There are numerous robopets on the market right now, being sold to consumers as pets or companions.
Animal lovers will tell you they would rather have nothing than have a robot for a pet.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
Lets call them Serv-U-Bots.
Thesepersonalservice robots are different from thosedeveloped to replace humans in some manufacturing and service sectors.
However, this is an expensive endeavor.
Tombot robot dogs are marketed as helping elderly people with dementia.
These dogs are not considered pets by the organizations that breed and train them.
They are service dogs,trained to provide assistance.
They could also be programmed to facilitate actual interactions with living beings.
This technology can save and enrich lives and help people to be mobile.
Serv-U-Bots would be able to support the independence and mobility needs of humans without exploiting non-human animals.
Carver, Assistant Professor,Queens University, Ontario
This article is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license.
