They're used in industry all the time, with the "warning" that they'll replace humans, to our detriment. However in our case, this is a good thing, especially considering the main hurdle to independence is that human help. If it's not available to someone for whatever reason, whether it's financial or geographical, it limits our options. Not any more.

A big issue with maintaining independence is keeping your surroundings tidy and in good order. When you can't reach to mop or vacuum the floor or windows, a personal home robot might be just the answer.

Another aspect of the home robot is interaction. While some are task specific, like the vacuums, others are multitaskers, with voice activation, connectivity, cameras, and some will even toss your dog a treat while you video chat with him. You know, in case you get lonely.