Robots set to get homely by 2007
Child and the Irobi robot ponder each other
Robots are set to become increasingly familiar companions in homes by 2007, says a United Nations survey.
Seven times more robots will helping us out with the cleaning, security and entertainment in three years' time, as their price falls and they get smarter.
It is not quite the humanoid vision of blockbuster film I, Robot as many of them will be vacuum bots.
Two-thirds of the 607,000 domestic robots in use were bought in 2003, says the UN's annual World Robotics report.
By the end of 2007, 4.1 million robots will be doing jobs in homes, says the report by the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the International Federation of Robotics.
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As well as the vacuuming, they will take over tasks like mowing the lawn, cleaning pools, and washing windows.
Robots like Irobi, unveiled this week by Korean company Yujin Robotics, will be able to multiple tasks.
It is a net-based, all-in-one family robot complete with educational functions, home security, diary, entertainment, and message delivery capability.
--I think it is crazy how years ago robots in the home seemed like something that would happen many years from now but now it is becoming a reality. It is crazy how many robots and computers people have come to rely on in daily lives. It just is so odd to me what the world is coming to with robo dogs and robots that clean our house