​Service Robots: Our New Best Friends?

As the age of the accessible service robot draws nearer, there are a number of important clarifications to be made about this huge technological breakthrough. First of all, service robots are different from industrial robots that already “work” in a number of electronics and consumer goods factories. The purpose of the service robot is live alongside humans and to perform useful tasks that are almost mindless for humans. For example, service robots could be used to fold the laundry, wash the dishes or ring up your bill at the store, taking these tasks over from humans. A great aspirational example of this futuristic technology can be seen in the AMC television show Humans, here the service robots are anthropomorphic and are called synths.

After understanding what function service robots are meant to serve, it is also important to note that service robots won’t replace humans. Instead, they can be used to complete mundane tasks like going to the grocery store so that humans have more time and “brain space” for higher-value activities. In addition, unlike industrial robots, service robots are designed to be social and to interact with humans around them, like the Buddy and Pepper robots that have shown the ability to answer intelligent questions and even have a sense of humor.

Although you may be fearful that a retail service robot instead of a salesperson at the counter could be a conversation killer, advancements in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and computer vision are making sure that service robots will be smarter than ever. They will never be able to surpass human intelligence, but most experts think that service robots will significantly contribute to our society on social and cultural levels as well.

The big worry that comes with the introduction of service robots is that it could make some human jobs obsolete. However, creators of service robots emphasize that they are designed to complete only menial tasks (like taking out the trash) that could not surpass human intelligence and that they are meant to live alongside humans, not as their servants. This means that service robots won’t be taking most of our jobs and that they will actually give us more time for deeper intellectual pursuits. Who knows, after pets, service robots could be our new best friend.