We already welcome robots into our homes to play the role of vacuums, window cleaners and lawn mowers\u2014is it only a matter of time before robots pick up a few beauty salon duties? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to some tech innovators in the industry, the answer is yes. Nate Harding, a Berkeley-educated roboticist, entrepreneur and co-founder\/Chief Technology Officer of LUUM Lash<\/a>, was looking for his next business idea as well as a robotic technology that would \u201csolve a real pain point\u201d for people. After hearing about the popularity of eyelash extensions, he did some research. \u201cI learned about the repetitive and micro-precise nature of the application and thought, \u2018this would be a perfect job for a robot,\u2019\u201d Harding says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n LUUM\u2019s lash robot, which currently services a limited number of weekly appointments out of the company\u2019s studio in Oakland, uses a combination of next-generation robotics, artificial intelligence and computer vision. Instead of metal tweezers commonly used by lash artists to apply each single extension, the robot performs the action with featherlight plastic wands that are attached to the body by low-force magnets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The robot runs autonomously, meaning it doesn\u2019t require a human guiding it in real time (there is, however, a human attendant present during the service). \u201cWe are not intending to replace lash artists, but rather allow them to focus on the more service-oriented and aesthetic parts of their job,\u201d Harding says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The biggest pro of this technology, according to Harding, is speed. \u201cRight now, we\u2019re performing at about 20% faster than human speed. Within the next six months, the robot will be able to apply lashes at double the speed of a human and then will advance to quadruple the speed,\u201d he says. At four times human speed, that means a full set of eyelash extensions can be applied in 30 minutes instead of two hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hair salons may also be the next breeding ground for robotic innovation. In 2010, Panasonic unveiled<\/a> a robot that washed, shampooed, conditioned and dried hair, but has since paused development. <\/p>\n\n\n\nA full set of lash extensions in 30 minutes? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Plus, robots could be coming to a hair salon near you. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n