Dyson Could Be Designing a Robot That Can Climb Stairs

(Bloomberg) -- Dyson Ltd. has been working on designs for robots that could clean your stairs and open drawers, according to recent patents and a person familiar with the situation.

Dyson’s robotic unit, which spent 16 years developing its autonomous vacuum cleaner, has been working on developing a robot that could interact with home appliances, the person said, who asked not to be named discussing confidential information.

U.K. patents published this week from Dyson show a series of separate designs involving devices that can climb and clean stairs, and robotic arms capable of simultaneously holding cups and opening drawers. It is not clear whether the project is still ongoing.

The appliance company often works on a variety of projects that don’t make it to final production. Recent patents show designs for a toothbrush, an air purifier that doubles as a pair of headphones, and a skincare device.

“We file a lot of patents,” said a spokesman for Dyson. “But we never comment on technologies we may or may not launch in the future.”

Dyson Could Be Designing a Robot That Can Climb Stairs