Matic, founded by ex-Google employees, releases update for its robot vacuums — voice and gesture control without a smartphone

Matic, a company founded by former Google Nest employees Mehul Nariyawala and Navneet Dalal, has rolled out a software update called Matic Cues for its robot vacuums, enabling control via voice commands or gestures without a smartphone. The feature is activated by saying 'Hey Matic,' after which the robot turns to face the user and can follow commands like pointing to a spot and saying 'clean here.' For small areas, users can crouch and point, while broader areas require a general command. The system supports 75 languages and uses Google's Gemini API for natural language understanding and a machine vision system for gesture recognition. According to The Verge, which tested the feature, it will be available on existing and new devices. The company claims to have sold over 13,000 units.