During the mid-twentieth century, managing the household was transformed by the mainstreaming of technological innovations such as washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners.

Perhaps in three decades from now, technology will have evolved to a level to allow humanoid robots, such as Andrew played by the late Robin Williams in the 1999 movie Bicentennial Man, to take over the household chores entirely.

Whether or not this represents a flight of fancy, what we know is that technological advancement rarely happens in great leaps but rather, through incremental steps.

Sydney and San Francisco-based AI and robotics startup a•kin, who have developed robotics alongside the likes of NASA, are currently working towards one such important staging post.

Smart speakers like Amazon Alexa and Google Home are already transforming the home for many and voice activation provides a particular boon for users with physical disabilities.

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