Amazon's project Vesta aims to launch domestic robots by 2019
In the past decade, Amazon has evolved from being the biggest e-tailer in the US and probably worldwide to an ambitions technology trend setter with innovative products like Kindle and Alexa. The most recent project Amazon has been working on involves a home robot codenamed Vesta that could define the way humans interact with robotic AIs.
Amazon’s home robot was dubbed Vesta after the Roman goddess of hearth, home and family. Vesta’s development began a few years ago and is has been handled by Lab126, also responsible for the Echo speakers, Fire TV boxes, Fire tablets and the Fire Phone. This year, Amazon decided to ramp up the development of the domestic robot project, and it seems like the first consumer products could be available as early as 2019.
Vesta is said to be an advanced Alexa that can move around the house and perform basic tasks. In order to find its way inside buildings, Vesta will come with advanced cameras and computer vision software akin to what current self-driving cars integrate. Amazon job listings also reveal that a few mechanical engineers from the robotic industry were hired to work on Vesta, so the robot could also come with robotic arm tech, enabling it to move things around.
According to a recent Research and Markets estimation cited by Bloomberg, the consumer robot market will be worth around US$15 billion by 2023. Hopefully, no Doomsday scenario inspired by the Terminator franchise will not occur any time soon.
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