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We just have to look harder for them. "self driving" cars are effectively cars with a robotic driver. They aren't here yet but they are on the horizon. Arguab
by resters 8y ago
We just have to look harder for them.
"self driving" cars are effectively cars with a robotic driver. They aren't here yet but they are on the horizon.
Arguably, the car itself is a robot. "Hey robot, go pick up soandso at the airport" or "hey robot please drop off these packages at the UPS store", etc.
Robotic locks "Alexa, lock the front door".
AR technologies on phones is straight out of sci fi, but in sci fi it would have been glasses or goggles offered by a humanoid robot... but now nearly everyone's phone can do it.
The Roomba is a great example of a robot that required a significant redefinition of the "problem" of vacuuming. A normal vacuum picks up some dirt, a Dyson will pick up significantly more dirt. A Roomba barely picks up any. The secret is that the Roomba goes all over the floor many times and eventually does a job comparable to a standard vacuum, but with no human labor required. The task is also stretched in time, the Roomba takes 5x or 10x longer than a human would take to do the same job, but it's OK because it can do the work when nobody is home to be annoyed by the noise.
Industrial automation is significantly enhanced by robotics, and it does a good enough job that we just buy the resulting products at the store, not knowing or caring how they were made.
Some robots that could be made with existing tech that would save lives would be:
- crossing guard robots that scoot out into the intersection to create a physical barrier before pedestrians begin to cross, then quickly scoot back to allow cars once the light changes.
- yoga robots that stretch and massage the muscles of humans to gently improve mobility and strength.
- sex robots create companionship for those who have difficulty with human companionship.
- tiny pest control robots will detect and help exterminate rodent and insect infestations, preventing disease.
- guardian robots will accompany elderly people, always ready to catch them if they fall and to call for help if needed. Similar units will accompany children while they walk to school or go about their communities unattended by adults.