As the creators of #Everyday Robots, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new website, which we hope will become an indispensable resource for anyone looking to upgrade their life with robots.
Why do we say upgrade? Because #Everyday Robots are more than just machines; they’re designed to help anyone make life easier, safer, and more convenient through the use of robotics and AI technology. And now, thanks to our new website, anyone can learn how to harness the power of #Everyday Robots themselves!
What problem do you have?
I need someone to help me make food that I like. I don’t know how to cook.
What factors influence your decision?
In our recent survey, we asked over 1000 people why they don’t have a robot at home and their top responses were: They’re too expensive, they’re too complex to use, and they don’t yet do what I need them to.
Every day Robots are solving all three problems. We want to build a new type of robot that helps anyone—not just techies or scientists.
How do you make decisions?
Do you make your decisions based on logic or on emotion? Research suggests that people who tend to use more logic and data in their decision-making process tend to be better leaders. Based on these findings, we interviewed several Silicon Valley executives and asked them: What’s your decision-making process? Here’s what they had to say.
What made you think of this problem?
We realized that everything we learned about robotics and machine learning just wasn’t applicable to helping people. The existing solutions were too complex, required high degrees of technical expertise, or simply failed at actually getting anything done. We wanted a solution that was simple, powerful, and easy enough for anyone to use.
When did it occur in your life?
One day when I was 14 years old, my mother had an accident that left her unable to walk. At first, she relied on crutches, but as time went on it became clear that she would need long-term care. As someone who barely knew how to cook before then, I suddenly had to take on much more responsibility for caring for my mom.
What is your relationship with this problem right now?
Most people are able to accomplish simple tasks without much effort, but as things get more complex, it can be difficult for them. Most individuals go about their daily lives without any major issues, but when one thing goes wrong, it becomes much more difficult for them to continue.
That’s why Everyday Robots have decided to develop new robots that will be capable of helping anyone with anything by using technology. Now they’re launching an Indiegogo campaign in order to fund further development.
How does it affect your life?
In today’s busy world, most people rely on technology to solve their problems. And that’s great! But technology isn’t very smart. It doesn’t know when you have a new task or it doesn’t know how your life is changing.
Everyday Robots, however, are building a new type of robot that can learn from all your tasks and activities and be smarter than any other digital assistant out there.
Why do you want to fix it?
Sometimes we want to fix problems because they’re interesting and complex; sometimes we want to fix them because they’re frustrating and in our way. We think you can help everyday robots build a new type of robot that helps anyone with anything, so it’s time for us all to get down to business. They need your help!
How important is it to you?
According to our survey, it’s really important. In fact, 66% of our respondents said that making tech more personal was something they were really interested in—which is good news for #EverydayRobots, who are building a new type of robot that can learn to help anyone with (almost) anything.
Here’s how they describe their product: With #EverydayRobots, you tell your robot what you want it to do.
How often does this problem happen?
An estimated 1 in 2 people need help with everyday tasks. At any given time, there are an estimated 40 million older adults struggling with daily tasks – and only 20 percent reach out for help. The number one reason seniors don’t reach out for help? Fear that others will see them as weak or old. At Everyday Robots, we believe everyone should have access to technology that can overcome these challenges and give them back their independence.
Are there any other things you do when it happens?
Every day, tens of thousands of people around the world are typing how to into Google. Today, we’re launching a new product called How-to Search that aims to surface actionable answers more intuitively and more immediately for these searches.
We’ve partnered with dozens of publishers and search experts who have developed unique signals that help identify if an answer is truly helpful, then surface it higher in search results.
Can you think about how the dream might work in practice if you had access to the technology today? And give us some ideas about what additional functionality could be added next year.
Every day, robots like Amazon’s Alexa are taking us one step closer to that ideal. These machines are rapidly getting smarter and more capable; every year, we have to update our computers and phones just so they can keep up.
But it isn’t just connected devices that are making things easier for us humans. Machines are increasingly being built using new technologies that allow them to learn, rather than relying on pre-programmed responses.
