Lawnmowing, Cooking, Babysitting Robot Helpers. They're on the way, say futurists and robotic experts, according to MSNBC. Scientists and techies are feverishly developing all kinds of robots to help us -- humans -- more easily navigate our complex lives. They're making "real world" progress and, before we know it, robots will be serving as housekeepers, golf instructors, people "partners-companions" and more.

They'll probably not serve as full substitutes for spouses and kids -- though, who knows, for spouses they might have real advantages. There's also a way to go before all the robotic kinks are solved. (E.g., it wouldn't be good if the robots thought they owned the house or they could hold the TV remote while we're watching TV.)  

But the robots are coming -- Isaac Asimov was right! -- and, if we're lucky, they'll at a minimum save us from having to always take out the garbage or do the dishes or...even (maybe, we hope, pretty please) go to work.