Robots No Longer Just for Work and Play

We all know about  toy robots with remote controls, and robotic vacuum cleaners to help us with chores, those industrial robots that build cars and others that help fight fires.  And they are getting smarter. An intermittent New York Times series investigates their use in law enforcement, the military, medical diagnosis, teaching, companionship for nursing home residents.  Some people form attachments to ones capable of interacting with us. Personally, I haven’t interacted with any yet but it looks as though all of us will, sooner or later, be working — or playing — with robots.

Conventionally pretty or not,  they are making their way into our lives and what we look at in unexpected places. Shopping?  They turn up as decorations on kid’s travel tumblers, adult totebags, knitting patterns for mittens. linens sold at Target — you never know when or where.

Green designers are also exploring this theme in all sizes.

Cubebot by David Weeks.

David Weeks recently came up with Cubebot a 3-1/2″ square paperweight puzzle  opening into a movable desk size robot is made from sustainably harvested wood.

Typewriter Robot by Jeremy Mayer.

Jeremy Mayer creates anatomically correct robots from recycled typewriter parts.  They are created by cold assembly, without solder, welds or glue.

Giant robot sculpture outside the town of Yuzhny.

And if robots can make cars, why not make cars into robots? This giant transformer robot is made from discarded old cars and scrap metal.  It stands outside the town of Yuznhy 25 miles from the Black Sea port of Odessa.  (via Green Diary).