Robots to do household work in S. Korea

July 3, 2006

Approximately 1,000 families in Seoul will use remote-controlled robots to perform household chores this fall, the Korea Times reports.

Project manager Oh Sang-rok of the Ministry of Information and Communication announced a test project, "Ubiquitous Robot Companion," that will include 1,000 households and 40 kindergartens.

The robots will clean up homes, care for pets, read to children and identify visitors, the newspaper reported. Half of them will be controlled remotely via cell phone.

Most of the software and processing work will be performed over the Internet, allowing the ministry to monitor activities and check for bugs, the newspaper said. Five types of robots, all on wheels, will be involved in this fall's test.

The robots will be relatively cheap, with prices ranging between $1,000 and $2,000. After the test this autumn, the ministry wants a robot in every Korean home by 2020, the Times said.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International


print this article email this article download pdf blog this article bookmark this article     Stumble it Digg this share on Facebook retweet share on Reddit add to delicious
Rate this story - 4.4 /5 (24 votes)


July 3, 2006 all stories

Comments: 0

4.4 /5 (24 votes)
  • Stumble this up

  • Digg this

  • share this

  • hide
  • Related Stories

  • South Korea's little firefighting robots (w/ Video)
    created Oct 08, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Living Safely with Robots, Beyond Asimov's Laws
    created Jun 22, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • German 'science train': next stop Shanghai 2010?
    created May 21, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Greying Japan plans robo-nurses in five years: govt
    created Mar 25, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Japan creates Asimov-like robotic laws
    created May 31, 2006 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0



  • hide
  • Relevant PhysicsForums posts

  • Laser plasma emission
    created 10 hours ago
  • Achromat lens - magnifying LCD
    created Nov 25, 2009
  • Control System
    created Nov 24, 2009
  • Base Isolation Systems in Skyscrapers?
    created Nov 23, 2009
  • More from Physics Forums - General Engineering

Other News

Waseda Flutist Robot

Musical robots perform duets (w/ Video)

Electronics / Robotics

created 19 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (5) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A flute playing robot unveiled by Waseda University last year has been joined by a robot saxophonist in a Classical music duet. The aim of the project was to design robots that could respond ...


This curvaceous humanoid made of layers of cardboard is billed as the first eco-friendly robot

Robo-chefs and fashion-bots on show in Tokyo

Electronics / Robotics

created 22 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Forget the Transformers and Astroboy: Japan's latest robots don't save the world -- they cook snacks, play with your kids, model clothes, and search for disaster victims.


Gadgets: Card reader helps you shop safer online

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created 16 hours ago | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0

NetSecure Technologies SmartSwipe credit card reader is a new device to help Internet shoppers or small business owners.


Apple's iPhone

Tips to keep iPhone battery going strong

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created 21 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

In talking with my iPhone-using friends, we often seem to bring up how to squeeze the most life from the iPhone's "nonreplaceable" battery.


Review: A riff on robotics with self-tuning guitar (AP)

Review: A riff on robotics with self-tuning guitar

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created Nov 25, 2009 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (7) | comments 4

(AP) -- New cars have been tuning themselves for the better part of two decades now, so it should feel less impressive that Gibson has built a guitar that can smoothly do the same.