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Stretch 4 uses laser sensors from Hesai, a Chinese company on the US Defense Department's list of 'Chinese Military Companies', which may limit buying it with some government funds.
A dated step forward on the record · Company-reported
What the source says
“subject to the DoD 1260H Designation, which may restrict purchase through use of certain government funds.”
What it means
Stretch, from Hello Robot, is at stage 4 of 5 on our ladder: paying customers. Its stage is set by other milestones on its record; this one adds to the history. This line rests on the company's own announcement; no regulator, customer or independent report confirms it in our sources yet.
Human help: The maker hasn't said whether people help it remotely.
More on Stretch
- A researcher with mobility disabilities, spending a sabbatical at Hello Robot, used a remote-controlled Stretch in her apartment to open a door, open the fridge and take out a drink.
- Hello Robot began selling Stretch 4, its newest model, for $29,950. It ships in two to four weeks, but only for lab and research use.
- Hello Robot runs a pilot program for people with mobility impairments who want help at home. It says only a small number of people will be invited, and Stretch 4 is not yet sold for personal use.
- On its assistive-technology page, the company features a user named Henry Evans, who praises how nimble Stretch is.
- Hello Robot was founded by Aaron Edsinger and Charlie Kemp, who first worked together as graduate students at MIT. It builds its robots in Martinez, California.