T3: Rise Of The Machines

Now that He's left T3 to spend more time athome, our former editor finds the need to populate his abode with Robotic companions...

- Rob Carney

Just a few years ago, the idea of home robots that could help with your chores and entertain you in your home was ludicrous – it was the pure fantasy of Hannabarbera’s the Jetsons. But today, home automation is one of the biggest areas of tech – as are robots that can give you answers, do your chores, provide entertainment and very much not kill you in your sleep. So it’s now up to me to laden my house with AI, seeing if the latest in home robotics, from gigantic humanoids to voice-controllers, can make my life easier, increase my knowledge and bring me a bit of fun along the way. Hey, I might even make a new robotic friend (maybe I’ll call him johnny six). all within a day. Let’s call it ‘a day in the life of Rob and his Rob-Bots’.

GOOGLE IT

Let’s start with something small – but something that offers a wide-range of entertainment and knowledge: Google Home. Whilst I wouldn’t exactly class this as a robot, it is a very smart personal assistant that can provide answers for everything. It’s triggered by the familiar ‘OK Google’ command (so bear that in mind if you have an Android phone). So I start by asking “OK Google, tell me the news”. As more Trump controversy is read out I quiet it by desperately yelling “OK Google, Stop”, before asking it to play Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips as I devour my cornflakes. Luckily, now being unemployed, I don’t have much in my calendar today – something Google Home tells me in what seems like a rather glib way (alright Google, don’t rub it in).