The evolution of robots, dull and laborious, still in the infant stages of development, have developed some robots that have human like legs to move about. The long path to meet this point in history has been paved through a slow, arduous process that has came to reality, however, the futuristic models that think for themselves are still in the evolution pot.

While robotics is still in its “Wright Brothers” stage, where the first generation of these technologies is still being explored, the robotic technologies available today are being deployed dynamically for national security applications. The iRobot company (yes, as in the same name of the movie) founded in 1990 by robotics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, iRobot designs behavior-based, artificially intelligent robots, deployed to the front line of war and home.

Military

The most coveted aspect of robots today have been in Iraq. iRobot have been deployed on front line missions, saving many lives of our troops. The missions they are capable of performing is strikingly extensive and effective, allowing the soldiers to perform his operations behind the enemy line clearing himself of danger, subjecting the robot into harms way.

Bomb disposal, sniper detection, force detection & protection, surveillance, reconnaissance, structure mapping, route clearance, “manning”checkpoints, and inspecting volatile areas that could claim soldiers lives. The robots can navigate through buildings, furniture, and complex terrain. The camera on board is essentially the eyes and ears for the unit using these robotic devices. Robots are delivering and making a difference in the way out military fights. The robot fights without emotions when called to tackle the hazardous, dull, and dangerous missions.

Home Use

It is absolutely without question that robots can save the lives of our men and women in uniform. However, on the home front there are some innovations that help make our lives easier, as robots perform mundane labor that most of us loathe.

Robotic mops, vacuum cleaners. irons, lawnmowers, and robotic pool cleaners, to name a few, are on the scene and ready to help in these routine labors. Sony’s Aibo, is a pet robot dog also used by many universities in the RoboCup autonomous soccer competition.

Social Robots Robots whose main object is social interaction (partner robots) include:
Robots whose main object is social interaction (partner robots) include:
Wakamaru, a humanoid robot designed to provide company for the elderly and less mobile people, made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Paro, a robot baby seal intended to provide comfort to nursing home patients
PaPeRo, a robot designed by NEC to study robot-human interaction.

And last but not least Toyota has a Partner Robot, as they state in the promo, some are mountable. That I shall leave to your own indiscretion and imagination.