It is no secret Amazon is trying to make its way into our homes, with the Amazon Echo as best example. What is a secret, is that Amazon is working on a home robot, according to Bloomberg.
Project Vesta
The top secret plan, codenamed “Vesta”, is run by Gregg Zehr – the guy who is responsible for Amazon’s hardware research lab.
Even though until this time it is unclear of what the Vesta robot will be able to do, there are a lot of job listings surrounding the project that indicate that Amazon is ramping up towards a working model. Rumours even say it’s due later this year.
Bloomberg reports that people who have seen the prototypes are reporting on a robot with advanced cameras and computer vision. Not a bad idea for a robot that would be running through your house, but a clear indication it will be a “classic” robot as we all think of.
An Amazon spokesman said they “do not comment on rumors and speculation”, when being asked about the robot-news.
Bloomberg also reports the project is not anything like the robots designed by Amazon Robotics, which were designed to move around goods in warehouses. These warehouse robots make Amazon No stranger to robotica, having invested more than $700 million in Kiva in 2012. They do a pretty good job:
Will the Vesta get company?
It seems likely Amazon is not the only party to jump the robot bandwagon, but there seems to be no indication Apple is working on a home robot. Even though Apple has a reputation of watching other companies make mistakes before making their own, an example like the Homepod shows the company feels a bit confused. It’s not anywhere near the Echo or Google Home but priced ridiculously high.
