I love my new robot

Many people are afraid of robots. If not outright afraid, they’re wary and suspicous and even resistant. Not me. I want them. I think the dishwasher is a brilliant invention, as is the washer, dryer, clocks, and the Roomba. These are all mechanical devices we use to help us out. There is nothing in these inventions that makes me wary, only eager for more. Helper robots are so behind.

And I’m not talking about a WALL-E existance. It’s just that I hate cleaning. I think it’s one of those parts of life people might describe as building character, but you know what? I’ve been cleaning my whole life, how about giving me time to build other parts of my character? I could read more with that time, spend more time engaged in conversations with interesting people, I could exercise more, sleep more, hang out more.

It was Juan Enriquez at Ted Talks this year, who said, “Those of us of a certain age grew up expecting that by now we would have Rosie-the-robot, of the Jetsons, in our house. And all we’ve got is a Roomba.” Exactly, except I’m waiting for this too, and not patiently. We can create stem cells out of skin cells, a man regrew his finger last year, so can we please create something that will organize my crap? Or at least something that can scan my stuff and tell me where my keys, favorite sweater, other shoe happens to be located at this very second? There was that woman with the self-cleaning house, but to tell you the truth it’s the organizing that drives me crazy.

This brings me to my new love. It woke me up this morning and reminded me to take my vitamins with breakfast (Astrid). When I go to the grocery store, I can scan everything I put in my cart (or enter the price and quantity for produce) and it keeps a running tally of what I’m buying so I can keep within budget (Shopulator). I can set it to remind me to pick up more yogurt when it sees that I’m at the grocery store (Locale). Last night I was at Powells and I scanned the book’s barcode to see if it was cheaper elsewhere, and what other people thought of it. If I hear a song I like but I’m not sure who the artist is or what the song is called I can tell the phone to listen for me and it will tell me everything I want to know in ten seconds (Shazam). This robot has already changed my day-to-day life and I’ve only had it for two days.

I love my new robot. So much that I named it H.E.L.P.eR.

(I still want a Roomba, though, this thing refuses to do manual labor.)