The handyman robot that keeps them off the ladder
Andy does the climbing, kneeling and lifting jobs in an older person's home, so small tasks don't turn into falls.
Jobs Andy takes on
Built for people who want to grow old in their own home. Climbing, kneeling and lifting are where small jobs turn into falls. Andy takes those jobs.
US adults aged 65 and over fall each year. Source: CDC.
people worldwide will be over 65 by 2050. Source: UN.
What Andy does at home
Up high, down low, and around the house
Up high
Andy takes the ladder jobs
Andy rises to the ceiling on its own column, so nobody has to fetch the stepladder.
- Change high bulbs
- Test and change smoke alarm batteries
- Put up curtain rails, clear the top shelf
Down low
Andy does the kneeling and lifting
Andy lowers itself to floor level and carries the heavy, awkward things, so no one is on their knees or straining their back.
- Re-seal the bath, clear a slow drain
- Fix a dripping tap, tighten loose hinges
- Build flat-pack, hang shelves and pictures
Around the house
Andy makes the house safer
Andy fits the things that prevent falls, and checks them again every week.
- Fit grab rails and stair lights
- Secure loose rugs and wobbly handrails
- A weekly safety round of the whole house
For the family
The family stays in the loop
Andy is often bought by grown-up children for a parent who lives alone. They see what Andy did, and they decide what it does next.
- A weekly note of what Andy fixed and noticed
- A message if something seems wrong
- Approve jobs from anywhere
- 01Changed the hall bulb.
- 02Re-sealed the bath.
- 03Noticed the back-step handrail is loose. Fix it on Thursday?
What Andy isn't
Andy looks after the house, not the person
Andy is not a carer. It doesn't help with washing, dressing or medicine. It works alongside family and care workers, and takes the household jobs off their list.
Andy, on paper
The concept spec
These are design intentions, not measurements: there is no prototype to measure yet.
- Jobs
- Small repairs and maintenance. Never gas or mains wiring; Andy tells you when to call a professional.
- Reach
- Rises to the ceiling and lowers to the floor, on a wheeled base.
- Body
- A soft, washable knit suit over a light frame.
- Movement
- A person's pace. Keeps clear of walking routes, stops at an unexpected touch.
- Tools
- Locked, unless a job you approved is running.
- Privacy
- Video is processed on the robot. Nothing leaves the house unless you share a job.
- Learning
- From recordings made by tradespeople wearing a sensor glove, so Andy isn't remote-controlled in your home.
- Status
- Concept. Not for sale.
Andy comes from the Greek anēr, genitive andros: "man", and the root of android. Andy is the handyman version, the man about the house.
Frequently asked questions
Questions
What can Andy do?
Small repairs and maintenance: bulbs and batteries, hinges, taps, sealant, shelves, flat-pack, grab rails and stair lights. It would learn new jobs through software updates.
Is Andy a carer?
No. Andy looks after the home, not the person. It doesn't help with washing, dressing or medicine.
Who is Andy for?
Older people who want to stay in their own home. The buyer is often a grown-up child, for a parent who lives alone, who approves jobs and sees what Andy has done from their phone.
Does Andy replace a tradesperson?
No. Andy handles the small jobs nobody wants to call someone out for, and says when a job needs a professional, such as gas or mains wiring.
Is it safe around someone unsteady on their feet?
That is the design goal: a soft body, a slow pace, out of walking routes, and tools locked unless an approved job is running.
Can I buy Andy?
Not yet. Andy is a concept. There is no price, no delivery date and no order book.
Andy is a concept. There's nothing to buy yet.