They weld parts of cars together, put together plastic toys, package bread, and perform many other repetitive tasks. A spill occurs at a nuclear waste site. Perhaps a robot can. Scientists are developing robots that can work in situations that would be dangerous or impossible for human workers. Robots can work with harmful chemicals, explore the ocean floor, and travel into space.
People write the computer programs, or instructions, that tell robots what to do.
For example, the computer program Haymarket is an Artificial Intelligence program that lets you bargain for a box of strawberries. On the space shuttle, there is a computer with an AI program that helps make decisions about how to guide the shuttle during take-off and landing. Computers are good at some things that are difficult for people, but what a three-year old can easily do, no robot has yet to accomplish. Walking is a good example of this. It's very difficult to build and program a real robot that can balance when walking.