The humanoid robot in the photo cooks (among other things). But there’s no reason to worry: it won’t replace “mom,” and it won’t fill lunchboxes…
Home robotic machines are one of the upcoming “big tricks” of technology and the market, but not to become the bosses of the kitchen. We can imagine these machines in the size (and look) of an electric vacuum cleaner, but with many more (and different) capabilities. For example, communicating with other household appliances (“smart” refrigerator, “smart” washing machine, etc.) through various sensors, and thus taking care of household chores in various areas, is already something technically feasible.
And if such capabilities don’t appeal to you, here are a few more. First and foremost, house guarding/surveillance, internally; the ability to “detect motion” of unauthorized persons; “automatic” notification of both residents and police (state or private, it doesn’t matter): these are features for which there is already enormous demand; and let the alarms go to the trash bin of history.
Moreover, various sectors of “creative companionship”, such as (verbal) responses to any (verbal) question, the search (and finding) of lost objects, the care of a daily schedule and updates via telephone, even the “monitoring” of residents’ health (again through wearable sensors) when they are at home…
Home robots have many prerequisites to become the precious mechanical pets, and of course they constitute a challenging field of technological developments. If they are built with some sentiment, and if their prices become affordable, then…