It sounds like something from a science fiction film, but the concept of robots cleaning our streets is becoming a reality with what is believed to be a world first.
DUSTBOT ('Networked and Cooperating Robots for Urban Hygiene') is an original idea, which operates robots in partially unstructured environments (such as squares, streets, parks) to sweep up rubbish and dirt. They can also collect small quantities of home rubbish on demand from citizens, at their doors.