Getting to know you: the robot assistant who can second-guess your every need

It's here – a world in which helper robots live with us, get us through the day, and yes, become our trusted friend. Science fiction is becoming science fact. As sci-fi writer William Gibson has apparently noted: "The future is already here – it's just not very evenly distributed." The demand for helper robots is booming, and academia, industry and the military are working overtime to meet the need as a whole new industry gains momentum. The demand is fuelled by the existence of those boring, dirty and dangerous jobs that nonetheless need doing.