"Today's $11 billion robot sector-mostly industrial robots-will double by 2010, according to estimates by the Japan Robot Association, and it should exceed $66 billion by 2025. Most of the growth will be in nonindustrial applications-especially, analysts say, in areas such as toys, transportation, and health and senior care. Imagine a robot helping a recovering heart-attack patient get some exercise by walking her down a hospital corridor, carrying her intravenous medicine bag, monitoring her heartbeat and other vital signs, and supporting her weight if she weakens." (http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/aug07/5391) What capabilities would you like your potentially perfect personal robot(s) to have (not just making coffee which is the answer most people tend to say)? What would you consider as the perfect personal robot? P.S. If you are married, don't suggest it to replace your wife. If you are single, be encouraged, one day robots will be our best partners! Maybe not...
Specifically, how can robots assist in hospitals? Here are some examples - transfer files, medications, food and clean linens between departments (that's navigation). Teleconferencing - remote conversation between a patient and a doctor (or several of them). What robot image understanding capabilities can be used for? (I have to think about that). Ideas?