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Here's the Incredible Robotic Furniture You Didn't Know You Needed

posted by cmn32480 on Sunday August 09 2015, @04:43AM   Printer-friendly
from the damned-robots-always-getting-under-foot dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

A light topic for a summer Friday:

Bookshelves that pop out just the book you need. Kitchen tables that set themselves. Bathrooms that adjust to your personal comfort levels.

The robots in this video from The Economist do absolutely none of those things. But they're pretty adorable nonetheless. Stanford University created a motorized foot stool that can be summoned by its human captors owners. It's either the best footstool or the worst R2-D2 ripoff, and as you can see in the video, some people treated it more like the latter than the former.

There's also a chest of drawers that opens up to provide the right tool, and is also designed to respond to being tickled. (NOT CREEPY AT ALL!) Also there's a couch that can move itself around the room, and a Rubbermaid garbage can that serves as the second worst R2-D2 imitator in the video. You'll still feel bad when it collides into another, non-robotic garbage can though. Just imagine trying to get comfortable with your feet oppressing that adorable ottoman.

There's video accompanying the article as well. What would your ideal robotic furniture be?

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  • (Score: 2) by microtodd on Monday August 10 2015, @12:58PM

    by microtodd (1866) on Monday August 10 2015, @12:58PM (#220654) Homepage Journal

    7 years, eh? You bring up an interesting point that's always bothered me. My car is, like 15 years old. How do I know the airbag still works? All those sensors, whatever mechanical solenoid or switch or whatever that's supposed to trip and release the air. There's not really any way to test it. And if it doesn't work...well, sucks for me in a crash, eh?

    So yeah, I get your point, and that's an issue that, to be honest, basically exists everywhere for everything. My dishwasher, fridgerator, heck even my bbq grill.

    Except my cast iron pan. Basically a hunk of metal, that thing will continue to work long after my grandkids are dead.

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  • (Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Monday August 10 2015, @06:04PM

    by hendrikboom (1125) Subscriber Badge on Monday August 10 2015, @06:04PM (#220790) Homepage Journal

    After about eight years, my mechanic told me that the airbag had to be replaced, because after that long it would no longer be reliable.

    I use seatbelts. Always. And I won't move the car unless all the passengers have them done up. I don't need an airbag.

    Your mileage may vary.