Article: Not Yet Maid

[KOS-MOS]

Another article questioning when affordable humanoid 'bots will be on the market.

NOT YET MAID
Local resident and giant corporations racing to create helpers of tomorrow

Filmmakers have long had a fascination with robots. Robby in Forbidden Planet. B-9 in Lost in Space. C-3PO in Star Wars. And now, Sonny in I, Robot, which was released today.

Futurists have not ignored the pop-culture obsession and the race to produce the first -- and this is key, affordable -- humanoid unit.

Currently, the few robots on the market are out of this world, price-wise.

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus, for example, offered his-and-her robots in its 2003 Christmas catalog. Produced by Robotics International, they retailed for $400,000.

They never left the shelf.

"We didn't really expect to sell any," spokeswoman Ginger Reeder said. "It was pretty expensive. We did have a lot of sixth-grade boys calling in, trying to get plans on how to build their own robots."

Sony's QRIO and Honda's ASIMO are clearly at the top of the chip chain and have dazzled audiences at demonstrations. QRIO recently conducted Beethoven's Fifth Symphony in Tokyo. ASIMO has danced on stage at science expos and Disney World.

But both are multimillion- dollar units not yet for sale. Both corporations have declined to reveal the costs of their projects.

Not housebroken

Researchers today dream big. They want robots that not only walk but climb, swim and fly.

SRI International, which operates one of the country's leading robotics research centers, is developing artificial muscles that give robots the ability to perform those feats. They hope their technologies will make the stars of I, Robot someday look primitive.

However, a few roadblocks such as practical navigation and autonomous thinking, continue to baffle researchers. Stairs, for example, present an obvious problem for many of the first humanlike robots. And until they can navigate those and other obstructions without costing a fortune, androids will have no place in suburban households.

"Nobody is going to modify their home to make it robot-friendly," said Regis Vincent, senior research scientist for SRI International. "My wife keeps asking me when she can have a robot to clean the house. But until a robot can operate safely in my house, I'm not going to buy one either."

He said that many prototypes also remain fixed within their programming -- they don't think on their own and can find it difficult to make adjustments.

On his own

Denton resident Chris Willis joined the race to create the first affordable robot five years ago. The former software programmer and engineer said he has put more than $100,000 into his household helper robot, Valerie. He even quit his job last year to spend more time with her.

His company, Android World, operates from his home. He had hoped that Valerie would debut in time for Christmas for $59,000. But like many private researchers, he has been thrown off schedule by a lack of staff and funding.

Silicon "skins," gadgets and electronics litter his living room. He developed parts -- fingers, eyes and a partly completed animatronic head -- that he hopes will generate some money. But as for a moving, working robot -- "I don't know how long that will take."

Despite the setbacks, he said his robot, when completed, will be unique.

"Most of the other companies are not trying to duplicate a person," he said. "But I figure it's only a matter of time before they try, so I'm just going to skip all the intermediate steps."

His prototype pieces are made of plastic, scrap metal and wood. It's not much yet, he admits, but he believes that Valerie has a bright future.

"The android industry is where the automobile industry was 100 years ago," he said. "Androids are going to be really big business in the 21st century. When the first are available to the public, people won't ask about the price, they'll just write a check."

Dreams of the future

Vincent said many may fear the creation of sophisticated robots will destroy a large base of the job market. He insists, though, that robots taking over mundane jobs will be beneficial, because "robots don't get bored and it will free humans up to do other things."

More importantly, he said robots will complete tasks that people cannot. He said they will build and repair space stations and they will arrive on Mars to pave the way for humans. Nano-robots will repair damaged organs.

The University of Illinois is developing antlike robots to do farm work. Closer to home, the University of Texas at Arlington's Robotics Research Institution, focusing on industrial robots, works on microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS -- micro-robotics that could mount the tip of a pen.

"There are unlimited opportunities of what we could do, once we break past current challenges. And we will," Vincent said.

Machine shop

What robots are available and what's under development:

ROBOMOWER

This robotic lawn mower can handle an 10,800-square-foot area you define with a perimeter wire. It's quiet enough to run at night, it doesn't pollute and it mulches.

Price: $599 to $1,199

Information: Call (214) 277-8100

ROOMBA

It may not be Rosie from The Jetsons, but this robotic vacuum cleaner can definitely suck up the dirt. Four models are available, with loads of gadgets.

Price: $149 to $269

Information: (866) 4-ROOMBA

ASIMO

Honda's humanoid robot is a 4-footer that can sing, dance and interact with humans. It understands a limited number of commands, but Honda researchers hope to modify it to aid the elderly at home.

Price: Not for sale, but ASIMO can be rented for $163,000 a year

QRIO

At 2 feet tall, Sony's robot may look like a toy, but it has a vocabulary of 60,000 words and can read Web pages. It is also the first humanoid robot that can jog. In March, QRIO conducted a symphony to wow an audience in Tokyo.

Price: Not yet available

NO NAME

Toyota announced in March that it is working on walking, rolling and mountable robots but has not named them. The walking version is 47 inches tall and can play the trumpet, using artificial lips and fingers.

Price: Not yet available

Caren M. Penland, (817) 390-7470 cpenland@star-telegram.com
Online: www.friendlyroboticsusa.com
Online: www.roombavac.com
Online: asimohonda.com
Online: www.sony.net/ SonyInfo/QRIO/story
Online: www.toyota.co.jp/en/special/ robot

[keraptis]

NOT YET MAID
"We did have a lot of sixth-grade boys calling in, trying to get plans on how to build their own robots."

Not sure if that makes me want to laugh or cry.

[Baron]

NOT YET MAID
"We did have a lot of sixth-grade boys calling in, trying to get plans on how to build their own robots."

Not sure if that makes me want to laugh or cry.

Hey, those 6th graders are the ones who'll likely "make it so," so err on the side of an expectant smile, Keraptis!!

[kb7rky]

NOT YET MAID
"We did have a lot of sixth-grade boys calling in, trying to get plans on how to build their own robots."

Not sure if that makes me want to laugh or cry.

Hey, those 6th graders are the ones who'll likely "make it so," so err on the side of an expectant smile, Keraptis!!

True...remember, Bill Gates was once a 6th grader...and look what he's built up

Doug