What we think of as the pinnacle of innovation one day becomes commonplace the next. Having a computer in the home was rare, and didn’t provide much of a benefit with the exception of a few specific functions. Now, if someone says they don’t own a computer you automatically start looking around to see where they parked their horse and buggy. Cell phones used to reside solely in the briefcases of important businessmen. Now, you may walk up to an 8-year-old and ask if they want to go to the playground and they’ll give you a “Just a sec,” as they pull a phone out of their pocket and answer it.
Therefore, if the pinnacle of a smart home is something along the lines of Tony Stark’s home in Iron Man, does that mean things like his computer/robot friend Jarvis will one day be the norm? Well, it isn’t so far from reality as you may think, as robots are already beginning to find their way into the homes of regular, everyday folks.
These robots aren’t exactly Jarvis, or even Wall-E, but they are robots nonetheless. For example, robot vacuums that can sweep and mop an entire floor on a schedule and then return to a charging station when it is running low on battery power are no longer an uncommon sight in a home.
The technology used in these robots is becoming sleeker and more affordable, making it an option for a wider variety of home chores such as those dealing with lawn maintenance such as Internet-connected sprinklers or automatic lawnmowers. In fact, by the year 2020, there is expected to be a large increase in robot integration into the everyday lives of consumers and builders are already beginning to take steps to integrate robotics into both residential and commercial structures.
While it might not happen as quickly as the rise of personal computers or cell phones, the robot revolution has begun and it is just a matter of time until Jarvis, or any number of his fictional robot brethren, becomes a reality.
