The domestic robot revolution has been slow to get off the ground literally. By now, home automation should have done away with many mundane household chores. But beyond the robotic vacuum cleaner and mop, the newly emerging lawn-mowing robot, which you can now buy for about $1500, and the pool-cleaning bot, we haven't seen any real time-saving innovations since the dishwasher's debut.
Window cleaning is a particularly vexed issue for me. I live in an apartment building on the 12th floor. There are no balconies. I have huge windows offering a fantastic view of Wellington Harbour, but I can't reach the exterior of them myself.
Near the ocean and exposed to Wellington's prevailing northerly winds, my windows typically end up coated in a misty film of sea spray within a couple of weeks of the building's quarterly window wash.
The Winbot W1 Pro seemed like the perfect solution, but the health and safety aspects of a robot crawling around on the outside of my window filled me with dread. What if it fell off and landed on a neighbour's head?
Denne historien er fra May 06 - 12 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra May 06 - 12 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
