Day Of The Robots Is Here?
‘The times they are a-changing’ sang Dylan, and in the case of robots in the home, yes they are, but will they ever replace a human housekeeper?
So, what can robots do in the home and do they do it as well as a traditional human housekeeper?
Well the list is growing, but is still a long way off R2D2 in Star Wars.
In today’s terms, they are extremely effective in keeping your lawn trimmed, although there has to be some set-up work to de-mark the boundaries of their operation and stop them chewing up the flower beds!
In swimming pools, robotic cleaners work extremely well at keeping the water clear and working with filtration systems by cleaning off the floor and walls on the pool. Yes, they do literally climb the walls.
In the home, they can keep your pets’ living quarters clean by self-cleaning the litter tray.
But what can robots do in keeping your home clean?
Essentially they are mainly vacuum cleaners, although many of them offer hi-tech pluses. For instance, some robotic vacuum cleaners attain a high level of cleanliness being equipped with UV light for sterilisation of allergens, bacteria and harmful pathogens.
They can, of course, keep floors clean while you are away and allow you to return to find them refreshed.
With an eye on the future, Sonny and Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S. are working to develop a self-learning household robot. They are looking at a robot which can carry, pick up items and prepare some food.
Similar research is being undertaken in countries around the world, but that’s all in the future.
For now, robots in the home can supplement traditional cleaning of floors, but that’s about it. They cannot of course look up, dust off cobwebs, put furniture back in the correct place, look after the children, or cook a meal.
The day of the robot may arrive, but they will never replace the human touch, and nothing beats someone who can have a good look round and do what is necessary. When you are looking for a housekeeper come to us, we have the best human housekeepers around.