We’re learning to love our machines

We're learning to love our machines—or, at least, that's how it's starting to seem! Things have come an awfully long way since the early 19th-century, when an infamous band of textile workers called the Luddites smashed up the machines they feared were stealing their jobs. What would they make of life 200 years later, when most products come from highly automated factories and many of us are now inviting robots into our homes? It's still very early days for household robots, but a popular little machine called the Roomba could be the shape of things to come. It's a small, computerized cleaner that nips round your house automatically brushing and vacuuming the carpets, rugs, and floors. How does it work? Is it any good? Should you buy one? Let's take a closer look!
Photo: When Roomba finishes the housework, it docks itself in this recharging station and charges up its batteries, ready for next time. The CLEAN button flashes orange while it's charging; once Roomba is fully charged, the b...