Robots You Never Knew Existed

We’ve all heard the rumours. Robots are taking over the world, replacing physical labour and sending the unemployment rate soaring once again. As creative and fun as they are, helping us do the menial jobs and all, sometimes we truly need human interaction. But tech companies don’t seem to think so. What kind of robots are taking over our spots and do we have any reason to be concerned? Here are four robots you probably never knew existed.

They’re becoming a norm in the massive shopping centres, particularly in the United States. The robots are responsible for cleaning the floors of these massive companies, rather than having a person there to mop up. Powered by artificial intelligence, these robots, known as the Auto-C or autonomous cleaners, navigate their way around stores using high-tech equipment and take over the boring chore of breaking your back and sweeping up for hours. Freeing up more time for manual workers, Walmart has already rolled out these machines and is possibly bringing more robots to its stores. But this also means less need for employees who are eager to complete this task for hard-earned money.

The future is now. Instead of having a person around, you can adopt a robotic butler, such as the Ubtech Robotics’ Walker –

a voice-activated assistant. This smart robot is responsible for controlling your home’s tech including the alarm, security patrol, email integration, playing music or simply entertaining you through quirky dancing. All you have to do is say the word and it will complete a task for you. Hotels have also hopped onto the trend with hotel robot butlers which take up responsibility of room service deliveries. American, European and Asian hotels have already equipped themselves with these useful robots, and in future, we might see more of them. Getting your basic chores done has never been easier.

Although it can’t replace the love from an actual dog, who says robot dogs aren’t cool to have around? These robotic dogs have been made popular through delivery companies who use them to bring packages to your door with the help of self-delivery vans. Yep, the world is indeed moving forward. Although there are some which are incredibly high-tech and necessary for important tasks by the company, others are just made for some good ol’ fun at home for your children or pets. Smart Robot has created one, and so has Liberty Imports. There are plenty to choose from, but you might want to check out their price tag and functions before you go robot crazy.

Poaching has been a growing international problem, leading to the extinction of animals, a terrible impact on the environment around it (seeing as every animal plays a role in the ecosystem). Even the tourism industry can be affected. In an effort to catch poachers, companies have created robotic wild animals which act as decoys to fool illegal hunters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission in the US, for example, have employed robotic deer which they can control remotely and identify who is committing a crime. It’s a pretty revolutionary kind of tech – but it will be costly, seeing as it’ll be difficult to replicate rhinos and other prized animals. But it’s a great start!

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