Wouldn’t it be nice to have a robot do your chores? Imagine not having to vacuum or clean your room! Today, many scientists and researchers are working on robots that are becoming more and more human-like, can understand and respond to human voice, and do many tasks normally done by humans. In a city of the future, there may very well be robots that can make our lives much easier by doing chores that we may not like doing.
Today, scientists and researchers are making leaps and bounds in the development of these “smart” robots. One of the first “smart” robots ever built was one named ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative MObility, a robot built by Honda (like the car company!) A robot who looks very much like a human, and was built to help people, especially those who are wheelchair-bound or disabled. ASIMO can recognize faces and remember and say people’s names. ASIMO can also jog, carry different objects, and climb up and down stairs. ASIMO’s could help you cook and clean or even hold a conversation with you!
A different type of robot, which you may not consider as a “smart” robot, is a popular vacuum cleaner called the “Roomba”. A Roomba is a small, circular vacuum cleaner that, once put on the floor, will vacuum an entire floor twice, to ensure thoroughness. Its sensors sense walls, so a Roomba won’t bump into walls, and can avoid objects in its path. Although a Roomba isn’t quite a robotic human, it is one of the first robots of its kind to be able to accomplish a human task by itself!
ASIMO is an example of a type of robot called the “humanoid robot”, a robot designed to safely interact with humans and its environment, avoid harmful situations, and learn by itself. Some other robots that are similar to ASIMO are the TOPIO robot, that can play ping-pong, Nao, a robot built for companionship, and Enon, which was built to be a personal assistant in the office. Perhaps, someday, we will have robotic companions to play ping-pong, and to help us around the house!
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