San Francisco has become the first city to pilot a humanoid robot-based cleaning service, marking a new step in domestic automation. Tau Robotics, a startup focused on practical robotics applications, has begun deploying human-like machines for household and office chores, with a service rate of $30 per hour. For now, access is limited to a select group of early users who can sign up via the company’s website.
At this initial commercial stage, Tau Robotics is concentrating on residential cleaning. Company representatives explain that the varied and often unpredictable conditions found in apartments provide an ideal training ground for the robots. By encountering unexpected situations—such as scattered objects, different floor types, or unusual layouts—the machines can refine their adaptability and improve their decision-making algorithms. The long-term vision is to develop these robots into versatile household assistants capable of handling a wide range of domestic tasks. Currently, the startup operates three humanoid units, named Chelsea, Elon, and Tony.
Meanwhile, a separate initiative in New York involving the humanoid robot Sally has been temporarily suspended. The robot, valued at approximately $60,000, was intended to serve as an educational tool for high school students, helping them explore programming, artificial intelligence, and robotics. However, the project faced public backlash due to concerns about the manufacturer, Realbotix, and its perceived ties to RealDoll—a company known for producing hyper-realistic dolls and adult-oriented robots.
Realbotix has strongly denied the allegations, insisting that Sally is not a modified adult doll. The company emphasized that its educational products and adult-focused offerings are developed by separate teams with no overlap, and that the two product lines are managed independently.
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