10 Cool Robots You Will Want to Own

We are all familiar with that irritating little vacuum cleaner called the Roomba. It is one of the first robots brought home by consumers to benefit their lives. We have seen the movies - the awesome gigantic robots that still seem to belong to the future. Out there is a world of technological geniuses who are creating and have built very cool and functional bots. Some may one day enrich our lives, others will simply makes us gawk.

DOMO - Domo is a humanoid robot designed by MIT researchers as an aid for the elderly in mind. It is meant to assist the aging population with basic tasks such as putting away the groceries. Put the grocery item in its hand and Domo will shake it to figure out what it is and where it goes. Hopefully they will teach it how to do laundry too.

http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/18537/

WAKAMARU - Wakamaru was built with the same intention as Domo but goes way beyond its capabilities. Still in production and likely to be introduced next year in Japan, Wakamaru is three feet tall and can be programmed to speak in either a male or female voice. It has a built-in cell phone to call emergency services if necessary and a camera so family members can keep an eye on elderly loved ones. It can be programmed to remind folks to take their medications or even call the doctor. Of course, it doesn't replace human companionship but wow.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2003/04/58593

ROBOT CHEF - You come home from work and face more work cooking a meal for your family. No more. The Robot Chef will cook dinner for you. Created by Liu Changfa, this robot stands almost 5 feet tall and you can program it to make elaborite recipes with the help of its robotic arm. This is a busy mom's dream come true.

http://inventorspot.com/articles/china_dishes_tasty_technology_6766

HAWK - Hawk was designed in Canada with a hawk-type head and claw arms, thus its name. But this robot can be taught to do many things. It can play the drums for you or serve you cocktails. It has an embedded GPS system so can easily find its way around your house. Hawk isn't pretty but has many uses.

http://www.gizmag.com/dr-robot-hawk/11654/

CYBERT - Cybert is like a pesky pet. It is an autonomous mood-driven robot with a large vocabulary. It can read you the news or tell you a joke. It needs human contact or it gets lonely and will seek out a well-lit room. Cybert is easy to build for the mechanically inclined and kits are available. Your kids will love it.

http://robots.net/robomenu/985983263.html

PARO - Paro is a stress-buster. This therapeutic interactive robot is cute and cuddly and loves to be pet. It looks like a white seal and acts as if it were alive. It makes sounds and moves it head and encourages people to touch it. It is similar to animal therapy used in nursing homes. Paro can make you relax. What better than a loving pet that doesn't poop?

http://www.parorobots.com/

VIOLIN-PLAYING ROBOT - Toyota has introduced an amazing robot that plays a pretty good violin. This robot was peered with the new "mobility machine" which allows individuals to take a seat while it negotiates uneven ground and dodges obstacles. Personally, I like the violin guy best.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/06/toyota-unveils-violin-playing-personal-transport-robots/

ASIMO - You've probably heard of Asimo. It is touted as the most advanced humanoid robot in the world. It's mobility is amazing as it can walk almost like a human, climb stairs, even run. The best part? It can push a grocery cart while you shop. Honda, who created Asimo, is working toward enhancing and advancing its capabilities.

http://www.robothalloffame.org/04inductees/asimo.html

ROBO-BAT - North Carolina University is developing a tiny spy plane designed like a bat. When complete, it should fly and look like a mechanical bat. Its applications are numerous, from rescue missions to surveillance to detection of chemicals. Or you can use it to scope out your land and spy on your neighbors.

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/43143/181/

SNAKE ROBOT - This is my favorite. It would be a hoot at a crowded barbecue. This robot is so life-like, you don't want to miss the video below. The Israelis are developing a snake robot of their own to use in spy missions.

http://www.snakerobots.com/

There are countless other really cool robots being developed. The indications for their uses are priceless.