talent for the Lab126 department since January. Although there has been a lot of speculation surrounding the project, it’s still unknown what needs the robot will actually fulfill.

It could possibly integrate with Echo, which runs Alexa. Or it could be a robot that takes care of chores like laundry or cleaning at predesignated times. We know that the robot uses advanced cameras and computer vision like autonomous cars do.

Speculation & Imagination

Amazon stated that it “doesn’t comment on rumors and speculation.” It’s hard to imagine the limits for a mobile robot combined with the AI powering Alexa. But that’s probably exactly what the tech titan wants.

Amazon keeping this project shrouded in secrecy actually functions as a superb marketing tactic; the mystery is keeping the public guessing. There are many unanswered questions, like “Will it be able to climb multiple floors?”, “Can it throw together a quick meal?”, or “Will it be able to clean up baby and pet stains?” Maybe it will be able to do all of these things.

Put People Before Profit

Right now, that doesn’t seem like too farfetched of a feat for Amazon to pull off. The company is constantly setting a higher bar for record-high profits. But it does seem to come at the cost of many of its employees. Since 2013, seven employees have died working in the Amazon warehouses.

With many employees alleging ridiculous performance quotas, low wages, and even inadequate amount of time to go to the bathroom, it seems the tech titan has some room for improvement in its own quarters. Hopefully, Vesta can lend a helping hand.