“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” This is what Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, said in 1977 when the personal computer idea was presented to him. Today it sounds funny, but this is exactly the way people think about personal robotics at home.

The first thing that everyone asks me about my personal robot is: what does it do? Will it make me coffee? Why do you think anyone would want a robot in their home?

From PC to PR (personal robot) – In my vision, a personal robot is a direct extension of the personal computer and the tablets. If the PC brought the whole world into our homes and smartphones kept us connected at any time, a personal robot will keep us present everywhere.

To sum it up in one word: movement

We are moving creatures and a static device will always bind us.

A smart moving robot can come to us when we are lying on the couch, move with us to any place in the house and adjust the screen to us whether we sit, move or lie down. Imagine your tablet, AI assistant, sound system, remote controls and every technology you have could come to you whenever you want. A personal robot can present us anywhere and physically connect us. For the first time in history we can be at 2 places at once.

Pablo Picasso said: “Anything you can imagine is real”. Well, we have been imagining personal robots for decades. Because at the end of the day every human wants two main things: The first, to be at the center. The second, to be connected to other people. A personal robot can provide both.

Rich people pay a lot of money so that other people serve them. Smart technology can serve everybody and by that make them rich. I think this is wonderful.

In the very near future every family will be able to afford having a personal photographer, a personal assistant and a personal DJ… this is the personal robot experience that puts us at the center and connects us to the things that matter most.

So, let’s put philosophy aside, and let me show you what a robot can do for us in our daily life, and why it will make us better people:

1.   Skype with your kids has such a great influence but we are doing it so little. Why? Because there is no chance that they will stay in front of the tablet for a whole conversation. A robot can let us connect to our kids because it is active, it responds to them, instead of them having to adjust to the device.

Since I have been using a personal robot at home, I’ve noticed that my use of video calls has become longer and more significant.

2.   Don’t you think it’s weird that we are walking at home in our underwear with our smartphone stuck in them because we are so addicted?

We all know how connected we are to our smartphone at home, so connected that it disconnects us from each other. A personal robot can come to us to any room, and bring us the content we need – whether it is taking a video of us fooling around with the kids, connecting to media when we are laying on the couch or just checking the traffic to work as while we dress in the morning. A personal robot will free our hands at home and let us really be with our family. More and more big companies like Apple and Google follow this vision and are creating great AI assistants, and Amazon even launched its new “Amazon show” with a video display – but can you really enjoy a handsfree video call while you are cooking when your amazon show is stuck in the corner of the kitchen? And what if you move to your living room and want to see the news? Carrying your amazon show to every room you go really takes out all the fun and is really not cool. The only real solution for an Ultimate AI assistant is a robot. Only then we can really connect without disconnecting from real life. It is pretty sad that we spend so much time at home while we are actually not there but with our smartphone. A personal robot connects people while smartphones disconnect them from the people around them.

3.   Don’t call home. Be home!

When you are away you constantly think about home – are the kids okay? Did I turn off the oven? A personal robot lets you connect through your smartphone from anywhere, walk around the house from room to room and really be there for your loved ones, talk to them and see them without disrupting their activity, or just check that everything is safe. Whenever you feel like, while waiting at the airport or during a break at work… Just drop home and spend quality time with your family. It’s the closest thing to physically being there.

4.   Get your kids off the screen and on their feet!

Kids today are connected to tablets and smartphones even more than us – Kids sitting for long hours, passively in front of screens has become a real issue. A personal robot is open to endless possibilities of games and educational apps that can move and interact with you- from “hide and seek” to language learning apps that let your kids learn as they are active. The movement and interaction of a personal robot is a whole new world for developers… and a whole new cool world for kids.

5.   When you are finally laid back on the couch the remote/tablet looks so far away

A robot lets you be lazy. It can come to you, show you sports updates, turn on the AC and let you consume any content you want without moving a finger. Imagine you can call your remote, your table or any technology you have and it will just come to you. A smart speaker or smart TV don’t let us really be lazy when we deserve a rest after a long day at work.

6.   Carrying a cup of tea and operating a smartphone is a super complex task for elderly people.

We can’t always physically be there for our parents, but a personal robot is the best way to be there for them. It can come to them, carry their stuff, follow them around the house, watch over them if they fall and automatically call help, and most importantly – let them stay in touch with you: talk, see photos of the kids and be in touch with their doctor at a reach of just asking. It is so intuitive that elderly can easily operate it. A personal robot is a great way for us to be there for them. Sharing pictures and videos of the family gives so much happiness to our parents – What a great way to provide it to them.

7.   If you don’t think global you will stay local

Our life today is more global, we travel more for business, have offices around the world but still want to stay in control. A personal robot will let us do it. With a personal robot, you can be on a business trip in China and still talk to your engineers in the morning and walk around your office to see everybody is doing ok. Unlike video conference you don’t need to interrupt everybody’s work and gather them around in a conference room. In today’s reality, a CEO doesn’t call one of his employees just to say hi, but with a personal robot it’s something that will become natural, and it can change the day for your employees. Just connect to your personal robot, walk through your office and communicate with your colleagues as if you were there beside them. The most important thing in business is leadership, and leadership starts with looking your team in the eye.

8.   Don’t stop what you are doing to connect

We have so many tasks around the house – folding laundry, cooking, cleaning and just having fun with the kids. Up until today every time we wanted to talk to a friend or just go over the news we had to stop what we are doing and connect… Not anymore. A personal robot will connect us without disrupting our life – video call while cooking, watch sports updates while cleaning or order pizza while playing with your kids. Togetherness bring happiness.

9.     Let a robot work for you when you are out

A personal robot keeps on working for you all the time. He can be your personal security guard, check that there are no gas leaks or that the AC is off. He will always notify you through your smartphone if something is wrong. Your robot never gets tired (and if he does he simply auto charges himself). This will give you the peace of mind when you are out of your home. And I haven’t mentioned the endless possibilities for business, hotels, restaurants and hospitals.

10. It’s a cool thing to own : )

If you relate to at least one of these situations, the personal robot is the answer. If not… well, not everybody should be a robot owner.

Your personal DJ, your personal photographer, your personal AI assistant, your personal security guard… your personal robot. This Is the new way to connect and it’s all about you.