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For a generation raised on “Star Wars,” we should be used to it. Yet the idea of robots conjures images of aliens descending from the mothership rather than utilitarian efficiency.

But get ready, because robotics are coming to the American household full force. Oh, they're already here, of course, in industrial and medical and military use. But in the next decade, most homes will automate at least one of those tasks that can otherwise drain the energy out of life.

But on which tasks will we get relief?

The caring touch
The best bet is the home health care robot. Jim Pinto, a leading futurist based in San Diego, is actually surprised it hasn't already caught on in the United States.

Baby boomers are creating the greatest retirement surge in American history, which makes health care the number one concern in almost every household. A recent survey by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions showed that 93 percent of respondents believe they aren't prepared for future health-care costs, and 75 percent want expanded in-home monitoring.

Robots would meet either need. Packaging both needs together? To paraphrase Obi-Wan Kenobi, these are just the droids you're looking for. Robots never need a day off. They can remind your elderly father of his medication schedule, send a signal back to the main office if there's a health crisis or maybe even just read the old guy a good book. In fact, they're already common in Japan. Some elderly Japanese have resisted -- partly because the robot in question, ifbot, had a cartoonish look. (Could you take orders from Buzz Lightyear?) But newer models look eerily humanlike, and the sheer costs involved suggest the revolution is nigh.

The ifbot was selling for the equivalent of $4,300 in Japan last year. But even if the price is $30,000, that's still lower than the alternative.

"The cost is irrelevant because it's so much cheaper than a nurse," Pinto says. "If Grandpa gets better and doesn't need the robot, you can sell off the robot. I'm not sure why we're not doing it here."

But let's assume you don't want to wait 30 years for your own robotic assistant. How else will robots come to your home?

Your best pal
If you’re accustomed to genuine, tail-wagging enthusiasm -- and slobber -- this might offend your sensibilities. But remember the Tamagutchi craze? That's nothing compared to the newest "companions" that have artificial intelligence and emotions and even fur, in some cases. The most popular companion is Ugobe's Pleo, a dinosaur that retails for $350, and which has a unique "personality" that develops from the moment it’s purchased and has inspired such loyalty among its owners that some keep blogs or create video tributes. (Plus, there's no pooper-scooper for those after-dinner walks. That's not bad.)

Kitchen robots
How many relationships could be saved if couples didn’t argue over who clears the table or does the dishes? We’re going to find out soon enough; the debate right now is how soon. A recent Computerworld article noted that Microsoft’s robotics division is expected to make money within three to five years. Academic experts are more skeptical.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, a group of hobbyists has formed a nonprofit called ReadyBot. The participants, who all have jobs elsewhere in the tech industry, have been working since 2000 on creating a do-it-all kitchen robot. They introduced themselves to the public earlier this year with a YouTube video, hoping to snag funding that would allow them to work full time on development.

If they get the money, project lead Tom Benson has a shocking prediction: Manufacturing can begin in two years, with sales to high-income early adopters following shortly thereafter.

“Two years is a very aggressive target, there’s no doubt,’’ he admits. “If you talk to robotics professors at various universities, they’re going to say 20 years. They always say 20 years!”

But Benson, an expert in artificial intelligence software, and his buddies are Silicon Valley to the core. “I come from the tech industry, where you set aggressive targets and then you try to meet them.”

For all the technical aspects -- such as hands thin enough to slip under dishes yet strong enough to grip garbage cans -- Benson knows the biggest challenge is creating a usable product for people who don’t have a degree in computer science. Big challenge, but not insurmountable.

After all, Benson recalls Steve Jobs having to explain that the Macintosh wasn’t as difficult as it might appear. Looking back, that effort seemed worthwhile, no?

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