The robot butler that can bring you your drink

British academics have helped develop a robot, which is both a home help and a friend to older people who may be ill, trapped and alone. The Care-O-bot 3 is much more like a utilitarian household appliance than the action figures that featured in the futuristic film iRobot, starring Will Smith. And she - or he - is more likely to offer a Karaoke sing along and make a cup of coffee than go on a murderous rampage - or at least that is the idea. A UK team has designed a robot butler called Care-O-Bot 3 (shown). The machine has a flexible arm that can pick up drinks.