About this podcast

In this engaging episode of The Vergecast, host Jennifer Pattison Tuohy delves into the evolving world of home robotics and smart home technology. The episode kicks off with an interview with Colin Angle, co-founder and former CEO of iRobot, discussing the dream of an all-in-one 'Rosie the Robot' and whether it's truly what we desire or if a different approach to home robotics is more practical. They explore the impact of generative AI on robotics and the current state and future potential of home robots.

Later, Jennifer takes a historical deep dive into smart home protocols, joined by Grant Erickson, Principal of Nuovations and a former Apple, Nest, and Google engineer. Grant shares the fascinating story behind the development of Thread by the Nest team in 2011, explaining its journey from a vision to becoming the foundation of the Matter smart home standard. The discussion highlights the unprecedented industry collaboration driving Matter to simplify the smart home experience. The episode concludes with Grant answering a Vergecast hotline question about data privacy within the Matter smart home ecosystem.