Getting the trash out to the curb could soon be a job for a robot. Revere Robotics is developing a machine that takes the bin down the driveway and brings it back once it’s been emptied.
The robot, called Curbie, attaches to the axle and wheels of the regular two-wheel carts that most cities give their residents. Unlike some smart home products, however, it doesn’t come with its own bin or require people to replace the one they already have, and the robotics engineering company says the machine can move carts weighing up to 120 pounds.
Curbie is designed to operate in rough weather, including rain, snow, and ice, as well as on gravel surfaces. To achieve this, the robot relies on cameras alongside ultrasonic proximity sensors and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to find its way, enabling it to reliably move standard two-wheel carts along driveways.
If a cart starts to tip, the robot is supposed to stop and send an alert to its owner. None of that has been confirmed by independent testing so far.
The tech firm sees older adults and people with limited mobility as the main users, since pulling a heavy bin can be hard or even dangerous for them. Households with long, steep, or icy driveways could also find it useful.
A lot about the robot is still unknown. Visuals shared by the company are digital CAD renders and concept simulations of the prototype, rather than real-world video footage of a finished product.
Moreover, Revere Robotics is yet to announce a price, a launch date, or where Curbie will first be available. The firm also hasn’t explained how the robot will work with the different cart designs used across the country, or how it will deal with children, pets, and other obstacles in a driveway.
For now, the company says Curbie is simply still in development.
Sources: Revere Robotics, This Week in Startups, CDC, Gadget Review