The robotics community at Silicon Valley got to see a personal robot called Luna that can perform all kinds of household chores. The humanoid robot that measures 5'2" is capable of doing any task around the house. This fully programmable robot is built on an open-source platform and features a Linux-based operating system called Luna OS.
The personal robotics market could be revolutionized with the introduction of the Luna. The field of robotics has been explored extensively in the medical, military, and industrial sectors, but the personal robotics sector has not been explored much. Luna is currently developed by California-based startup called RoboDynamics.
The Chief Executive Officer of RoboDynamics and Luna's creator, Fred Nikgohar, states that consumers can use the Luna if they are aware of making apps. The robot utilizes an open system that is economical. The personal robotics industry will evolve as the Luna will enable consumers to concentrate on making apps rather than on making robots, adds Nikgohar. The personal robots in the market include vacuum cleaners such as iRobot's Roomba, hobby kits like PR2, and toys like Pleo.
According to ABI Research, the personal robot market will reach over $19 billion in 2017, driven primarily by security and telepresence robots. These robots will function as interactive replacements for humans as it will come equipped with microphones, processors, sensors, and advanced cameras.
Source: http://www.engadget.com/