Henry Evans can't speak or walk. He can only move one finger and his head. Now robotics geniuses Willow Garage are working with him to create a mechanical helper that could drastically improve Evans's life.

Our robot overlords don't necessarily have to be evil; they can also help disabled humans perform tasks that they can't do themselves. Researchers at robot startup Willow Garage and the Healthcare Robotics Lab at Georgia Tech are taking robotic assistance to the next level with Robots For Humanity, a project that aims to help Henry Evans, a mute quadriplegic, use a robot to perform daily tasks.

After suffering a stroke at age 40, Evans lost most of his physical abilities. But after therapy, he regained the use of one finger and the ability to move his head--two key factors that allow him to operate a computer (and instruct a robot). Now Willow Garage is investigating how its PR2 robot--a human-sized,...