10 Ways Robots Will Change All Our Lives Forever

If you think you're too easily distracted by your smartphone or emails at work now, imagine a world in which telepresence robots are an everyday occurrence.

These robots, you know, the ones that you can control remotely with the screen for a face to display a video call, would enable you to beam your presence almost anywhere in the world for everything from international business meetings to checking the back room for stock whilst making sure the person you're serving isn't about to make off with the till.

Your robotic avatar could even attend performances or conferences that your real self is just too busy to go to in person, or even just let the dog out if you find yourself having to work late. Just don't send it to your kids' ballet recital or anything, there are some things that you should probably do in person.

These robots are pretty much universally mocked at the moment, but even with this open derision, they are becoming more and more common in the workplace. They are, of course, open to abuse from a disgruntled workforce though. 

There have been instances in which telepresence robots have been dressed in Disney princess dresses, blocked into a corner, or even simply shoved in a lift, unable to press any buttons to free itself. Aside from being hilarious, these pranks would most likely decline if these robots were to become a more commonplace part of office life.