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R&D: Home Robots

Thirty years ago, few people would have anticipated how many homes have personal computers. Back then, computers were expensive and bulky machines. Today, few people would anticipate ever having a person robotic assistant in their home. However, as technology advances and prices drop, we will likely see increased use of homebots to perform a variety of household functions. How our cats and dogs respond to them will be interesting to see. A "Homebot" is a personal robot that is designed to perform burdensome, hazardous, or boring tasks that are currently done by humans in a home setting. Some specialized homebots can already vacuum and clean floors, mow the lawn, clean a pool, transport items through the home, or entertain. Homebots with a wider range of functions are still under development and are not yet priced within the reach of most consumers. Alternative methods of communication between humans and computers may be less expensive or more durable with respect to wear and tear on the computer than the common method. For example, people may be able to interact with computers in public places through hand gestures without the wear and tear of keyboard or mouse devices or the expense and space limitations of touch-screen technology. Also, alternative methods may be healthier with respect to wear and tear on the human than the common method. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitious keyboard and mouse movements is increasing rapidly. Human-to-computer communication through gesture recognition can greatly reduce this health risk. In order for robots to move over uneven surfaces or perform complex motor tasks, robots need more than wheels. They need some type of legs. Further, if they are to have four or fewer legs, then they must be able to continually balance their body over shifting support positions. Gyroscopes can help robots maintain their balance when moving. Also, neural networks can rapidly extrapolate movements to roughly predict the body's center of gravity will be and adjust leg motion accordingly to maintain balance. Efforts to create robots that look and act like humans are providing insights into how the human body and brain function. As scientists strive to create robots that can move over rough terrains and climb obstacles, they gain greater understanding of how the human body performs these functions. This knowledge can help in the restoration of impaired functioning due to injury and disease. It is also spawning new generations of neuroprosthetic devices that translate impulses from the human nervous system to movement of a bionic limb. As scientists work with artificial neural networks, they develop ways to better model and understand human thought. Click on images to learn more about biotech/neurotech T-shirts: Questions and suggestions concerning the site Homebot.info may be sent to: Homebot.info © 2006 by Homebot.info