Despite having decades of TV shows and movies that idolized a time when robots would be helping us in our home, It turns out people don’t want to let a robot into their home at this point, according to the study.
We want to know if our technologically-minded readers feel the same as the study. Would you allow a robot to take charge of your house?
Our Opinion
Damien reports that he has a robot cleaner in his house, but it’s the only robotic product he would allow. However, he still has “privacy concerns over smart devices like Google Home/Echo and won’t be adding them” to his house now or in the future.
Ada reports she wouldn’t but knows she might have to. There are definitely privacy concerns, and she doesn’t feel having human help in her house is any better. She’s been looking for a person to help her clean her house for some time, but her search was disappointing.
This leads her to believe at one point she may have to trust a robot to clean her home or continue wasting time doing it on her own. The prices are too high now for robots, so she hasn’t acted on it yet but believes other people will be facing this same dilemma some day. When someone has to waste three to four hours a day on these tasks while also dealing with lumbar pain and inhaling dust, “even a privacy and control freak might have to think twice.”
Simon agrees with the privacy concerns but also wouldn’t be so welcoming because he’s seen what happens when that technology goes wrong. He’s seen smart smoke detectors that keep houses safe but refuse to turn off if they get false positives.
The less he allows robots and smart devices to have control over his house, the more confident he can be that everything will work when he needs it to, and it “won’t be subject to bugs, crashes, and firmware updates.” Noting that technology in cars has been troubled, he says, “maybe when technology becomes a little more stable, I’ll consider it!”
Like Damien, Ryan also has a robot vacuum, but he’d love one that did all the cleaning and the other menial labor tasks. “If that’s part of the deal, then bring on the robot overlords!”
I do happen to have good cleaning help, so that’s not an issue for me. However, I grew up watching “The Jetsons” cartoon where everything in the home was robotic and computerized. That was something I always idolized. One particular area was in cooking where they had a computer render a complete meal of their choice in minutes. If they ever create such a computer in real life, I just may be their first customer! I would gladly welcome almost any robot in my home.
Your Opinion
Do you use a robot vacuum? Are you looking for additional robotic cleaning help? What about in other areas of your home? Would you allow a robot to take charge of your house? Add your thoughts and concerns in our comments section below.
Laura has spent nearly 20 years writing news, reviews, and op-eds, with more than 10 of those years as an editor as well. She has exclusively used Apple products for the past three decades. In addition to writing and editing at MTE, she also runs the site’s sponsored review program.
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