SwitchBot’s Humanoid Robot Can Now Do Your Laundry
▼ Summary
– SwitchBot is unveiling the Onero H1, a new “accessible AI household robot” designed to eliminate housework, at CES 2026.
– The Onero is a wheeled, general-use robot with articulated arms and hands, capable of tasks like making breakfast and folding laundry, but it is not a full humanoid with legs.
– It uses an on-device vision-language-action model and multiple cameras for perception, along with 22 degrees of freedom for independent movement.
– The robot represents a shift from specialized devices to multi-task systems and is designed to work with SwitchBot’s existing ecosystem of smart home devices.
– While a demo video shows its capabilities, real-world performance may differ, and the Onero H1 will soon be available for preorder with no announced price.
The promise of a robot that can handle laundry, make breakfast, and tidy up is moving closer to reality, with SwitchBot unveiling its new Onero H1 AI household robot. This general-use machine is designed to tackle a wide array of domestic chores, representing a significant step beyond the company’s previous single-purpose devices. The announcement positions the Onero as a potential central orchestrator for the modern smart home.
Unlike a full humanoid, the Onero features a unique design with articulated arms, hands, and a face, but it moves on a wheeled base instead of legs. This mobile platform builds upon SwitchBot’s earlier modular robot concepts. The company claims its strength lies in advanced perception and adaptability. The robot is equipped with multiple cameras located in its head, arms, hands, and torso, and it boasts an impressive 22 degrees of freedom for a wide range of independent movements. For context, the highly advanced Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics has 29 degrees of freedom in its upper body alone.
Powering these capabilities is an on-device OmniSense vision-language-action model. This system allows the Onero to learn by merging visual data, depth perception, and tactile feedback. The goal is for the robot to understand an object’s position, shape, and how it can be interacted with, enabling it to perform tasks like loading a washing machine, folding clothes, operating a coffee maker, or cleaning windows.
However, the gap between a polished demonstration video and reliable real-world performance in a messy home environment is well-known in robotics. While the promotional footage is compelling, practical effectiveness remains to be thoroughly tested. This highlights a core debate in home automation: should we invest in specialized robots that excel at one job, like vacuuming, or pursue versatile generalists that can adapt? Many common chores are surprisingly complex to automate without redesigning our living spaces entirely.
For now, a pragmatic middle ground may be the most viable path. This involves a smarter robot that acts as a central command unit, coordinating a suite of specialized devices rather than doing every job itself. SwitchBot emphasizes that the Onero is designed to integrate with its existing ecosystem of robot vacuums, air purifiers, and humidifiers. This approach mirrors the strategy behind other products like Samsung’s Ballie and LG’s AI agent, which aim to be embodied smart home assistants.
A current limitation for wheeled robots like the Onero is navigating multi-story homes with stairs. Despite this, SwitchBot has a tangible advantage: the company plans to open pre-orders for the Onero H1 and its accompanying A1 robotic arms soon. While the final price point remains undisclosed, this move signals a concrete step toward bringing a multifunctional household robot to market.
(Source: The Verge)
