Nigerian-American founder unveils hair-braiding robot in new demo

Nigerian-American entrepreneur Yinka Ogunbiyi unveiled HaloBraid, a robotic device designed to assist hairstylists in completing braids up to five times faster, in a new demonstration. The first look at the device was shared on HaloBraid's Instagram account on Wednesday. The company stated that HaloBraid is the first of its kind and aims to expedite the braiding process while preserving the desired pattern.

According to the company, the device, which does not replace the hairstylist, starts each braid manually and then finishes the repetitive weaving process. It can complete individual braids up to five times faster than manual braiding, but the time saved during a full appointment varies based on the hairstyle and the stylist's workflow.

Ogunbiyi developed HaloBraid to alleviate the time and physical strain associated with hair braiding, which she experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The startup secured $7 million in seed funding in July, following a partnership with co-founder David Afolabi. The device is scheduled for a phased rollout involving selected stylists and salons.