Robots of the future are expected to drive our cars and clean our homes, but now it seems they will also ensure that we maintain a full head of hair.

A new machine has been invented that could reduce the cost of hair transplant therapy. Called the ARTOS, the inventors believe that it can decide which hair follicles to collect from the back and sides of a person’s head. In turn the practitioners can then transplant them into area that need them.

Normally, it takes a round 8 to 9 hours to manually pluck the required number of follicles for transplantation for a full head of hair. The usual method is to strip the scalp, but this can be painful. This machine will reduce the time immensely as well as being a lot less painful for the patient.

Speaking with reporters, Dr. James Harris, director of the Hair Sciences Centre of Colorado in Denver, one of the scientists behind the development of the ARTOS robot said: “It’s certainly less tedious than doing it by hand.”

He added: “It allows me to think more about the other things I’m going to do with the patient.”

Dr. Harris is said to have designed the drill used by the robot for extracting the hair follicles. He said that the new machine will halve the surgery time, while surgeons and other practitioners can easily be trained how to use it in a matter of days. Seemingly it takes years of practice and training to remove follicles by hand.

ARTOS was officially approved by the US Food & Drug Administration last year.