Weave Robotics' $8K laundry bot needs human help to fold your unmentionables

Weave Robotics has launched Isaac 0, an $8,000 laundry-folding robot that promises to automate one of life's most tedious chores. However, the robot's limitations and need for human assistance raise serious questions about the current state of home robotics and whether consumers are getting what they pay for.

The promise versus reality

The San Francisco Bay Area startup is marketing Isaac 0 as a revolutionary home robot that can handle laundry folding autonomously. According to Weave, "Laundry is a universal time sink that's taken for granted to be human-only work simply because an alternative hasn't existed."

The robot is indeed impressive in some ways. It can fold t-shirts, long sleeves, sweaters, pants, towels, undergarments, and pillowcases. The company claims it learns from human corrections, with weekly model updates ensuring "each fold is faster and higher quality than the last."

However, the reality falls far short of the marketing. Isaac 0 takes between 30 and 90 minutes to fold a single load of laundry - significantly longer than most humans would take. More concerningly, the robot frequently requires human intervention.

The teleoperation problem

Weave admits that Isaac 0 "won't be perfect all the time" and needs human operators to make "5-10 second corrections" during folding sessions. These teleoperators can see feeds from the bot's head and wrist cameras, meaning they occasionally get an eyeful of customers' unmentionables and their living spaces.

The company's website states the goal is always for Isaac 0 to fold the whole batch without assistance, but the actual time a human has to spend assisting the bot can vary based on the garment mix. This raises privacy concerns - customers need to position this massive, stationary robot in a spot that won't give it (or its operators) an unwanted view of their home.

The cost factor

At $7,999, Isaac 0 costs as much as a first-class plane ticket from San Francisco to London. For that price, customers might expect a truly autonomous device. Instead, they're getting a robot that still needs human babysitting.

Weave offers a $450/month subscription option for those looking for a pay-as-you-go way to be an early adopter. The company is also taking $250 reservations, but only for Bay Area residents, as the robots require extensive setup that can take a whole afternoon to complete.

Limited capabilities

Beyond the teleoperation issue, Isaac 0 has other significant limitations:

• Cannot handle large blankets and bedsheets
• Limited to specific garment types
• Requires wall outlet power (not truly mobile)
• Only available in the San Francisco Bay Area currently

The company says it's constantly expanding its abilities, but the current offering seems more like a beta test than a finished product.

The broader context

Isaac 0 represents an interesting case study in the current state of home robotics. While companies like Boston Dynamics are making strides with humanoid robots like Atlas, truly autonomous home helpers remain elusive.

Weave's approach - using teleoperation as a bridge to full autonomy - is pragmatic but raises questions about what consumers are actually paying for. Is an $8,000 robot that needs human help still worth the premium price tag?

What's next

Weave hints that "the next couple of years will set the foundation" for "the next generation of home robots." This suggests Isaac 0 is just the beginning, with more capable, fully mobile versions planned for the future.

For now, customers willing to pay $9,999 can jump the line for priority delivery, with units shipping as soon as this month. Whether that's a wise investment depends on how much you value having your laundry folded - even if it occasionally requires a human helping hand.