The Robot Company designed the first robot mop with a GPS-like navigation system. The 8 cm tall and 25cm long robot called Dirt Devil "EVO" wipes wood, vinyl, laminate and stone surfaces. He has built in a GPS module with infrared controls. These sensors enable the robot to determine what surface it is crossing, what is the shape of the surface and how to navigate in space. Due to such a precise positioning, while turning around EVO sticks to its trace and don't leaves uncleaned surface.

EVO not only cleans large and simple surfaces, but also places difficult to reach: under furniture edges, in the corners of the walls, behind wardrobes. If EVO detects an obstacle (such as legs of the table), it cleans up around the obstacle, and then continues cleaning the rest of the surface. On the bottom of the mop robot there is a magnetic strip where microfiber cloth is placed. With this microfiber cloth EVO is able to clean all delicate surfaces. Therefore it can be a good alternative to conventional wet cleaning robots, which can scratch surfaces with their rotating brushes or attack them with chemical cleaners.

This cleaning robot was presented during the global trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances IFA 2010 in Berlin.

Friendly Robotics introduced new lawn mower Robomow RM400. The robot is designed for domestic lawns of any shape and inclination. It is powered by two powerful battery that uses its electric motor. Therefore it is very quiet and is environmentally friendly - no petrol, oil or gas required. Before discharging, Robomow automatically moves to replenish energy over a charging station. Depending on the programming, he mows the next day - or at any other time, just continue.

The bumpers are equipped with sensors that detect raise of the mower, trees and obstacles. Therefore it can mow small areas along around on walls and fences, flowerbeds and around shrubs. See on the following movie how this automatic lawn mower saves you time and effort.

The Sakadachi Lucky robot dog from Sega Toys responds to 13 different voice commands—not only the basics like “come” and “lie down,” but also “sing” and “headstand.” The headstand is Sakadachi Lucky’s signature move, as sakadachi is the Japanese word for “headstand.” The clever toy dog can also bark Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

A Japanese firm claims to have the solution for lonely elderly people and people with a long distance relationship: a robot doll that looks exactly like your beloved. The robot doll is made based on a photo of a real person. The plastic human can also talk, recognize voices, react to movements, wave and nod.

Future vision by Erwin van Lun

Robots too are becoming more and more real. Eventually we’ll be able to talk to robots that look exactly like our great-granddad who died a hundred years ago. We’ll be able to ask what it was like to live in that time. It’ll change the world forever, but this too goes step by step. And this is truly child’s play.

Related trends

• 2025-2050: Roboworld

Eldery demented people in Japan with a robot seal called Paro. Since Paro showed up in the elderly home Mori-noie two demented ladies found each other in caring for the robot animal. Wherever it appears it creates a better disposition, better social behavior and even improved health. This is proven by long-term research by Paro's inventor Takanori Shibata of the biorobotics department of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. Shibata calls his invention an 'Artificial Emotional Creature'.

Future vision by Erwin van Lun

Our human brains aren’t designed to have feelings for other creatures with our ratio. Feelings are created on a much lower level. We’ll get an emotional bond with this kind of creature that demented elderly people are already displaying. As these creatures get more intelligent, the bond will become stronger.