--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So robots are good at very simple things…" description: "\"So robots are good at very simple things like cleaning the floor, like doing a repetitive task. Our robots have a little tiny bit of common sense. Our ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/rodney-brooks-16742_bits_so-robots-are-good-at-very-simple-things_1536527.png" --- # So robots are good at very simple things like cleaning the… ![“So robots are good at very simple things like cleaning the floor, like doing a repetitive task. Our robots have a little tiny bit of common sense. Our robots know that if they've got something in their hand and they drop it, it's gone. They shouldn't go and try and put it down.” quote by Rodney Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/rodney-brooks-16742_bits_so-robots-are-good-at-very-simple-things_1536527.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/rodney-brooks-16742_bits_so-robots-are-good-at-very-simple-things_1536527.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/rodney-brooks-16742_bits_so-robots-are-good-at-very-simple-things_1536527.png) > “So robots are good at very simple things like cleaning the floor, like doing a repetitive task. Our robots have a little tiny bit of common sense. Our robots know that if they've got something in their hand and they drop it, it's gone. They shouldn't go and try and put it down.” [Rodney Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Robots excel at repetitive, simple tasks but lack common sense; they understand basic cause‑effect (dropping an object means it’s gone) yet cannot infer more complex intentions. **In simple terms:** Robots are good at routine work but lack deeper understanding. Key Takeaway Design robots with broader contextual awareness. Themes technology robotics common sense Mood optimistic analytical Type technical forward‑looking When to use this quote - Manufacturing - home assistance - search and rescue - autonomous vehicles Key Concepts Artificial intelligence embodied cognition human‑robot interaction Questions to Reflect On - How can we teach robots to infer intent? - What are the limits of programming common sense? A Different Perspective Current robots still struggle with nuanced, unpredictable environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Robotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robotics/) [Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots/) [Simple things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-things/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [Robots are good at things that are structured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-kumar/robots-are-good-at-things-that-are-structured/) [Vijay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-kumar/) > [“I have been followed by enough police robots to know by now how indestructible they are. 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