Robotics moving ahead, and computer driven cars...

It seems that the old sci-fi stand by's of the robotic home butler and the self-driving car are actually going to happen, as soon as within the next 15 years. A lot of cynics would scoff at this prediction, but the fundamental technologies to make these things happen are finally starting to come together.

Paranoid androids 'in 10 years'

...At present, commercially available robots such as automatic vacuum cleaners are little more than drones capable of carrying out only one task. However, speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Francisco yesterday, a panel of robotics experts said robots capable of multiple domestic tasks, that can also provide companionship for their owners, will be available within 10 years. And the scientists claim it is already possible to give robots such "feelings"...

Making the right robot for the right job

"Within a decade cars could start driving themselves on highways and in less than 25 years automakers may be producing vehicles "smart" enough to chauffeur passengers through city streets, Stanford computer scientist Sebastian Thrun predicted Saturday in San Francisco."