Scientists have reprogrammed the robot vacuum cleaner to help recharge the phone and assist with home exercise because they think the machine is too "idle".
Researchers at the University of Bath say the increasingly popular domestic appliances are used on average less than two hours a day, but some modifications may be made.
To prove their point of view, they retrained the Roomba device for a range of other chores and outlined more possible tasks such as playing with cats and watering.
The study’s author Yoshiaki Shiokawa said the robots are “considered as limited single-task devices, but there is a strong argument that they are not sufficient for practical tasks.”
The global market size of home robots is worth US$10.3 billion (£7.7 billion) in 2023 and is expected to reach US$24.5 billion by 2028, meaning these devices are becoming increasingly common in people’s homes.
Given that current machines sometimes struggle with the challenges facing carpets and shoelaces while performing core functions, anyone who has seen robot vacuums may find these ideas a bit far-fetched.
However, scientists from the University of Bath and the University of Calgary, Canada have begun to demonstrate that cleaners, such as lawn mowers, can be reprogrammed and modified.
Their study identified 100 features that the robot might perform with simple tweaks.
The scientists then reprogrammed the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner to perform four of them:
Other proposed tasks suggested by scientists include a reprogrammed robot that takes groceries from the car to the kitchen.
Mr Shiokawa, PhD student in the BATH Department of Computer Science, said the program proved that Roomba can hold multiple roles around the house after making minimal adjustments.
He sighed, “For most of the day, they were idle.”
He added that taking on some new tasks involves some upgrades, and the average vacuum boss may not lie around their houses, such as trolleys, helmets and robotic arms.
Still, he said people should expect more robots.
"We should extend its utility beyond its main tasks by programming it to physically navigate the house to perform a range of other functions," he said.
The study’s co-author Dr. Adwait Sharma agreed that the device’s “idle time” presents a “unique opportunity” to meet “the growing demand for adaptive robots and the needs of integrated systems that can seamlessly adapt to our daily lives.”