Whereas a few of us dream of a future the place robots maintain the home clear and assist us cook dinner meals for us, and different duties we might not have time for, that’s nonetheless a methods off. Plus, that might go the way in which of Skynet, which might be dangerous information for all of us. For now, we simply have robotic vacuumshowever possibly you don’t have one but and plan to purchase one. However what if these home home equipment might do extra than simply suck?

Researchers on the College of Bathtub have modified a Roomba in order that it could do extra duties than simply vacuuming. A robotic vacuum, by design, is restricted to a single process: cleansing the flooring in your home, which might contain vacuuming and even mopping. Those that dwell in a house with a number of flooring want no less than two, since they (sadly) can’t navigate steps.

Based on the examine from Yoshiaki Shiokawa and their colleagues, a robotic vacuum solely averages lower than two hours of use every day, and the remainder of the time is spent idling. In different phrases, your robotic vacuum is lazy and simply sitting round more often than not.

The examine recognized round 100 totally different features {that a} Roomba, or different robotic vacuum model, might carry out with some vital changes. 4 of them have been carried out throughout the examine (by way of BBC): a cell phone charger hooked up to the Roomba that’s programmed to comply with the consumer, an hooked up projector to show a exercise video on a wall or ceiling, a “dwelling monitor” with dwell video feed, and holding a “don’t disturb” signal with geolocation programming to attenuate interruptions.

One of many different duties that was proposed within the examine was bringing groceries from the automobile to the kitchen. Such duties would wish further gear, like a cart and even robotic arm.

Now this one particularly is a bit far-fetched, as a result of we’ve seen robotic vacuums fail spectacularly with easy issues round the home like rugs, shoelaces or string, or — gulp — the dreaded animal poop if a pet had an accident. I couldn’t think about a Roomba in its present state with the ability to do something like this.

Within the examine, another ideas of duties embrace an attachment for watering vegetation within the dwelling, or including a laser pointer in order that the robotic can maintain a cat entertained. These are a bit extra believable, particularly the cat one, although I consider some cats are already entertained by robotic vacuums. In spite of everything, we’ve seen cat movies the place they simply go for a joyride on them round the home, proper?

Truthfully, the thought and idea itself is intriguing. However I’m having a tough time seeing a robotic that has a tough time with its core operate on the slightest inconvenience be a dependable multitasker, no less than at this cut-off date. We must always anticipate extra from our robots, sure, however possibly not one which sucks and will get caught randomly.