The State of Household Robots

paulelaguna writes "The dream of owning a household robot is starting to become reality, particularly for people in Japan. There are robots to help you do the dishes, move furniture, and even robotic wheelchairs to help you get around. Really, the only question that remains for us is when do we move?"

Comments

Not new.

[Anonymous Coward]

There are robots to help you do the dishes

We have those here too. They're called 'dishwashers'.

Re:Not new.

[dintech]

"unionized sanitation specialists"

Don't talk about my wife like that.

My first post robot

[AliasMarlowe]

appears to be malfunctioning...

Just like virtual reality and home automation

[Anrego]

I think this is one of those things that sounds a lot cooler and more practical than it is in actual implementation.

I'd rather a dishwasher wash my dishes then some humanoid robot.. for the plain fact that a purpose built machine is going to be a lot better at it.

I think there's lots of room for automated or semi-automated machines which I guess you could call robots.. but a "robotic butler" I don't see happening.

Personally I'm waiting for an automated lawn mower that doesn't suck!

Re:Just like virtual reality and home automation

[takowl]

Personally I'm waiting for an automated lawn mower that doesn't suck!

You're doing it wrong. It's not a lawnmower, it's a vacuum cleaner.

Re:Just like virtual reality and home automation

[roman_mir]

I am waiting for a robot maid to put dishes into a dishwasher, to clean up surfaces, take out garbage and to be able to sort the recyclables out, to put clothes into a washer, move the from washer to dryer, to iron what has to be ironed, to fold the stuff and put it onto the right shelves, to vacuum clean and to wash floors, to shine shoes and to be able to cook, to go to stores, and pick up what's needed, to walk the dog and to satisfy me sexually.

What I am going to get:

a silly looking thing, that'll put the garbage in the dishwasher, recycle the washer, take out the surfaces, move the right shelves into the dryer, then take them out, iron and fold them, vacuum clean the fridge, place the dirty clothes into it, shine the dog, then cook it, and drive the car through a store.

But you know what? As long as it satisfies me sexually I don't really mind that much.

Re:Just like virtual reality and home automation

[somersault]

Then when it's been superseded by newer models, it can run for governor of California

Off switch?

[captainpanic]

I shall write the paranoid post.
Since the robots are not going to take over the world anyway, I assume that they come with an off switch (one of those old-fashioned ones that really mean "off", and not "stand-by")?

I am not sure I would like a machine in my house that can take (semi-)independent decisions without the option to switch it off completely.

Re:Off switch?

[somersault]

I am not sure I would like a machine in my house that can take (semi-)independent decisions without the option to switch it off completely.

Something tells me you're not a big cat person.

I, for one

[JustOK]

I, for one, welcome our new robotic underlords.

the downside

[halber_mensch]

I had a roomba, and I was on top of the world. I had a robotic servant dutifully cleaning my floors so I didn't have to. Then my dog shit on the floor, and the roomba dutifully 'cleaned' the floor, smearing the shit all over the house and crudding up its brushes, gears, and wheels. I don't have a roomba anymore.