Your Robots

Your Robots
Current technology dictates that robots are reliant on special algorithms and
hidden technologies to help them navigate. For instance, the $199 Roomba
robotic vacuum cleaner from iRobot (www.irobot.com) relies on internal
programming and virtual walls to contain its coverage area. The $499
Friendly Machines Robomow (www.friendlymachines.com) robotic lawnmower
relies on hidden wiring under the ground.
As your home becomes more wireless, devices can start to triangulate their
position based on home-based homing beacons, of sorts, that help them
sense their position at any time. The presence of a wireless home network
will drive new innovation into these devices. Most manufacturers are busy
designing 802.11 into the next versions of their products.
The following list highlights some other product ideas that manufacturers are
working on now. We can’t yet offer price points or tell you when these products
will hit the market, but expect them to come soon.
Robotic garbage taker-outers: Robotic firms are designing units that
will take the trash out for you, on schedule, no matter what the weather.
Simple as that.
Robotic mail collectors: A robotic mail collector will go get the mail for
you. Neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night, nor winds of change, nor
a nation challenged will stay them from the swift completion of their
appointed rounds. New wirelessly outfitted mailboxes will tell you (and
the robots) when the mail has arrived.
Robotic snow blowers: Manufacturers are working to perfect robotic
snow blowers that continually clear your driveway and sidewalks while
snow falls.
Robotic golf ball retrievers: These bots retrieve golf balls. Initially being
designed for driving range use, they are being modified for the home
market.
Robotic guard dogs: Companies such as iRobot (www.irobot.com) sell
CoWorkers, which are robots that can roam areas and send back audio
and video feeds.
Robotic gutter cleaners: A range of spider-like robots are available that
can maneuver on inclines, like a roof, and feature robotic sensors and
arms that can clean areas.
Robotic cooks: Put the ingredients in, select a mode, and wait for your
dinner to be cooked — better than a TV dinner for sure.
Robotic pooper-scoopers: The units that we’ve discovered roam your
yard in search of something to clean up and then deposit the findings in
a place that you determine.
You’re more likely to see humanoid robots at special events demonstrating
stuff than in your kitchen cooking dinner. Products such as Honda’s ASIMO
(Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, world.honda.com/ASIMO/) are
remarkable for the basic things they can do, like shake hands and bow, but
the taskmasters that we mention above are really going to help you with dayto-
day chores.