I want this droid butler – it looks like it comes from an anime future

Voxel Droid Butler — (Image credit: Voxel)

I want one. The Voxel Series-1 from Tuesday Labs looks like something straight out of an anime vision of the future, with its boxy body, colourful plastic panels, little pixelated eyes and backward-bending legs.

But this isn't just a cute robot designed to look good in a futuristic living room. It's intended to become a useful household assistant, taking care of some of the everyday jobs we'd rather avoid.

The New York-based robotics company calls it a "droid butler". Voxel has been designed to have its own character, drawing inspiration from everything from household furniture to Pixar animation.

Meet your new household helper

Voxel is built around a pair of articulated arms, each with seven degrees of freedom, ending in simple grippers for picking up and moving objects. Its unusual Z-shaped legs allow it to bend and adjust its height when reaching towards cupboards, tables and shelves, while cameras help it recognise and navigate its surroundings.

The idea is that it can take care of four main jobs: tidying rooms, finding misplaced belongings, fetching objects and tending to plants. That could mean putting things back where they belong, bringing you a book or watering the houseplants. Tuesday Labs also hopes to eventually expand its capabilities to include things like laundry and washing dishes, although these aren't launch features.

I like the attention given to its personality. The company has worked with former Pixar animators and character designers to develop the way Voxel moves, rather than simply making it walk as efficiently as possible. It has a slightly awkward, animated gait, complete with little movements intended to make it feel more like a character than a piece of machinery.

How much does the Voxel robot cost?

Here's the less appealing bit. Tuesday Labs estimates the Voxel Series-1 will cost around $20,000, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028. You can currently reserve one for $200, although reservations are limited to US delivery addresses and the payment is fully refundable.

It's also worth remembering that what we're seeing today is still a development prototype. The company expects to substantially redesign the hardware before production, and the final appearance, specifications and capabilities could change. Some of its current demonstrations also use teleoperation, meaning a human operator is involved in controlling the robot rather than it completing everything autonomously.

There's no confirmed UK launch date yet, although the company has expressed an interest in bringing Voxel to Britain and Europe.

I love the idea of having a little droid wandering around the house, putting things away and fetching stuff when needed. At $20,000, though, I'd expect it to do considerably more than water my plants. Still, if Tuesday Labs can deliver on the vision, this could be a fascinating glimpse of what domestic robots might look like in a few years.

Luke is a freelance writer for T3 with over two decades of experience covering tech, science and health. Among many things, Luke writes about health tech, software and apps, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones and cars. In his free time, Luke climbs mountains, swims outside and contorts his body into silly positions while breathing as calmly as possible.