Tandy Trower Launches Hoaloha Robotics

Tandy Trower, the 57 years old retired Microsoft employee and creator of the Microsoft Robotic Studio, launched a new Seattle-based start-up called Hoaloha Robotics. The main goal is to produce a unified programming environment and robotic interface (à la ROS) in order to commercialize affordable "socially assistive robots" (as they put it). Mr. Trower intends to develop elder care robots in the next five to ten years. They should sell for 5 000$ to 10 000$ and will ideally be completely independent (unlike the current domestic robots who usually need human assistance once in a while). Besides doing the usual pill-reminding and telepresence, the robots will also assist with movement, and object retrieval.