Sometimes, the best solutions may be the simplest ones. Case in point: Charlie Kemp and his associates have found a new way to instruct a robot by the name of El-E. All it took, it seems, was a green laser pointer.

Basically, all someone has to do is to select an object via the laser pointer, and El-E will go pick it up. A second point and click will command El-E to deposit the object somewhere. After which, El-E will return to its master's side. It's a simple, yet effective, system. Kemp and co. designed the robot to help people with mobility problems, such as patients with ALS.

El-E is equipped with an omni-directional camera, a laser range finder and a unique algorithm for determining how to detect objects and faces. Kemp however, says that robots have difficulty processing human languages. Fortunately, the laser pointer enables El-E to get around this problem. The robot can now identify the target object even if it doesn't understand what the object is from a human perspective.

While this is an important step in the development of helper-type robots, Kemp and his colleagues are now working on expanding El-E's capabilities. The future may see El-E switching lights on and off, as well as opening and closing doors for its human master.