Apple's robotic devices to augment smart homes with personality
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Apple accelerates hiring for its home robotics projects
An iPad on a robot arm could be the first product from the effort.
Apple is posting more job listings for robotics specialists to "bring new experiences to Apple products," with teams working on Apple Home devices imbued with a basic level of personality.
The robotics team is led by VP of Technology Kevin Lynch, which last August reportedly brought in experts hired from Israel's Technion. Lynch has been instrumental on a number of Apple initiatives, from the ill-fated "Apple Car" project to imbuing the Apple Watch with various health-tracking technology.
According to the Bloomberg "Power On " newsletter on Sunday, the team is still seeking to hire more engineers with a robotics specialty, suggesting that development is intensifying on various home robotics initiatives. A new position for an iOS Robotics Engineer was posted as recently as January 23.
One idea allegedly being pursued includes home-based hardware that can move to where the user is, rather than the other way around. The group is said to be currently working on at least two robotics projects: a mobile device that could intelligently follow a user around, and a tabletop "smart lamp" that, at least at this stage, resembles Pixar's mascot Luxo Junior.
Apple is also rumored to be producing a "smart home hub" device for controlling various home systems, ranging from security to environmental control. A range of such devices and accessories might arrive as soon as later this year, according to rumors.
On a basic level, robotics in the home has already met with consumer acceptance. Intelligent environmental and security systems are now a common feature, while robot vacuums have also found an audience.
Apple's intention is to take existing smart-home technology to a further and more personable level.
Expanding on household robots
In a promotional video from the robotics team, the smart lamp demonstrates not just responses to user gestures, but a general expressive demeanor that gives it more personal interactions than a typical robotic device. The video is intended as a proof of concept rather than a look at an actual future product.
In a segment of the video comparing an "expressive" robot lamp versus a "functional" robot lamp, a user gestures to indicate where the lamp should focus, and also uses vocal commands to aim it in different areas. The device responds to user gestures and vocal requests, demonstrating attentiveness.
The video also shows that the robotic lamp can answer questions using a Siri-like voice, and can notice where the user's hands are to focus light on what they are doing or holding. In response to a request, the lamp in the video also projects a tutorial video to assist the user in a project.
The video also makes clear that Apple's robotics team is exploring how a level of "active engagement" with the user enhances the experience of using the product. Earlier reports have suggested that a final product might resemble a HomePod with a robotic arm that has an iPad-like screen on the end.
Charles Martin is a Contributing Editor for AppleInsider with over a decade of experience covering Apple, and produces the AppleInsider Daily podcast. He is a writer, performer, podcaster, and broadcaster, specializin...
5 Comments
In other words what Apple is saying, 'we have nothing new to offer you, so here is another, time-wasting, later-thinking feature: add robotics to (stop me if you have already guessed it) iPhone, iPad etc.' This is the companion to let's extend the lifespan of our existing and tired devices, iPhone, iPad by making them foldable. 99.9% of iPhone, iPad users want a foldable device, as much as they want a book light and electric toothbrush added to their Apple devices. Apple is turning out more and more like Google. Investing their assets in failed products and features: Vision Pro; Robotics; Foldable, AR Glasses, Robotic Desk Lamp which they then promptly proceed to cancel like the Apple Car. Or the latest, Apple Intelligence with multiple sites offering (and recommending) ways to turn it off as a time waster of little or no value. This is called spinning your wheels when you have nothing new and revolutionary to offer. My guess is that the AI Boom will crash by mid-2025 as a failed experiment in 'how to leverage trillion troves of old, rubbish data into a useful generative AI'. Forget predictive, that is not even worth mentioning at this stage it is such an crazy illusion about as realistic as Canada becoming the 51st State.
Do not discount the benefits that robotic and assistive devices and applications that Apple has already made and continues to make to bring to not only people with mobility issues, but to the general public as well. Things that may seem insignificant to some people can be life enhancing or life changing to others. Glass half full.
I love it when I can't tell if a rant has been generated by AI or a psych patient off their meds.
Clearly Mr Chasm you are an elderly person living in a nursing home with an advanced case of Alzheimer's. Let's look at some of the slobbering, blubbering rubbish you have written.
Finally Mr Chasm, why don't you reach out for the meds before harshly critiquing someone's else post.
Have the debate, but keep it friendly. Maybe insult the ideas rather than the person.
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