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Why does the robot move around the house? Mobile robots are non-trivial. Doing a mobile robot for an incremental publicity or novelty gain is a net-loss. Moving
by iandanforth 9y ago
Why does the robot move around the house? Mobile robots are non-trivial. Doing a mobile robot for an incremental publicity or novelty gain is a net-loss. Moving robustly in a cluttered space is an unsolved problem in robotics so to attempt it you need a really really good reason.
I think the project would be a blast to work on and I certainly think research in this area should be supported, but I would love to know what they want to accomplish that couldn't be done by selling 2 or 3x additional static devices for less.
- mkempe 9y agoI want a robot that travels around the house to clean up after my tornado kids. Maybe a little bit at night, very quietly, and definitely during the day, while they're at school. I also would appreciate robots that empty the dishwasher; move the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer, and then put the dry items into closets and chests of drawers; wash windows; clean ovens and fridges; and so on. Basically furthering domestic robots that free us from routine labor, just as the current, limited robots have done for us (I tell my daughters the washing machines are simple robots, and we should expect better in the near future).
- photojosh 9y agoAbsolutely. A clothes folding and sorting robot would be #1 in terms of time saving, as that feels like 80% of the housework I do.
- hbosch 9y agoI agree. I have trouble visualizing what an "Alexa-bot" could do that a multi-room speaker + mic system couldn't do unless this thing has a Roomba attached to it's butt and gopher grabbers for arms, which I highly doubt.