Meta is reportedly working on humanoid robots that help with chores
If you look at your Roomba with disgust, thinking about what a far cry it is from the Jetsons’ Rosey the Robot, help is on the way. Bloomberg reported on Friday that Meta plans to leverage its advances in AI and augmented reality to build a platform for futuristic humanoid robots that can help with household chores like folding laundry.
Creating a New Team
Meta is reportedly creating a new team within its Reality Labs hardware division, which handles Quest VR headsets and the long-term Orion AR glasses project. Although it will build robot hardware during development, Meta’s long-term goal is more like Android, where Google makes the software platform that almost all of the industry (outside of Apple) uses.
Focus on Household Chores
At least initially, Meta plans to make household chores the project’s central focus. Bloomberg lists folding laundry, carrying glasses of water, putting dinnerware in the dishwasher and other home chores as examples to build excitement around what could be an unsettling product category for many people. 
(For examples of why those concerns may be warranted, look no further than the Unitree G1 robot that ran full-speed at Engadget’s Karissa Bell at CES, momentarily pinning her against the onlooking crowd.)
Collaborations and Discussions
Speaking of Unitree, Meta has reportedly held early discussions with the Chinese robotics company. Meta is also said to have discussed its plans with California-based humanoid robot maker Figure AI, which can count OpenAI, Nvidia, Microsoft, Intel and Jeff Bezos among its investors.
Future of Humanoid Robots
Today’s humanoid robots aren’t advanced enough to pitch in around the house like Rosey, but Meta believes all the resources it’s sinking into AI and XR are paving a road to that destination. 
Advancements in Technology
Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth reportedly views the company’s progress in hand tracking, low-bandwidth computing and always-on sensors as advantages.
"The core technologies we’ve already invested in and built across Reality Labs and AI are complementary to developing the advancements needed for robotics," Bosworth reportedly wrote in a memo. "We believe that expanding our portfolio to invest in this field will only accrue value to Meta AI and our mixed and augmented reality programs."
Industry Trends
Meta isn’t alone in raising its eyebrows at the prospect of home robots for consumers. Last year, news broke that Apple was working on robotics. Ditto for Google.
