Rich people ‘will have robot butlers within five years - with one major flaw'
We've all had fears about it, right? That one day robots will come in and takeover the world?
Well we could be getting that much closer, as one expert has predicted robotic butlers will be a common toy for the super rich by 2030.
Right now, humanoids are making great strides (or sometimes, falling over), but are still not quite ready for mass adoption.
The chief executive of a company which makes robots used in warehouses across the world says this is about to change, however.
Romain Moulin, the founder of Exotec, told Metro that within five years, those with enough money to spare will have robots to wipe their floors and maybe even fold their laundry.
It won't be because they are so good at the job, though: 'It's mostly for bragging to your friends,' he said.
They will be an expensive novelty at first, and will work for far less time than Jeeves could before taking a break.
'I think the first one we'll see will be like a Roomba,' Romain said. 'It will be sitting in a corner of the room. You will have some friends over and you will tell that humanoid robot, 'Please clean my floor.'
'It will pick up a broom and start cleaning, and then will go back and sit on his chair charging, because he has ten minutes of autonomy. That stuff has high power consumption.'
At a push, developments in battery tech might let it keep going for 20 minutes, but ultimately it's not going to last longer than a cordless vacuum.
Romain's company makes the Skypod robot, a functional piece of tech serving companies including Gap, Carrefour, Uniqlo and Decathlon.
He thinks that when it comes to warehouses, humanoid robots are destined for the scrapheap.
'Nobody has a convincing answer on why you would have legs instead of wheels for an industrial environment,' he said.
'Why would you want legs on a flat concrete floor? You will save half of your robot price by removing them.'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
He isn't convinced that humanoid robots are the answer for companies trying to be more efficient.
By replicating the shape of a person, they're optimising something 'to run in the bush and pick apples in the trees' because humans were built for prehistoric survival, not packing parcels.
But he does admit they are more useful in places where humans tend to be, such as hospitals, restaurants, or houses.
Bringing a robot home isn't simple, though, as it's a much less regimented environment.
'Payload, autonomy, and safety are the biggest challenges,' Romain explained.
'If you increase the performance of your robot and you want it to lift heavier things, you are creating more chance to hurt someone.'
He said that for a robot to be able to stand and walk around, its legs would have to weigh some 40kg, which is already enough power to do damage. Do you want a robot housekeeper?
Humanoid robots are becoming more and more high profile, made by companies such as Tesla, which says their Optimus model will be 'capable of performing tasks that are unsafe, repetitive or boring'.
This robot is expected to cost around $20,000, but Romain guessed that fully functioning humanoid robot capable of doing household tasks independently would be more like $200,000.
While we're fascinated by robots that look like us, they are more complicated to programme than a box on wheels.
Balancing is a particular issue, and if it goes wrong it can lead to disturbing scenes like this robot 'going berserk' in a Chinese workshop.
Romain says this is likely to have been down to its sensors realising it was still not stable, so making bigger and bigger 'crazy' moves to try and fix the problem in a feedback loop.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
AI has allowed big advancements in robotics, as it is used to power their independent navigation.
This is how Evri were able to test out a robotic dog to deliver parcels, and UK farmers have also embraced the tech with robot fruit pickers.
You may not interact with them much yet, still, but they could become as commonplace as touchscreens for food orders soon. More Trending
He said that he is concerned about the changes that are coming to the jobs market, with humanoid robots able to take on most unskilled work within 20 years, and computers just 'working alone' in offices.
'One human then will do the job of five humans now,' he said.
Even though Romain works with robots them every day, though, he won't be putting a butler on preorder.
'I prefer human relations,' he said.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
Rich people ‘will have robot butlers within five years - with one major flaw'
We've all had fears about it, right? That one day robots will come in and takeover the world? Well we could be getting that much closer, as one expert has predicted robotic butlers will be a common toy for the super rich by 2030. Right now, humanoids are making great strides (or sometimes, falling over), but are still not quite ready for mass adoption. The chief executive of a company which makes robots used in warehouses across the world says this is about to change, however. Romain Moulin, the founder of Exotec, told Metro that within five years, those with enough money to spare will have robots to wipe their floors and maybe even fold their laundry. It won't be because they are so good at the job, though: 'It's mostly for bragging to your friends,' he said. They will be an expensive novelty at first, and will work for far less time than Jeeves could before taking a break. 'I think the first one we'll see will be like a Roomba,' Romain said. 'It will be sitting in a corner of the room. You will have some friends over and you will tell that humanoid robot, 'Please clean my floor.' 'It will pick up a broom and start cleaning, and then will go back and sit on his chair charging, because he has ten minutes of autonomy. That stuff has high power consumption.' At a push, developments in battery tech might let it keep going for 20 minutes, but ultimately it's not going to last longer than a cordless vacuum. Romain's company makes the Skypod robot, a functional piece of tech serving companies including Gap, Carrefour, Uniqlo and Decathlon. He thinks that when it comes to warehouses, humanoid robots are destined for the scrapheap. 'Nobody has a convincing answer on why you would have legs instead of wheels for an industrial environment,' he said. 'Why would you want legs on a flat concrete floor? You will save half of your robot price by removing them.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video He isn't convinced that humanoid robots are the answer for companies trying to be more efficient. By replicating the shape of a person, they're optimising something 'to run in the bush and pick apples in the trees' because humans were built for prehistoric survival, not packing parcels. But he does admit they are more useful in places where humans tend to be, such as hospitals, restaurants, or houses. Bringing a robot home isn't simple, though, as it's a much less regimented environment. 'Payload, autonomy, and safety are the biggest challenges,' Romain explained. 'If you increase the performance of your robot and you want it to lift heavier things, you are creating more chance to hurt someone.' He said that for a robot to be able to stand and walk around, its legs would have to weigh some 40kg, which is already enough power to do damage. Do you want a robot housekeeper? Humanoid robots are becoming more and more high profile, made by companies such as Tesla, which says their Optimus model will be 'capable of performing tasks that are unsafe, repetitive or boring'. This robot is expected to cost around $20,000, but Romain guessed that fully functioning humanoid robot capable of doing household tasks independently would be more like $200,000. While we're fascinated by robots that look like us, they are more complicated to programme than a box on wheels. Balancing is a particular issue, and if it goes wrong it can lead to disturbing scenes like this robot 'going berserk' in a Chinese workshop. Romain says this is likely to have been down to its sensors realising it was still not stable, so making bigger and bigger 'crazy' moves to try and fix the problem in a feedback loop. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video AI has allowed big advancements in robotics, as it is used to power their independent navigation. This is how Evri were able to test out a robotic dog to deliver parcels, and UK farmers have also embraced the tech with robot fruit pickers. You may not interact with them much yet, still, but they could become as commonplace as touchscreens for food orders soon. More Trending He said that he is concerned about the changes that are coming to the jobs market, with humanoid robots able to take on most unskilled work within 20 years, and computers just 'working alone' in offices. 'One human then will do the job of five humans now,' he said. Even though Romain works with robots them every day, though, he won't be putting a butler on preorder. 'I prefer human relations,' he said. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Why so many young Brits are being 'manipulated' into smuggling drugs MORE: 9 best BBQs and pizza ovens from Dunelm ideal for this bank holiday weekend MORE: Uber says it's ready to put robotaxis on UK roads by 2027
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
What I Own: At 22 and 23, we bought a run down London four-bed for £910,000
Welcome back to What I Own – Metro's property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder. Nick Toteda and his long-term partner, Ant Cushion, originally bought a home in Canada, where Nick is from, before relocating in London. When they initially looked at their South West London four-bed in 2022, they were turned off by just how much work would need to be done. After a lot of reflection — and a second viewing — they decided to take a chance on a property that would need some TLC. They bought their house for £910,000, making it the last one on their street to sell for under £1,000,000. They've since spent a further £200,000 to renovate. Here's what they had to say about their property journey… You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from: – Award winning service from the UK's leading mortgage broker – Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week – Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won't charge you a fee for their advice. Find out how much you could borrow online Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. We're Nick (25) and Ant (26), a married couple and content creators. We share our life with our audience of more than 4,500,000. Our journey began with documenting our long-distance relationship between Canada and the UK. Since then, we've developed a love of renovating homes. We bought our property in South West London in 2022, but it needed a full renovation. After nearly a year of transforming it, which cost just under £200,000, we officially moved in, in 2023. We were incredibly lucky to secure the last house on our street to sell for under £1,000,000. Our property cost us £910,000. The house was in a derelict condition and had been sitting on the market for months. It had pretty much everything wrong with it except, thankfully, no foundational issues or subsidence. It was severely damp, almost every wall had blown plaster, and many of the original floor joists were completely rotten. There were places where you could feel the floors bowing beneath your feet. Despite all that, we tried to preserve as much original character as possible, such as the corbels in the entrance hallway and the cornices, but unfortunately, a lot of the original features were simply too far gone to salvage. We opted for a 20% deposit of £180,000. It was important to us that our monthly mortgage payments were manageable in the long term. Our mortgage is around £3,200 per month, and our other costs, such as insurance, heating, water, electricity, internet, and smaller household subscriptions like security systems, make up the remaining £500 to £800. We try to keep a close eye on everything, and we've found that being proactive with utilities and home maintenance helps keep costs from creeping up. We' both started working at a young age, so had about 10 years of savings each under our belts. Over time, we've also invested in ISAs and stocks, making sure our savings were growing rather than just sitting idle. In addition to that, we originally got on the property ladder in 2020 in Canada. Our first home wasn't in quite the right neighbourhood for us, so we sold it just four months later. Not long after, we bought another home, which we really loved. But then we decided to move back to the UK, and sold that home too. Luckily, both properties appreciated in value during the short time we owned them, which allowed us to gain some equity. That bit of financial growth within just a year made a big difference when it came time to buy again. As self-employed creators, getting a mortgage can often be more complex. Thankfully, working with a broker made everything so much easier. We had all our paperwork in place – two years of tax returns and solid credit scores. We ultimately got offered a great rate and LTV. The biggest hurdle was deciding whether Nick, who's Canadian, should also be on the mortgage. Including him would have increased our interest rate, because at the time, Nick's visa only had three months left on it. June might mark Pride Month, but the reality is that LGBTQ+ people still face issues accessing housing. Research from Stonewall shows that almost one in five LGBTQ+ people have experienced homelessness; these statistics increase to 25% of all trans people. The majority of these cases are caused by direct rejection from families over their LGBTQ+ identity, too, as 77% of people surveyed by akt said that 'family rejection, abuse or being asked to leave home' was the cause of their homelessness. Shortly before becoming homeless, more than 50% had their family members force them to stop expressing their LGBTQ+ identity, figures which rise to 64% for trans people and 55% for disabled people. The University of Stirling also finds that LGBTQ+ people have poorer housing outcomes than their straight and cis counterparts, too. Gay, lesbian and bisexual people specifically are less likely to own their own homes, while throughout the 1980s and 1990s, there were instances of gay and bisexual men having their mortgage applications refused because of the stigma tied to the HIV/AIDS crisis. We were only able to renew it within 30 days of expiring, but we needed to progress with our mortgage application. Due to the additional risk for the lender, we opted not to at the time to save money. We locked in a 3.48% fixed rate for five years, just as interest rates began to climb. Some of our friends managed to secure sub-3% rates shortly before us, but given the timing and the current market, we're content with what we secured. For us, it came down to creative freedom. We struggled to find properties that matched our personal taste within our budget. Owning meant we could use our passion for renovation and interior design to craft exactly how we wanted our home to look – we are also very mindful of the privilege it is to be able to do so. It was a big investment upfront, but one we believed would be worth it in the long run. We found it on Rightmove and had actually passed on it once because it felt like too much work. But something about it stuck with us. A month later, we were nearby and decided to view it again. We negotiated a price we could manage and made an offer that same day. The home had been on the market for months with multiple offers turned down, so we do feel a little serendipity was involved. We believe the home was built between 1897 and 1903, so its late Victorian to early Edwardian, and we wanted to stay true to the era, while adding personal touches. It definitely carries that charm, with high ceilings, original details, and great bones. We wanted to maintain period elements like mouldings, fireplaces, and windows, while layering in modern influences like our Scandinavian-style kitchen or modern arches. Ant: My favourite room is the dining room. It's our boldest room, and while I usually shy away from colour, it's a reminder that stepping out of your comfort zone can often lead to the most rewarding results. Nick: I love our kitchen. It's the heart of the home, where we wind down, cook together, and host friends. It feels warm and welcoming. Absolutely. The property was originally a four-bed, but we converted one of the bedrooms into an en-suite bathroom and a utility room. This made the home better suited to us, a family of two and a cat! After such a big renovation, we're enjoying the calm. That said, it's always tempting to tinker! There is potential to extend one day. Fortunately, we haven't encountered any major issues since renovating. But during the process? Plenty. It turned into a full-scale renovation. Damp, rotten floors, cracked walls, and blocked drains were just a few of the issues we had to overcome. Nearly every surface needed to be replaced or repaired. One of the biggest challenges, though, was hiring the right people. Finding the right tradespeople can completely determine how smoothly your renovation goes. For anyone self-employed, especially those who run their own company, it's worth exploring whether you can use your company's pre-tax profits to apply for a mortgage. It made a big difference in our borrowing ability. More Trending More broadly, don't rush. If something breaks, there's almost always a solution, and you learn so much along the way. Lastly, if you can consider buying the worst house in the best neighbourhood, you're going to be onto something great. It doesn't have to be the biggest project, just something to add value – that's how we've been able to grow on the property ladder. We really see this as our long-term home. We've never lived anywhere longer than a year before, and we've now been here for almost three. It's been a long journey to feel settled in a space we love, and we're incredibly thankful to finally be here. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » MORE: Major US fast food chain to open in London Heathrow airport – a European first MORE: The 'eclectic' suburb with homes £63,000 cheaper than the UK average MORE: Rita Ora reveals empowering way LGBTQ+ fans have 'inspired' her new music
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
This is how much the average UK house price fell by in May
UK house prices have fallen by around £1,150 in May, despite property values increasing by more than £7,000 in 2024. Halifax found that May's month-on-month price fall followed a 0.3% increase in April, following a slower growth in house prices in the past two months. Halifax's latest report contrasts with the findings from Nationwide Building Society's latest house price index, released on Monday this week. Nationwide said that property values had increased by 0.5% month-on-month in May, following a 0.6% fall in April. Amanda Bryden, head of mortgages at Halifax, said: 'Over the past 12 months, prices have grown by 2.5%, adding just over £7,000 to the value of a typical home, which now stands at £296,648. 'These small monthly movements point to a housing market that has remained largely stable, with average prices down by just 0.2% since the start of the year.' Ms Bryden added that the affordability of homes remains a challenge, as house prices are still high compared to incomes. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Despite ongoing pressure on household finances and a still uncertain economic backdrop, the housing market has shown resilience – a story we expect to continue in the months ahead,' she said. Iain McKenzie, chief executive of the Guild of Property Professionals, said: 'The key fundamentals supporting home buyers remain strong – low unemployment, rising real earnings, and the continued anticipation of easing borrowing costs in the medium-term.' The head of sales at estate agent Chestersons, Matt Thompson, pointed out that some home buyers paused their search in April, but quickly resumed in May. More Trending 'Buyer motivation was then boosted further by the Bank of England's decision to cut interest rates to 4.25%. We expect a busier-than-usual summer market,' he said. Halifax pointed out that house price growth across Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland has been outpacing regions in England. In London, house prices have increased by just 1.2% year-on-year, the report said. View More » But Halifax said that London remains the most expensive part of the UK housing market, with the average home priced at £542,017. East Midlands, £244,754, 2.8% Eastern England, £334,720, 1.6% London, £542,017, 1.2% North East, £175,174, 2.0% North West, £240,823, 3.7% Northern Ireland, £209,388, 8.6% Scotland, £214,864, 4.8% South East, £391,253, 1.8% South West, £304,519, 1.1% Wales, £230,405, 4.8% West Midlands, £260,118, 3.0% Yorkshire and the Humber, £213,983, 3.7% Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: New solar panels 'could cut people's bills by £530 per year' MORE: Cost of comfortable retirement revealed — here's how much you need yearly MORE: Octopus Energy gives away free energy for three hours today – here's how to claim Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
