Alphabet shuts its experimental department laying off Robots used to clean cafeteria
Alphabet Layoffs 100 Robots
Google’s parent company, Alphabet has shut its experimental department called Everyday Robot. This department was deployed on developing and training robots that could clean cafeteria.
Alphabet recently lay off 12000 employees and 100 robots that cleaned its cafeterias situated at headquarters.
The closure is a part of company’s budget cuts amid company’s massive layoffs in the tech industry. Despite making progress, the robots and their trainers were unable to withstand the economic headwinds.
“Everyday Robots will no longer be a separate project within Alphabet,” Denise Gamboa, the head of Everyday Robots’ marketing and communications division told.
“Some of the technology and part of the team will be consolidated into existing robotics efforts within Google Research,” she added
Everyday Robots once employed more than 200 people, according to Wired. However, the division failed to articulate a clear vision. As managers were not focused about advanced research or bringing new products to market.
The robots division was too expensive for ordinary customers. The value varied from tens to thousands of dollars, according to Wired.
Robots Too expensive
Despite their usefulness, the robots were ultimately too expensive to maintain. With Alphabet facing budget cuts, Everyday Robots was no longer financially viable, and the project was discontinued. However, some of the technology and part of the team will be consolidated into existing robotics efforts within Google Research.
In 2021, Hans Peter Brøndmo, the chief robot officer and the general manager of the Everyday Robots, published a blog post.
Further, the post stated that his team had trained more than 100 robots. He further added that robots were “autonomously performing a range of useful tasks around our offices.”
“The same robot that sort’s trash can now be equipped with a squeegee to wipe tables and use the same gripper that grasps cups can learn to open doors,” Brøndmo wrote.
Everyday Robots was the brainchild of X, Alphabet’s “moonshot” research and development factory which in recent years has been forced to shutter projects that were deemed economically unviable.
Similarly, in 2021, X closed down its Loon division, which manufactured balloons that were equipped with internet-beaming capabilities.
In 2020, Alphabet pulled the plug on Makani, which made kites that were capable of generating electricity through the use of mini-wind turbines.
