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Update: Sorry this comment does not quite fit with parent, I actually wanted to post it as a root comment. My big hope for reducing time spent on current socie
by manmal 9y ago
Update: Sorry this comment does not quite fit with parent, I actually wanted to post it as a root comment.
My big hope for reducing time spent on current society's tasks is robotics. There already are robots for a lot of tedious tasks, in theory - vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, even window and BBQ grill cleaners. Alas, except for maybe vacuums and mowers, those tend not to buy time but just shift your work from the basic activity to maintaining the robot.
But I think a universal, affordable household robot is absolutely within reach, and it would not require general intelligence, but just well implemented capabilities. From sorting dishes to vacuuming, stairclimbing, taking out the trash to a predefined location, sorting in groceries, to maybe cooking with the help of standardized storage and equipment - I don't care if it's all highly specialized tasks, it just has to do enough of them.
- tonyedgecombe 9y agoA lot of those time sinks are self-inflicted, when vacuum cleaners came along we didn't use it as an opportunity to save time but rather to keep our carpets cleaner. The same pattern occurs with lawn mowers, washing machines, BBQ grill cleaners, etc. I know it's a hackneyed quote but our possessions really do own us.
- mattferderer 9y agoI wish I would have read this before buying a Roomba. I thought it would save me so much time because my wife wanted to clean the floors nightly due to having an infant crawling around. Instead of the time saved resulting in relaxation, it ended up "allowing us" to clean other parts instead.