Photos: Robots, lasers, action

El-E, named after its arm's resemblance to an elephant trunk, as seen here, can grasp a range of household items including towels, pill bottles and telephones from floors or tables.

The robot and its ability to pick up items from both floors and shelves could be a lifeline for people who have mobility difficulties.

El-E's creators are gathering input from ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) patients and doctors to prepare El-E to assist patients with severe mobility challenges.

Researchers from Georgia Tech and Emory are working with an expert on human-computer interactions to ensure the robot will one-day be ready to be used in people's homes.

Photo credit: Georgia Institute of Technology