BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People with limited abilities often need an assistant for performing tasks around the home. For example, moving objects, feeding pets, cleaning up, etc., become very difficult tasks for people with difficulty walking around their home or picking up and carrying objects. Even for the able-bodied it would often be preferable to not have to perform some of these tasks, for example, when traveling, busy with work, relaxing, etc. Hiring an assistant to come into the home is expensive and can bring complications, for example introducing the possibilities of theft, employment law issues, etc. However, the world of humans is very messy and difficult for robots to navigate. Only the simplest home robots have shown themselves to be practical (e.g., robotic vacuum cleaners). This creates a problem where robots for more complicated tasks typically require very sophisticated technology, becoming more expensive than hiring a human assistant.

