At present James is limited to orienting itself/himself to a room’s dimensions and contents. But it is foreseen that James will be able to help the elderly, those confined to bed or suffering from physical disabilities to get out of bed, fetch medication, do light carrying or even clean the apartment. Responding to verbal commands including “make and bring the coffee” are applications that are near to fruition. For James, who would help to ensure the continued autonomy and independence of the elderly at home, the future is open. The system has already been tested at the home furnishings store, IKEA, in Vienna, Austria. Testing will continue in different home environments.
