Amazon is working on a live-in robot named Vesta, says report

Shelby Fleig | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Amazon is reportedly making a home robot Amazon is making a home robot, according to Bloomberg. Elizabeth Keatinge has more.

Robots are already starting to invade our houses, vacuuming and setting alarms. Could you be talking to one soon?

Amazon is reported to be ramping up efforts to build and test a domestic robot named “Vesta,” named after the Roman goddess of domestic life. The supposedly top-secret, years-long project was detailed by Bloomberg Monday.

. Several robotics-specific job openings at Lab126, the Sunnyvale, Calif. division responsible for the Fire TV and tablet, Echo speakers and Kindles, have fueled speculation that the project is gaining steam.

Vesta’s exact functions aren’t yet known, but prototypes include “advanced cameras and computer vision software and can navigate through homes like a self-driving car,” according to Bloomberg. It’s been speculated the robot could serve customers in rooms where they don’t have smart speakers. Amazon is also planning to release Internet-connected, voice-activated TVs this year in a deal with Best Buy.

Robots navigating your home aren't as far off as it may seem. The roaming vacuum Roomba, released for commercial use in 2002 by iRobot, is the most widely known. Recent versions of Roomba can connect to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant technology. Other kinds of domestic robots include home security systems, lawn mowers, alarm clocks and even robotic dogs that recognize faces and develop personalities.

The consumer robot market is growing, according to a 2017 Research and Markets report. The industry is projected to be worth nearly $15 billion by the year 2023, thanks to simultaneous declining prices and growing demand for robots that can assist with daily chores, the report says.

People familiar with Vesta told Bloomberg that Amazon plans to test the robots in employees’ homes as soon as this year. Assuming work on the robot isn’t abandoned, consumers could have a chance to buy a Vesta home robot next year.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.