The Techno-Gurus have applied their wizardry to a whole host of lifestyles in their various tech makeover projects...even playing around with the culinary arts a bit for the Wurtz family.

But what about the humble BBQ? Is it possible for technology to improve upon perhaps one of humankind's most primal pursuits -- meat roasting over fire?

As it turns out, the idea of robots cooking up delicious meals for us might not be too far off; just check out this little guy, called Chief Cook Robot, winner of this year's Human-Robot Interaction Challenge at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation:

Sure, a larger, more heat resistant version might be needed to actually huddle over the coals during a long holiday weekend, but in the here and now, people like Josh Greer of GeekWithFire.com are working to bring computer automation to outdoor cooking, with projects like the USB-Q Automated Smoker:

Just a little fun food for thought as you're are slaving over your hot grills this holiday weekend. Whatever your technology situation, here's hoping you're having a safe and happy Labor Day!

Posted by Jim 2.0 | tagged: food, robot, holidays, video