For the steep price of $7,999, you can now delegate the soul-crushing chore of folding laundry to a machine. San Francisco-based startup Weave Robotics has begun shipping its first commercial product, the Isaac 0, a stationary robot that promises to neatly stack your clothes. There’s just one small, human-shaped asterisk: it’s not entirely autonomous.
The Isaac 0 can process a full load of laundry in 30 to 90 minutes, tackling items like t-shirts, hoodies, pants, and towels. However, it draws the line at large blankets, bedsheets, or clothes that are inside-out. The real secret to its operation is a blend of AI and human intervention. When the robot gets tangled up, a remote human teleoperator takes control for a “5-10 second correction” before handing the reins back to the AI. Weave Robotics promises the system will improve through weekly updates, gradually reducing its dependence on these remote helpers.
Currently, the robot is only available to residents in the San Francisco Bay Area. The hefty price tag comes with a two-year warranty and priority delivery. For those hesitant to make the upfront investment, a subscription model is also available for $450 per month.
Why is this important?
The Isaac 0 is a fascinating, if eye-wateringly expensive, glimpse into the pragmatic reality of home robotics. Instead of waiting for a perfect, fully autonomous solution, Weave Robotics is betting that early adopters will pay a premium for a mostly automated system today. This “human-in-the-loop” approach is a clever workaround for one of the toughest problems in robotics: manipulating soft, unpredictable objects like clothing. It’s a transparent admission that the technology isn’t quite there yet, but the desire to eliminate chores is. Whether anyone outside of Silicon Valley is willing to pay the price of a decent used car to avoid folding underwear remains the $8,000 question.
