Hello Robot releases fourth version of its home assistant robot Stretch

In short: Hello Robot has released Stretch 4, a home assistance robot that is designed to do useful tasks in real homes and with real people.

What happened

Hello Robot, a startup based in Martinez, California, released the fourth generation of its robot assistant, called Stretch. The company says Stretch is built for home use, not just for lab demos.

Stretch is not shaped like a person in the way many people imagine a “humanoid” robot. It has a head with sensors (sensors are like eyes and ears for machines), a torso, one long arm with pinchers, and a heavy wheeled base that can move in any direction.

The company is focusing on safety and practical use. Stretch 4 comes with limited autonomy, meaning it does not just do everything on its own. A person can stay in control, which Hello Robot says is a feature, not a limitation.

One example in the report is board member Keith Platt, who became quadriplegic in 2021. He uses a voice-controlled iPhone app to tell Stretch to move around his home, then he can directly control the arm to do tasks like getting a protein shake.

Hello Robot says Stretch 4 costs $30,000. It expects to make about 200 to 300 units at its headquarters, and the first production run has already sold out.

Why it matters

Home robots often struggle with the real world, where rooms are messy and objects are not placed perfectly. A robot that can work safely in a real house could help people with mobility challenges do more things without relying on a caregiver, like having an extra set of hands that listens and moves carefully.

Source: TechCrunch AI