My wife and kids were perplexed by my excitement as I gathered them by the window to unveil a mysterious new gadget. With all eyes on the curtains, I tapped a command on my phone. The room was heavy with anticipation. After an agonizing 10-second delay, the left curtain jerked open in spurts. A few seconds later, the right curtain tried to join in but moved less than an inch and made a very unpleasant, high-pitched whine that lasted about 30 seconds. Why would you need a robot that automatically opens your curtains anyway, they asked.

A prototype Moby Mart is being tested in Shanghai, China. Per Cromwell, the project's lead designer, says four to six additional mobile supermarkets are planned in the coming year. A prototype Moby Mart is being tested in Shanghai, China. Per Cromwell, the project's lead designer, says four to six additional mobile supermarkets are planned in the coming year. Browse the science fiction aisles and you can find all sorts of dystopian future visions -- environmental catastrophes, robot overlords, zombies swarms, triffids.