# Bonus Episode: The Future of Home Assistant Robots

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2026-03-18
- Length: 45m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots

## Summary

Dr. Patrick Holthaus, Dr. Nicole Salomons, Dr. Gerard Canal, and Dr. Carolina Fuentes Toro discuss the future of home assistant robots at the Festival of Tomorrow. They explore technical challenges such as navigating cluttered environments, ensuring safety with powerful actuators, and managing user trust through explainability. The panel highlights specific applications including dementia therapy, autism social skills training, and assistive feeding, while noting the lack of cultural research in the Global South.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=8) Introduction: Panelists and Research Overview
- [2:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=165) Patrick Holthaus: Robot House and Social Signals
- [7:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=424) Nicole Salomons: Dementia and Autism Therapy Robots
- [11:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=670) Gerard Canal: Decision Making and Safety
- [14:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=889) Carolina Fuentes Toro: Social Technical Challenges
- [19:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=1147) Group Discussion: Home Environment Challenges
- [27:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=1624) Audience Q&A: Stairs, Safety, and Form Factors
- [34:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots#t=2071) Audience Q&A: Healthcare Viability and Trust

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Robot House (product)
- Pepper (product)
- Alexa (product)
- Scratch (tool)
- Miro E (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [65. Pizzaiolo Robot & Autonomous Wheelchairs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-04-12-65-pizzaiolo-robot-autonomous-wheelchairs) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [375: Hiding in Your Roomba](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-06-03-375-hiding-in-your-roomba) (Embedded.fm)
- [207: I Love My Robot Monkey Head (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-03-12-207-i-love-my-robot-monkey-head-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [Kate Darling on the Future of Robotics and AI Ethics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-10-24-kate-darling-on-the-future-of-robotics-and-ai-ethics) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [30. Climate Change AI, Robots Getting You Dressed, Drones Evacuating Nursing Homes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-08-10-30-climate-change-ai-robots-getting-you-dressed-drones-evacuating-nursing-homes) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-03-18-bonus-episode-the-future-of-home-assistant-robots. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Robot Talk.