Robots

Sci-fi author Isaac Asimov’s dream of a world filled with robots was recently brought to the screen in the film I, Robot. This is one of many films to have featured robots over the years, and their shapes and forms have continually evolved. From the tight-fitting, shiny armour-like outfits of the 60s B-movies and C3PO’s metal plates in Star Wars to the human-like androids in A-I and The Terminator, robots have made movie history. However, lately robots have been taking on a new form which can be easily purchased, taken home, and incorporated into our daily routines.

Artificial Intelligence is at the heart of these innovations. Computers use artificial intelligence to do things like translate documents into another language; it’s not as sinister as the evil HAL 9000 computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but the principle is the same. Even aeroplanes are controlled by a form of artificial intelligence.

Although robots have been around for quite some time, it is only in recent years that they have gained a foothold in the home, thanks to increased functionality, greater variety and lower cost. Housewives have enthusiastically embraced the new cordless vacuum cleaner robots. Prices range from just over £100 for simple robovacuum cleaners but go as high as £800 for the Electrolux Trilobite. Another popular item is the Robomower, a robot lawn mower that costs between £1,100 and £2,100. The tail-wagging dog robot has been a fixture in many homes since 1999. The most affordable robo-pets cost as little as £10, while the sophisticated Robosapien v2 is about £200. The robotics field has a few surprises for us scheduled to hit stores at the end of 2006, such as the Roboreptile, a fiercer version of the Roboraptor, as well as a new generation of Robosapien, capable of downloading and programming music, videos and images from a computer, via USB connection.

The trend for the future is to combine different robot functions, such as the robots that specialise in service (ie cleaning) with those that offer companionship and entertainment – maybe one day we will all have robotic domestic staff after all.