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SwitchBot, the company behind the ingenious robot finger that presses buttons for you, just debuted the closest thing yet to a real Rosie the Robot.
The SwitchBot Multitasking Household Robot K20 Plus Pro is a version of SwitchBot’s mini robot vacuum that attaches to a new “FusionPlatform” — a circular device on wheels that fits over the robot and connects to various SwitchBot devices.
Once attached via three mechanical claws, the robot pushes the platform around, enabling it to deliver items around your house, act as a security camera using SwitchBot’s pan / tilt cam, purify the air with the SwitchBot Air Purifier, or provide spot cooling with its fan. It can even carry your phone or tablet on a selfie stick, and SwitchBot says the platform will be compatible with third-party devices. The company also plans to add more features, including a mechanical arm.
The robot can do all of these tasks autonomously using automations set up in the SwitchBot app — such as “purifying the air upon entry into a room,” or you can control it using the app or with voice commands through Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri Shortcuts.
The robot navigates via a map the lidar-equipped device creates, and SwitchBot claims it has “centimeter-level accuracy in avoiding obstacles and navigating tight spaces” and “moves steadily and effortlessly over everyday barriers.”
The platform has various power ports, including USB-C, so, in theory, you can plug anything into it — although it has a weight limit of just under 18 pounds (8kg). SwitchBot says the FusionPlatform can work with “custom-made attachments, 3D-printed components, and third-party devices with multiple power ports for speakers, car fridges, or even UV sterilization lamps.”
A teaser image the company released shows a larger robot with the addition of a robotic arm, with an asterisk saying, “Mechanical arm is still under development.” There’s also the option of a combo base station for the K20 Plus Pro, which adds a stick vac, allowing you to summon the robot and do a quick touch-up with the handheld vac. If that mechanical arm ever comes to fruition, maybe the robot can take over this chore for you, too. That would get it a lot closer to its Rosie aspirations.
This modular approach seems smart, and while no pricing has been announced, it should keep costs down. Rather than spending years and lots of money developing a humanoid robot to try and mimic human actions, adding mobility to existing devices feels more achievable.
In use, it will involve more human interaction — you’ll presumably need to remove the air purifier and replace it with the fan when you want to cool off — but it also feels like something people will use in their homes. Without the ability to climb stairs, it’ll be fairly limited in my three-story home, but I’m still looking forward to testing it out.
Switchbot plans to launch the K20 Plus Pro in May or June 2025 in custom bundled kits for all the various functions — bundling the vacuum with a circulating fan to form the K20 Plus Pro Air Flow Kit, or the K20 Plus Pro Combo with the SwitchBot air purifier to make up the K20 Plus Pro Omni Clean Kit, or combining all of the above for the SwitchBot K20 Plus Pro Omni Ultimate Kit.