These days，robots are more common than you might think.Consider the Ro omba，a robotic vacuum(吸尘器)which cleans floors on its own.
“We wanted to make something simple that people could use every day，” says Greiner，cofounder of IRobot，the company that makes the smart vacuum.“And that's what inspired us to build the Roomba.”
Some robots like the Roomba are alrea dy very common in many US households.
IRobot makes everything from the Roomba to robots that someday might become a part of us.
“You can have robotics equipped into your body，to get back that arm or leg that you've lost，either in some accidents or diseases，” says Greiner.
Although robots have been developed mainly for military(军用的) applications，civilian uses for the technology are growing，according to Michael Toscano，president of the Asso ciation for Unmanned(自控的) Vehi cles International.
