Six signs the machines are about to take over

Robots have aided humanity in many wonderful ways. From bomb disposal bots to space exploration droids, many would argue that robots are a force for good.

But several recent news reports have us worrying about a much darker future - one where the machines rise up and conquer the world. Here are signs that that day is almost definitely close...

The vacuum cleaner with a craving for human hair

A woman in South Korea had to be freed by the fire brigade after she took a nap on the floor of her apartment, only for her robot vacuum cleaner to mistake her hair for dust and promptly ingest 5cm of it.

The robot - which can also perform other household tasks - was programmed to vacuum at a set time of day and it appears the woman forgot when that was.

Blood-sucking artist robots

Robot-run hotels

This absolutely terrifying robot called Iwazume will be one of 10 helping to run a hotel at a Netherlands-themed park in Japan. The droids can speaking four languages and respond to a guest's body language, eye contact and tone.

How safe would you feel spending a night in a hotel with these terrifying things roaming the corridors?

Ready, steady, robot

Ainslie Harriot, Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson: they'll all be things of the past soon. Scientists in the US have trained robots to learn how to cook by watching YouTube videos without supervision from humans.

Soon, our robot masters will be wandering around with an array of pepper grinders, potato mashers and really, really sharp knives.

Actual killing machines

They're learning to swarm

Soon gun-toting, potato-mashing, blood-sucking robots will be rising up and there'll be nowhere to hide. Probably.

More: Jobs that robots will never be able to do as well as humans