I don’t think sci-fi saw this coming. For so long, futuristic books and films have promised us robots like C-3PO that translate alien languages and assist us in hijinks. Or ones like Rosie that clean our houses. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, robots that level our houses and destroy humanity. Looking at you, Arnold. The reality of modern robotics couldn’t be more different. These days, it’s more about developing robots that ... shake the bejeezus out of cherry trees.

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