This robot can find things in your house, so you won't lose your keys or wallet again.
Robots have come a long way in the last few years, and they are now more involved in helping us with our daily tasks, even though some models already do. Artificial intelligence has made it easier for them to understand their surroundings, learn from them, and make better choices. Robots are no longer just used in factories and labs. People are starting to think about using them in their homes.
Having one of these robots in our homes will become more common in the medium term than in the long term, although this will likely be limited to those who can afford it, given its high cost. With this in mind, a team of researchers at the Technical University of Munich has developed a robot designed for a common task such as finding lost items.
According to Digital Trends, the team created a robot that looks very simple at first glance. As you can see, it resembles a stick on wheels with a camera on top. However, behind this simple design lies a sophisticated system that enables it to search for objects like keys or glasses inside a house. To do this, the robot uses the camera to take pictures of its surroundings.
Although these are two-dimensional images, they enable the robot to calculate depth and create a highly accurate three-dimensional map, which is constantly updated to adapt to changes as objects move. To avoid the need to continuously scan the entire area, the robot uses a modeling language that helps it keep the map up to date.
One of the robot's most notable features is its ability to track and score objects, taking into account the time elapsed since it last saw each object, along with other data, to determine where to search first. They explain that it also uses general knowledge and common sense. For example, it knows that a glass is more likely to be on a table than in a sink, so it searches more intelligently, with approximately 30% greater efficiency than a random search.
Currently, it can only move around in open spaces, but the next step is to teach it to open drawers and cabinets to expand its searching capabilities. Although still under development, it could prove extremely useful in many homes, saving people the trouble of searching for valuable or essential items.