The development of robotic technology and artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing at a rapid pace. Where once, robots were experimental lab-based creations that were a little shaky on their feet. They are now ready to come into our home to ‘help’ us with our lives.

Don’t think that you will never need a robot in your home or life? Think back to a time (not that long ago) when you used a camera to take photos, a personal CD player for music and wrote to or rang people to stay in touch. Do you still carry all three devices, or are you one the estimated 5 billion smartphone users worldwide? The point is that technology is already very much part of our daily lives so the leap to robots becoming indispensable family members is not so huge a leap.

Robots In The Home

Let’s start with robots in the home. You might already have a handy robot hoover to help you keep the house free from dust and debris but there are even more helpful robots that can do so much more.

These range from information giving kitchen robots like Mykie to the super impressive robotic limbs known as Moley.  Mykie is the smaller of the two, an information giver which can look up recipes and project videos to assist you in the kitchen. Moley goes not just one step but a few steps further. Moley is a robotic kitchen that will cook you a delicious meal and then - and this may be the best bit - Moley will clean up after itself.

Ever felt like you could do with an extra pair of hands? You may have your wish come true sooner than you expect. “Robots are now able to help you with mundane chores like folding clothes, cleaning windows, mopping and fetching items from around the home. There are even personal assistant robots or ‘Smart assistants’ that may just become the side-kick you have always dreamed of” explains John Alvarez, a blogger at Britstudent and 1day2write.

Health Robots

Perhaps one of the biggest impacts that robots will have on our lives is our health. There are already a number of health service robots on the market. These include humanoids, robots that have physical human features, like Romeo. Romeo could revolutionize the lives of our elderly family members. Designed to assist those who have lost their autonomy, Romeo helps in a way that restores independence to a degree. Romeo is practical and will help to open doors, remind you to take your medications and write grocery lists. Romeo can also make conversation and suggest games that you can play together. Could Romeo be the missing link in our aging societies where loneliness has become an epidemic?

A smaller, but also impressive, option for health is Pillo the pint-sized healthcare assistant. A brilliant addition to a healthy lifestyle, Pillo not only monitors but also dispenses medication. Pillo can also help you keep track of your food intake, making healthy eating that bit easier in a busy life.

Encouraging more movement for improved health whilst also being incredibly useful are Pepper and Gita Bot.  The latter looks like a large plastic drum with a tyre on either side. Look closer and you will see that Gita can, in fact, open up to carry 40lbs of shopping or schoolbooks or luggage for example. What is special about Gita is that the robot is designed to follow you as you walk. Making it easier to build a little exercise into your day without the strain of carrying heavy loads yourself.

Pepper is a little more sophisticated. Ever been to the gym and not really known what to do or decided to slack off earlier and hit the jacuzzi?  Pepper is the personal trainer robot of your dreams. Pepper has been proven to improve the results of people taking the Couch to 5km challenge. By monitoring your heart rate and offering words of support and encouragement, Pepper will get you up and running - literally!

Delivery Robots

Outside of the home, robots are being tested in more areas of busy towns and cities. “Amazon has been open for a while about plans to use drones as part of its delivery service. Look up in certain areas of the UK and US and you might just spot them testing delivery drones near you” says Martha Cross, a tech writer at Writemyx and Nextcousework. 

Closer to the ground, on sidewalks in Berkley, California, you might spot small four-wheeled delivery bots called Kiwibots zipping around the town delivering piping hot burritos to hungry students. These aren’t the only robots on campus either. In August 2019, Starship Technologies deployed thousands of their four-wheeled delivery robots to campuses around the US. 

With services robots already offering convenient solutions for busy lives, it is easy to see how they will become common staples of our homes and lives in the very near future.

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Michael Dehoyos is a marketing guru who regularly contributes to Phd Kingdom and Academic brits among others. Michael’s strategic marketing approach is much sought after by companies looking to break through the noise and get their brands known. He also writes for Origin Writings service blog.