Product: Robot: Domestic
kitchen telemanipulator   (+7)  [vote for, against]
mount telemanipulators and clean kitchens with them

This "ceiling robot" (telemanipulator) would be remotely controlled by poorly paid workers from elsewhere in the world. It would have two grippers and some cameras and would put dishes into a dishwasher, wipe counters, and so forth. When leaving the kitchen all the owner would have to do is push a button.

edit: ver 1.01: fixed pedantry error in line 1, description, and title.

edit: ver 1.02: fixed grammar error in summary.
-- Voice, Jan 15 2011

ceiling robot ceiling_20robot
[Voice, Jan 15 2011]

//poorly paid workers from elsewhere in the world\\ what a terrible thing to say.
-- zeno, Jan 15 2011


Kitchen robots are awesome. I have 2 that cook food and one that does a great job washing dishes, and one that keeps food cool.
-- bungston, Jan 15 2011


This could be done for free by crowdsourcing.
-- nineteenthly, Jan 15 2011


This is no more offensive than many well accepted situations in a modern industrial economy, simply more visible.
-- pocmloc, Jan 15 2011


Telemanipulator? The word is half Greek, half Latin. No good can come of it.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 16 2011


A Menial Turtle Op (anagram)
-- csea, Jan 16 2011


Wonderful combination of technology and outsourcing to overcome the deficiencies of robotics.

What you really need is a teleoperated humanoid robot that can be controlled remotely by people who are otherwise unskilled and need work. This seems more feasible in the foreseeable future than a fully autonomous household robot.

The current drawback is that

a) a full teleoperation system will need to be developed

b) The control rig (and the robot) are likely to be orders of magnitude more expensive than hiring a full-time person in your current jurisdiction for years, with full benefits. But this is simply a technological hurdle that can be overcome....
-- cowtamer, Jan 16 2011


I see this as the future of most manual labor jobs.
The robots stay on-site and workers control them from home in shifts with auxilliary controlers on standby.

24/7 labor. No over-time. No sick days. Nobody moves, nobody gets hurt.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 16 2011


// workers control them from home in shifts //

Shifts ? You mean like those long nightshirty-type things ?

Would a Paisley-pattern dressing gown be OK ?
-- 8th of 7, Jan 16 2011


Only if it's open in the back.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 16 2011



random, halfbakery