So what will the next home robot be able to do? I'm Fred Fishkin with technology BootCamp, a report on gadgets and gear. iRobot, the company behind the Roomba robotic vacuum, is hardly standing still these days. The technology in the latest Roomba models is far superior than was found in the early days. Other iRobot devices have been saving lives by searching out danger in caves in Afghanistan for the military. CEO and founder Colin Angle says there's much more to come. For instance, what if robots could help the elderly extend their independence...

"We have started a working group looking at what it would take to do this. What are the reasons people have to go into assisted living. What can robots do? How much is it going to cost and when can we bring those products to market? I don't have answers for you today, but we are going to get there."

iRobot founder and CEO Colin Angle. You can find us with archives, interviews and more at BootCamp.com. I'm Fred Fishkin.