If you're my age, you grew up with the Jetson's promise that
by the year 2000 we would have amazing things like flying cars, moon colonies,
and robot butlers. We didn't get them.
Okay, it's true that we have an amazing communication
network that nobody could have predicted. But, come on, is that really as cool
as the other stuff? okay, okay, if a moon colony were established tomorrow, I
probably wouldn't move there until I can get a house near a lake. And the day
everyone gets flying cars is the day the ground is littered with the burning
remains of mid-air collisions. But robots are different. We are living in the
future, so why aren't there more amazing robots to do our household chores? At
the very least, I think we should all get some robots for Christmas. Here are
my picks.
Everybody knows the Roomba, and it continues to amaze me that
something that something that was once in a Ray Bradbury story ("There
Will Come Soft Rains") is now swiftly becoming ubiquitous in America.
Plus, that commercial with the people dancing the robot was really cool.
If you think that's cool, there's a group in South Korea working on a robot, Mahru-Z, that can do household chores just like Rosie the robot maid in the Jetson's. Here's a vid of Mahru fetching tea and toast... with a lack of grace that makes C-3PO look like Captain America. But, hey, it's coming along.
Want a little more firepower? Try the Kuratas, a personal
mecha-suit you can actually own. For real. (May not be road legal in your city.)
Be good, and dream crazy dreams,
Sechin Tower is a teacher, a table-top game designer, and the
author of Mad Science Institute. You
can read more about him and his books on SechinTower.com
and his games on SiegeTowerGames.com
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