When I think of robots living among people, I think of the Jetsons. You know, the cartoon about a family living in a world (or rather in orbit) of robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms and whimsical inventions. The Jetsons even had a robot maid named Rosie.
Well, outside of the magical world of cartoons, robots are doing some pretty incredible things. For a long time now, we have been using robots for military purposes (think deactivating explosives), car production, space and underwater exploration, fixing oil spills and more. Today, robots are also being used in some seemingly futuristic ways in our everyday lives. Here are some examples.
Jibo: the first social robot
Meet robotics expert Dr. Cynthia Breazeal’s invention. Jibo is friendly, intelligent and helpful in all sorts of domestic situations. Expect him to say hello when you enter a room because he can’t wait to communicate with you, ask you a concern or tell you a joke. He comes equipped with a camera and recognizes faces and voices, so you don’t have to worry about capturing special moments because Jibo will do it for you. He sends reminders by having conversations with you and is equipped to teach thanks to the applications with which he is loaded.
OSHbot: Lowe’s customer service robot
At just five feet tall, he may not be the tallest employee at Orchard Supply Hardware, a downtown San Jose store owned by Lowe’s, but it’s hard to miss OSHbot who helps customers find items and helps store managers with inventory tracking. When you tell OSHbot what you’re looking for, a list of that item appears on a screen. You choose the one you want and a map of the store pops up. OSHbot then asks if you want him to show you the way. If you say yes, he rolls his way to the correct display using the same navigational technology found in driverless cars.
Moley: the first robotic chef
Based on the movements of a master chef (Tim Anderson, the winner of BBC Master Chef), Moley is just arms and hands but those arms and hands are programmed to cook entire meals for you using a iTunes-style library. Starting next year, Moley will be sold as part of a robotic kitchen that will come with robotic arms, oven, hob and touchscreen unit. The kitchen can also be operated remotely by smartphone and if no one is home while the robotic is in use, glass screens glide across the unit, enclosing it for safe use.
Yobot: hotel butler
At Yotel, which has locations in places such as New York, Amsterdam and Singapore, you’ll find a robotic staff member who carries your luggage to and from any of the 150 bins where guests store their bags. Known as Yobot, CN Traveler report that the robot also plays Santa during the holidays, stocking certain vaults with gifts, including travel certificates and two-night stays at the New York location.
If you’re into robotics, you should consider Centennial College’s Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technician - Automation and Robotics program. The program focuses on automated systems, which are at the heart of virtually all advanced manufacturing and other industry sectors. Through theory and hands-on training, you’ll learn about programmable logic controllers (PLCs), hydraulics, pneumatics, electronics and robotics.
By Izabela Szydlo