LAUSANNE: Chennai-born engineer Shrihari Vasudevan's claim to fame may not be a long walk when he completes the "brain mapping" of a "home companion" robot, a prestigious project of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, expected to be accomplished by 2008. "Yes, it will be a dream come true for me. I am giving it my best shot," says Vasudevan, who is pursuing doctorate in robot technology at the institute here, 80 kms from Geneva. After graduating from the Madras University, Vasudevan went to the U.S. to complete his masters in engineering before landing in this institute for his PhD. Vasudevan, who is in his late twenties, is working on the mapping of the "brain" for the home robot, the most essential part of the project. "Well, we are working as a team. It is not that I am doing the most essential part. Everyone's role is important," Vasudevan said in humility. The project named "Cogniniron" is a joint effort of a consortium of companies from Switzerland, France, Germany and the United Kingdom besides a German-based firm GPS, which will have the marketing rights. A team of 30 scientists is working on the project, which is expected to be completed by 2008 after trials at various stages. About the mapping theory, Vasudevan says it will allow the home robot to register whatever it sees around it. The robot "will have to adjust itself according to the environment. It will have to even differentiate among drawing, dining, bedrooms and kitchen. As also how to react before guests and outsiders," he says. To a question whether it can be termed as a substitute to human being, Vasudevan says, "No, not at all. The robot will not have emotions. No tears will flow from its eyes." Asked whether the robot will be brought into use for purposes like probing the space or for a possible landing at Mars, he says, "Well, the answer is no. But later on, in science, no possibility is ruled out."