# How long until personal robots are commonplace in the home? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 13, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349 "2018-04-13T13:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/21 "2018-04-13T20:52:44Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Regarding grocery shopping and cooking, we’re going to see human-facilitated services (like takeout) slowing down the pressure to have robots doing the same thing. And another thing! (Sorry. I’m Ranting Technologist in this thread.) People occasionally whine about how robots are going to take all of our jobs and leave everyone shivering in the cold. Well, look at history: Back in 1600, what job did most people have? Farming. Practically everyone farmed, and of those who didn’t, a substantial number hunted-and-gathered in regions the Europeans and/or Chinese hadn’t colonized yet. These days, practically nobody farms. The number of farm jobs collapsed in the 20th Century. Therefore everyone has been unemployed for a hundred years and nobody has a job, right? _Nope._ We invented jobs. Not deliberately, but jobs kinda fell out of things we did invent deliberately, like trains and cars and aircraft and computers. The majority of the jobs we have now would have been unimaginable to people living in 1900, let alone 1600. Jobs live and die, but new ones do keep getting made; trying to predict precisely which ones will be made is a fool’s game, but saying it’s going to stop is even more foolish. So that’s another strike against do-everything robots: Humans are going to take the jobs those robots would do, unless you’re Japan and so rich you can afford robots and so xenophobic you can’t abide Vietnamese and Cambodians coming over and polluting your homeland with their dirty foreign presence. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/22 "2018-04-13T21:19:01Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > These are some of the most difficult tasks for a robot. Which is why textile manufacturing (mostly sewing) is still done in third-world sweat shops rather than fully automated factories. And handling your dirty laundry is even more difficult than handling brand new rolls of fabric. > > Even when we come up with robots that can iron and fold clothes reliably, it probably won’t be a general-purpose “personal robot” that walks over to the hamper, takes it to the washing machine, etc. I think it’ll be a fully automated laundry machine - you throw your clothes into the chute, and an hour later, clean, ironed, folded clothes come out. And instead of a robot that can get stuff from your fridge, you may have a [robotic mini-fridge](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4844484/Panasonic-reveals-robotic-fridge-moves-autonomously.html) that comes to you when called. Seems it would be better to have a fridge that can select certain items and pass them out through self-opening doors in the front, and pass them to basically a self-driving table on wheels. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/23 "2018-04-13T21:48:07Z")
You’re both wrong–when we have our home androids, food will be available in pill form. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/24 "2018-04-13T22:49:38Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > I’m talking a robot in my home that can do my ironing, fold my clothes, get me a drink from the fridge, etc. > > I look at the current state of technologies like robot mobility & dexterity, object recognition, machine learning, voice recognition etc… and it seems to me like personal robots must be very, very close. > > How soon until I can buy one? Which requisite technologies, as of 2018, aren’t sufficiently matured to allow it? People actually iron still? Some bits to throw into the discussion - Ignoring the privacy concerns, very little of the computing power needs to be in the robot itself. The processing can be mostly done in the cloud. One can and should assume a built environment that facilitates the robot being able to perform the specific tasks. The location of glassware is a given, the fridge opens in response to a signal, beverages are in standard sorts of containers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/25 "2018-04-13T22:50:33Z")
What happens, I hope they name it ‘[Flexible Frank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Door_into_Summer)’. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/26 "2018-04-14T00:47:53Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say we might see Roombas hit the market within the next five years. Ones that avoid pet poop? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmLRxQX0eV8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmLRxQX0eV8) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/27 "2018-04-14T02:27:20Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > You’re both wrong–when we have our home androids, food will be available in pill form. But will there be a gluten free variety? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/28 "2018-04-14T02:34:38Z")
[quote=“Wesley\_Clark, post:15, topic:812349”] A cooking robot prototype exists, but it is still expensive. However I’m guessing it’ll be under a few grand in a decade or so. [/QUOTE] There is already a fully automated [burger restaurant](http://www.businessinsider.com/momentum-machines-is-hiring-2016-6) in San Francisco, as well as a mostly automated place which serves quinoa called **Eatsa**. I read something saying that the fully automated it, but what is on-line isn’t clear. However it seems to have been closing places left and right. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/29 "2018-04-14T11:56:01Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Some of this stuff isn’t so much being automated as streamlined. Grocery shopping can be done online, then you pick it up. Or you have it delivered. For some, but far from all, values of ‘you,’ unfortunately. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/30 "2018-04-14T12:52:12Z")
Homes would require major changes before robots could be used. We already see that with Roomba. You have to have the floor cleared of clutter and you could vacumn it yourself in just minutes. Instead of Roomba taking forever. Asking a robot for a beer means that beer must be kept in the exact place the robot expects to find it. Even a few inches off, would mean the robot returns empty handed. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/31 "2018-04-14T13:13:59Z")
Rather than a robot that irons clothes, would you settle for clothes that don’t need ironing? And you can already get your food prepared by robots, the frozen food aisle of your supermarket is full of it. Everything you want can be done, it just won’t be done by your anthropomorphic robot buddy. You won’t even perceive that it was done by “robots”. It will be done by constantly removing the need for human labor from the countless goods and services you consume. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/32 "2018-04-14T13:27:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Asking a robot for a beer means that beer must be kept in the exact place the robot expects to find it. Even a few inches off, would mean the robot returns empty handed. Nah, I work around robotic machinery all day. There are some that have to “find” the object before they can grab it. I don’t think we’ll ever have a single robot that does all the household chores. I think each task itself will become more and more automated. ---
**Author:** ![Bibliothecarius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@Bibliothecarius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bibliothecarius)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/33 "2018-04-24T12:11:38Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > There is already a fully automated [burger restaurant](http://www.businessinsider.com/momentum-machines-is-hiring-2016-6) in San Francisco, as well as a mostly automated place which serves quinoa called **Eatsa**. I read something saying that the fully automated it, but what is on-line isn’t clear. However it seems to have been closing places left and right. Automated restaurants are [not to be trusted…](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rm9sbG93ZXJz) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/34 "2018-04-24T13:56:48Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Also it’s worth asking, are we talking about having one general-purpose robot, or a bunch of separate specialized robots (like washing machines that fold). The washing machine itself _is_ a robot\*, and getting more sophisticated every year. But the programming that gets added is incremental and doesn’t involve extra moving parts. Being able to separate clothing by type and color or to fold it requires new sensors and new moving parts. - In fact it’s the robot which replaced my great-grandmother’s job, although by the time she was driven off the market she was ready to retire. She also thought washing machines were the bee’s knees. Her business went from washing by hand, to buying a manual washing machine (rollers she had to move with a turnwheel), to buying an automatic washing machine, to retirement. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/35 "2018-04-24T14:14:32Z")
Why would you need one? There are plenty of machines available to do housework already. Do you really need a device to turn on your dishwasher and Roomba? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/36 "2018-04-24T14:14:34Z")
Well think how many people have a Roomba vaccuum? Do you like them? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/37 "2018-04-24T14:36:00Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Well think how many people have a Roomba vaccuum? Do you like them? The point is, you will never ever have an anthropomorphic robot that will walk to the closet, get out the vacuum cleaner, plug it in, and go around the house vacuuming. Then the robot walks to the kitchen, fills the sink with soapy water, grabs a scrub brush, aND washes the dishes by hand. Also the robot will not grab a bucket, head out to the well, and bring back water. Nor will the robot tend the horses or shine your shoes or polish the silver, or any of the other thousands of tasks that servants used to perform every day for their employers. All these tasks will be done, but they won’t be done by general purpose anthropomorphic robot maids. Your vacuum cleaner will run itself. You will pile the dishes in the dishwasher. You will use a washing machine for your clothes. A pipe will bring water to your home. You will drive a car instead of a horse drawn buggy. You will have stainless steel utensils that don’t need to be polished. Instead of candles, electric lights. Shoes won’t need to be shined. People will stop wearing hats. Clothes won’t need ironing. Inexpensive pre-made meals will be available at marketplaces and public houses. And all these labor saving modern conveniences are available today, with not a single anthropomorphic robot in sight. We don’t live in the Victorian age, only with robots taking the place of the working class. And we won’t live in the Reagan era, only with robots to program our VCRs for us. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/38 "2018-04-24T16:07:08Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > You’re both wrong–when we have our home androids, food will be available in pill form. I actually had an idea of how this could work. We develop gut bacteria that our bodies can use for food. The pill is actually there to feed the bacteria. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/39 "2018-04-24T16:12:52Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Homes would require major changes before robots could be used. > > We already see that with Roomba. You have to have the floor cleared of clutter and you could vacumn it yourself in just minutes. Instead of Roomba taking forever. > > Asking a robot for a beer means that beer must be kept in the exact place the robot expects to find it. Even a few inches off, would mean the robot returns empty handed. Not necessarily, in my view the difference between a robot and automation is that a robot has sensors which allow it to percieve its world in some way. This allows them to alter their actions to match reality. They don’t necessarily need to be human senses like for example the beer you order could have an rfid tag or even a qr code that the robot could read and take action on. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349/40 "2018-04-24T16:25:30Z")
Even if we do perfect a “home robot” at some point, they will be absurdly expensive for a very long time. That alone would mitigate against them being “commonplace”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-personal-robots-are-commonplace-in-the-home/812349.md?page=3)