Robot Vacuums 'could Water Plants Or Play With Cat'

Scientists person reprogrammed a robot vacuum cleaner to thief complaint a telephone and assistance successful a location workout because they deliberation nan machines are presently excessively "idle".

Researchers from nan University of Bath opportunity nan progressively celebrated home appliances are, connected average, successful usage for little than 2 hours per day, but could beryllium moving considerably harder - pinch immoderate modifications.

To beryllium their point, they retrained a Roomba instrumentality to transportation retired a scope of different chores, and outlined galore much imaginable tasks it could do specified arsenic playing pinch a feline and watering nan plants.

Such robots "are perceived arsenic limited, single-task devices but location is simply a beardown statement that they are under-used for applicable tasks", said Yoshiaki Shiokawa, nan writer of nan study.

The world family robots marketplace size was weighted astatine $10.3bn (£7.7bn) successful 2023 and is anticipated to deed $24.5bn by 2028, meaning specified devices are an progressively communal show successful people's homes.

Anyone who has watched a robot vacuum cleaner successful action whitethorn reason these ideas are a small far-fetched, fixed that existent machines sometimes struggle pinch nan challenges presented by rugs and shoelaces while carrying retired their halfway function.

However, scientists from nan University of Bath and nan University of Calgary successful Canada, person group retired to beryllium that cleaners - and akin devices, specified arsenic lawnmowers - could beryllium reprogrammed and modified comparatively easily.

Their study identified 100 functions nan robots could perchance execute pinch elemental adjustments.

The scientists past reprogrammed a Roomba robot vacuum cleaner to execute 4 of them:

• A mobile telephone charger attached to nan vacuum that is programmed to travel nan user
• A robot pinch a projector attached that displayed a workout video connected a wall aliases ceiling
• A 'home monitor' pinch unrecorded video truthful a personification could cheque connected nan oven
• A surface showing 'do not disturb' connected a robot that was programmed to spell to a circumstantial location, to thief minimise imaginable disturbances

Other projected tasks suggested by nan scientists see a reprogrammed robot that carried nan groceries from nan car to nan kitchen.

Mr Shiokawa, a PhD student successful nan section of machine subject astatine Bath, said nan task proved that "after making minimal adjustments, a Roomba tin service aggregate roles astir nan home".

"For astir of nan day, they beryllium idle", he lamented.

He added that taking connected immoderate caller tasks progressive immoderate upgrades nan mean vacuum proprietor astir apt would not person lying astir their homes, specified arsenic a cart, a helmet and a robotic arm.

Nonetheless, he said group should beryllium expecting much of their robots.

"We should beryllium extending their inferior beyond their superior tasks by programming them to physically navigate nan location to execute a scope of further functions," he said.

The study's co-author Dr Adwait Sharma agreed, saying nan device's "idle time" presented "unique opportunities" to meet nan "growing request for adaptable robots and integrated systems that tin seamlessly fresh into our regular lives".