INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS: will humanoid robots follow the self-driving car trajectory

Massive excitement and investment, but the gap between what companies promise and where the technology is keeps getting wider.

Even if you solve the technical challenges, what's the consumer product? Why would someone buy it? What price makes sense?

Consumer electronics devices typically don’t cost more than $3,000 except cars. Cars have proven utility over a hundred years. Yet a $20,000 car is still a considered purchase.

What's the value equation for a $20,000 humanoid robot? It can't just do dishes. It needs to do enough tasks to justify the price.

And if your $20,000 robot does dishes, but won’t handle utensils, or laundry except delicates, is that acceptable? If you hired someone who broke one glass every visit, would you keep them?

The technology challenge is half the problem. The other half is will the product deliver reliable enough value that people actually want it.​ ​ Not to even mention that most people still think the idea is just creepy.