Newsgroups: comp.robotics
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From: jfox@netcom.com (Jeff Fox)
Subject: Re: consumer robotics
Message-ID: <jfoxD0py3t.F2r@netcom.com>
Sender: jfox@netcom.com (Jeff Fox)
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
References: <3c5ghl$50k@handler.Eng.Sun.COM> 
     <3cf3mn$oor@ixnews1.ix.netcom.com> <3cg7e1$a5q@handler.Eng.Sun.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 1994 22:21:29 GMT
Lines: 61

In article <3cg7e1$a5q@handler.Eng.Sun.COM> cmcmanis@Sun.COM 
           (Chuck McManis) writes:
>Good, now we're getting somewhere. You're interested in the time when
>task 'agile' robots will be available for domestic use. That is a much
>more crisp question than the first one.
>
> \ snip \
>
>Ok so lets say we develop a robot that can clean the bathroom. In
>my mind this would be a great boon to bachelor society however,
>nearly every bachelor I met in college had the same low cost
>solution "Close the door when guests are over." Now how much
>are they going to pay for a robot that does that? Not much.
>

No, but I think this is an important point.  Honestly, not everyone
thinks clean means the same thing.  A task 'agile' cleaning robot
for  bachelors might be doable. :-)
Mop toilets and floors, dust and vacume, maybe even pick up clothes
and put them in a hamper?  Or maybe better yet if vacuming doesn't
remove it, drag it off to the closet where the robot "lives".
It could have some voice override controls and learn the best
times to clean.  It could take its time and not use too much power,
but not be too expensive or smart.

>Ok that issue clarified lets get back to the original, now
>rephrased question.
>
>	"When would you predict that task agile robots will
>	 be commonplace in the home?"
>
>The answer has to be in the set of tasks that your robot must
>be able to complete. In my house we group them into four major
>task areas, maintenence (home repair, yardwork, painting,  etc), 
>shopping (replenishing supplies), cleaning (separate from 
>maintence primarily due to the indoors aspect), and cooking.
>
>In each task area there are certain capabilities that have to
>be present:
><snip>
>	o Cleaning -
>		- Handling caustic chemicals. I'm continually
>		  amazed at the number of everyday materials
>		  household cleaner will ruin.
>		- Navigation internally to the house. A much
>		  more difficult problem.
>		- Pattern and image recognition of 'soiled'
>		  areas. Scheduled cleaning, etc.
>		- Being dextrous enough to dust the top of my
>		  grandfather clock.

Not a bachelor's cleaning robot!  Water for floors or porcelin
once and a while and vacume dust (and/or drag) the rest.

Anyway you left out that the robot might as well watch TV to decide
which caustic chemicals to buy at which store before it gets
around to the actual cleaning. :-) And it might as well fix the
grandfather clock if it is broken.

Jeff Fox
Ultra Technology
