2026-05-22 16:04:00
A humanoid robot equipped with AI has landed a starring role on an Australian property renovation show.
TV personality Cherie Barber – who is dubbed Australia’s Renovation Queen- has brought in the high-functioning machine named Tinnie to act as her “renovation apprentice” in her new small screen project The Farmhouse in which she will be transforming a property set on 8.3 acres in Mulgoa, close to Western Sydney International Airport.
Cherie said: “Tinnie is the world’s first digitally advanced AI humanoid robot to set foot on a residential renovation site and that’s what makes it exciting.”
The four-foot humanoid robot – named after the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz and the Australian nickname for a can of beer – will not be picking up any tools or carrying out any manual tasks which could replace workers on the site.
The robot will instead be tasked with reciting building regulations and helping with design plans.
Cherie explained: “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.
“Residential renovation sites can be hectic by nature so this social experiment is to gauge if Tinnie can be part of the team, genuinely add value and operate safely in that kind of environment …
“Tinnie may even take on an unexpected role. When things get stressful on site, he might double as the team’s motivational coach and if he can hand out a cold ‘tinnie’ at the end of the day, he’ll be everyone’s favourite.”
She added: “Seeing Tinnie up close was surreal and incredible, all at the same time. Getting him ready for a real renovation project has been an interesting process. He isn’t a gimmick, the technology is impressive and I was blown away by how advanced it is.”
She went on to say of Tinnie’s role in the project: “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.
“That’s where it’s going to get really interesting with the property and renovation itself adding another dimension.”
The robotic addition came about as part of Cheri’s collaboration with her partner Matt Hume and robotics company, Unitree Robotics, while The Farmhouse project aims to transform the property and showcase a “paddock-to-plate lifestyle” by adding a greenhouse to grow organic vegetables, fruit orchards, a luxury chicken coop, bee hives and a focus on sustainable, self-sufficient living.
Cherie added in a statement: “Robots have been used in the commercial and industrial sectors since the early 1960s. Today, robotics commonly assist humans across many areas including in robotic surgery, assisted care, in research laboratories, precision farming and harvesting, and in environments that are hazardous to humans.
“Robotic vacuums, mops, pool cleaners and even lawnmowers are already making life easier for humans in the home so within the next three-to-five years we’re likely to see robots integrated into our daily lives performing more everyday tasks, just like the 1960’s cartoon series, The Jetsons.
“The future is definitely here with projects like The Farmhouse helping people understand the future of robotics for what it is – a practical tool that works alongside us, not instead of us.
“People have a genuine fear of robots, and The Farmhouse series aims to show how they can make our lives easier, not be something that’s feared.”
The Farmhouse is expected to air in 2027 and fans will be able to follow progress on Cherie’s YouTube channel – youtube.com/cheriebarberofficial – as well as her Instagram account.
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