Intel promises an affordable home robot.   I’m Fred Fishkin with technology BootCamp, a report on gadgets and gear.   The body can be created on a 3D printer while the tech inside is created by Intel and its partners.   The version Intel principle engineer Brian David Johnson has been showing off is named Jimmy…and it’s designed for social interaction…

“The 21^st Century Robots and specifically Jimmy, is social.  So he’s not designed to manipulate the world, literally his hands are 3D printed, they don’t even work.  He’s designed to act and interact with people.  He’s designed to act and interact with other robots and with other pieces of technology.”  In what ways?  “Well that’s the thing.  We don’t know.  That’s what we’re really excited about with the project is we go to people and say, I know what I want my robot to do.  My robot’s Jimmy.  But a 21^st Century Robot is customizable.  Every robot has a name, what would you name your robot and what would you want your robot to do that no other robot would do?”

Check out 21stCenturyRobot.com for more info.   You can find us at BootCamp.com.  I’m Fred Fishkin.