Planning for Robots

Robots of all shapes and sizes are entering our cities. Seoul has recently developed plans for arobot-friendly city,proactively envisioning the wide-ranging integration of robots into everyday life. Whilepersonal delivery devicesthat deliver products in the air and on the ground are already coming, trends point to the potential for robots to fulfill a variety of other functions within society, including taking care of the very young and the elderly. In nations grappling with the challenge of low birth rates, especially in Europe and Asia, theburden of careand the fulfillment of critical functions within cities may increasingly fall upon robots and other autonomous technologies. This includes mundane but vital services, such asstreet cleaning,public safety, andtransit services.