Poll Indicates We're Not Quite Ready For Robots.

Fourteen percent of the US adult population works at a company that currently employs robots, and an equal percentage believes that a robot eventually may perform their jobs. The findings, from a joint Red Herring magazine/Angus Reid Group poll are reported in a special "Robotic Century" multi-article briefing section in the magazine's August issue.

The "Life Expectancy" article reports that while robots may have become relatively common in the workplace, most people are far from ready to consider having such automated devices in their homes.

When queried about what part robotics might play in their lives, 68 percent of the Red Herring survey's respondents indicated that they thought vacuum cleaning was a pretty good possibility within 10 years, while 63 percent believed robots might mow the law or play a game within 10 years. But where having robots become part of the family starts to appear less than likely to those polled is when they try to imagine robots playing a part in such things as driving a car, cooking food or shopping.

"Seriously contemplating robots that will perform routine household tasks seems to be a big leap for the American public," writes Angus Reid Vice President Edward Morawski in the Red Herring article.

What do Americans expect robots will be able to do within the next ten years? Vacuum clean: 68 percent

 Vacuum clean:    68 percent
 Mow the lawn:    68 percent
 Play games:      63 percent
 Sweep floors:    61 percent
 Cook food:       37 percent
 Simulate a pet:  34 percent
 Drive a car:     34 percent
 Shop:            32 percent

The complete special-section article, "Life Expectancy: How People Envision Living with Robots," appears in the August issue of Red Herring magazine, now available on newsstands.