Stretch weighs approximately 50 pounds and is equipped with a small mobile base, a stick with a camera, and an adjustable arm with a gripper featuring suction cups. It can be controlled using a console controller. Henry operates Stretch using a laptop, utilizing a tool that tracks his head movements to move a cursor and allowing him to click a computer mouse using his thumb and index finger. During the previous summer, Stretch accompanied the couple for over a month, providing Henry with a newfound level of autonomy. He found it practical and envisioned using it daily.
PETER ADAMS
Through his laptop, Henry was able to use the robot to brush his hair, hold fruit kebabs for snacking, and enhance his relationship with his granddaughter Teddie. Previously, their interactions were minimal, but with Stretch, they engaged in various activities like relay races, bowling, and magnetic fishing.
Stretch does not possess advanced intelligence; it comes with pre-installed software including a web interface for control and AI-enabled navigation. Its primary advantage is the ability for users to integrate their own AI models for experimentation. This demonstrates the potential of home robots to perform tasks humans do, such as folding laundry, cooking, and cleaning.
Current AI-powered robots are learning to perform tasks that were challenging for previous generations, like folding laundry, cooking, and cleaning. However, challenges remain as robots struggle with tasks that humans find simple, such as tying shoelaces or engaging in conversations.
Missing pieces
Robots face difficulties in tasks that humans find easy due to limitations in control, perception, and understanding of practical physics. Despite advancements in hardware and AI, robots still lack the innate abilities that humans possess in these areas.
