A wheeled robot may beat humanoids into your home

A new wheeled robot could help people at home before many humanoid robots are ready for everyday use. That is the big idea behind Hello Robot's Stretch 4. While many companies are developing human-shaped robots that walk, balance and try to act like us, Stretch 4 takes a different route. It rolls.

That may sound less exciting at first. However, inside a real home, wheels may make more sense than legs. Homes have rugs, cords, pets, narrow hallways, tight corners and furniture that always seems to get in the way.