Apple’s self-driving car project dubbed ‘Project Titan’ may not have been successful, but that does not mean that the technology giant is finished with its ambitions. According to the latest report, the company’s engineers are exploring a ‘mobile robot’ which is said to follow people around inside of their homes and successfully carry around a range of tasks. As you would expect, a multitude of challenges have been highlighted, suggesting that Apple has a tough road ahead of it.
Developing a ‘mobile robot’ that can complete chores has been Apple’s goal, but as expected, the project has seen extreme engineering complications
The Cupertino firm is exploring various ‘personal robotics’ ventures as it attempts to pursue the ‘next big thing,’ according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Even though this project is in its very early stages, Apple is investigating the use of AI algorithms that would seemingly aid the mobile robot in navigating cluttered spaces and following people around in their homes. Additionally, it could perform chores such as cleaning the dishes, though turning this concept into a reality is proving to be difficult at this time.
Gurman believes that this feat may not materialize, at least in this decade, as there is a wave of extraordinary engineering challenges that Apple’s engineers have to address. Beyond that, the company will not pursue a commercial launch if it believes there is no money to be made from it. The report also mentions that the mobile robot could compete with Amazon’s Astro. For those who do not know, the latter’s tasks revolve around providing home security monitoring and being a virtual assistant.
Another area of robotics that Apple is exploring is a table-top device, with one idea referring to the display attachment mimicking a person’s head movements when they are on a FaceTime call. However, people familiar with the matter have stated that achieving this is also challenging because it is difficult to balance the weight of a robotic motor on a small stand. Some Apple executives are also said to be against the development of this product, but you should also remember that there was growing dissent during the Apple Vision Pro’s development, and in the end, it went through with an official launch earlier this year.
We will revisit this report to see how Apple has progressed with its mobile robot and table-top projects, but a future launch in the next five years may not be possible. Still, it is interesting that the company is branching out to different categories like this.
News Source: Bloomberg
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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