A humanoid robot is going to serve as a ‘renovation apprentice’ in an ambitious residential renovation project in Australia. The project called ‘The Farmhouse’ claims to be the world-first social experiment to study how an advanced artificial intelligence-enabled droid will perform on the job.

The renovation project itself is based in a critically sensitive environmental zone and carries a BAL 29 bushfire rating. It means the 8.3 acres of property in Mulgao, just minutes outside Western Sydney’s new international airport, comes under high risk levels and the materials and design used in the project should be able to withstand extreme ember attack and radiant heat.

Moreover, a press release adds that the area is currently occupied by reptilians, meaning an even higher level of risk.

Humanoid robot to serve as renovation apprentice

The renovation project involving the humanoid robot ‘Tinnie’ is being launched by Cherie Barber – also known as Australia’s Renovation Queen.

The name ‘Tinnie’ is a reference to the Tin Man from the The Wizard of Oz, and also to the Australian slang which translates to ‘a canned alcoholic beverage’, which is a well-earned end-of-day reward for hard work.

In the renovation project, Tinnie will serve as the digital apprentice for Barber, but he isn’t going to handle tools and physical work. “Tinnie’s not here to replace humans, skilled tradies or pick up a drill. He’ll welcome crews to site by doing site inductions, recite building codes, check product specs and offer guidance on products and design decisions, all while learning how a real build operates,” Barber said in a press release.

Barber further added that the project aims to ascertain if humanoid robots in general can be part of a permanent renovation team, add value to the project, and operate safely in sites which are hectic by nature.

Unitree’s droid to take the center stage

The humanoid robot’s integration was being planned by Barber, her partner Matt Hume, and China’s Unitree Robotics for six months.

Earlier this year, Barber and Hume travelled to China to meet the team behind Tinnie and watch it in action. They also started prepping him for him for “life on an Australian residential renovation site.”

The opportunities for Tinnie are endless, Barber says apart from his usual duties he could also be asked to work as a motivational coach and even serve cold ‘tinnie’ to the crew. However, his primary role would be learning the mechanics of renovating and getting introduced to everyday human experiences.

“He’s not just learning construction, Tinnie will be learning what it means to be human, how we think, feel and interact. From early morning coffees, learning tradie banter, outings to the footy and everything in between, we’re excited that Tinnie will experience much of what we humans do,” she added.

Alongside the structural transformation, ‘The Farmhouse’ will attempt a paddock-to-plate lifestyle, developing a greenhouse to grow organic vegetables, fruit orchards, a luxury chicken coop, bee hives and a focus on sustainable, self-sufficient living.

The project featuring the humanoid robot will be showcased in a nationally broadcast television series and also with fortnightly progress episodes on Cherie’s YouTube channel. It will also be backed by weekly behind-the-scenes and social content on YouTube and Instagram.