<strong>Still waiting for my robotic lawn mower and snow shoveler!</strong><hr></blockquote>
My friend Sasha said that they should come out with robots that mow the lawn and I told her that I can't really see that happening. What would happen if the thing went haywire? That's the last thing I'd want to see, though it may be funny: my out of control lawn mower chasing the neighborhood kids.
I agree. When we lived in Hawaii my brother had to walk the lawn for coconuts before he started mowing. Otherwise they'd get chucked across the lawn at high speed.
My question is: what about oddly shaped rooms, or rooms with lots of stuff on the floor and in the way (e.g. A dining room with chairs, the table, a serving table, etc.)?
Does this thing essentially act like a pool vaccuum? It does its thing until you stop it? Does it 'know' when it's 'done' with the room? Does it ever miss a spot?
<strong>My question is: what about oddly shaped rooms, or rooms with lots of stuff on the floor and in the way (e.g. A dining room with chairs, the table, a serving table, etc.)?
Does this thing essentially act like a pool vaccuum? It does its thing until you stop it? Does it 'know' when it's 'done' with the room? Does it ever miss a spot?
Didn't mean to take so long to get back but I've been downed by the flu.
First question: oddly shaped rooms and/or rooms with objects in them. Well, one thing you have to do before letting this thing loose is to make sure there are no wires on the floor that can get tangled in the rollers. This IS a vacuum cleaner, so you want to avoid that. Another thing, you want to space out chairs or whatever so it can't get caught between them (called a lobster trap). After you make sure those provisions are set, you can let it loose.
Second question: no this thing does not act like a pool vacuum but it is on a timer to stop. There are three settings on the Roomba: small, medium, and large rooms. Each setting is a different timing: 15, 25, 35 minutes, or something like that. after the preset time is done, it plays a cute little song.
Third question: does it miss a spot? Not that I've seen. There is a preset algorithm it uses to clean the floors and it's VERY good at covering every space it can. (This algorithm is also used by robotic mine sweapers who automatically search for buried explosives in war zones, so I imagine it's pretty damned accurate covering the area it's supposed to cover. It better f*cking be.) I've been very pleased by the results of this cleaner, but I have had to double-check tight corners, just in case. So, given the patterns, all it really needs is time to go through a room.
Bags and such: the thing comes with a little tray that stores all the dirt. This has to be emptied each time you're finished with a room. I believe I commented on this up there somewhere, let me see. Ahh yes, here it is: the dust bin where it stores everything it picks up was probably designed by the marketing team. I say this because you must empty it after each room, therefore you see the results of the work the Roomba has done, impressing you each time! If that's not good marketing, I don't know what is.
Any more questions, I'll be glad to answser them. I've had this thing for nearly a week now and I must say, my apartment floor looks great! Especially around the sugar glider area in the kitchen. Underneath their cage on the floor used to be messy all the time because of their activity at night. No longer! Whenever I feel it needs to be picked up, I just let Roomba go at it. It's a vacuum, but it also sweeps floors. Ain't life grand? lol
<strong>Oh HELL yes! I was gonna pay close to that much for a standard vacuum anyway in a few months.. I think I know what I'm saving up for!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Seriously, it's totally worth it. And at the comparable price of a good vacuum cleaner, too, it's not like you're paying too much for it.
[quote]Originally posted by bradbower:
<strong>Robotic lawnmowers have got to be coming. Snowthrowers might be a bit more difficult to automate, however.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I bet you neither will be coming soon. Think about it: sure, you can have robotic lawnmowers or snowblowers that follow or stay within an invisible beam, hell, my vacuum can do that. But the one thing my vacuum can't do it maim someone. With a robotic lawnmower, you need spinning blades to cut the grass while you leave it unattended to do whatever. All it needs is ONE idiot neighborhood kid in the world for that idea to be really bad, really dangerous.
I bet you neither will be coming soon. Think about it: sure, you can have robotic lawnmowers or snowblowers that follow or stay within an invisible beam, hell, my vacuum can do that. But the one thing my vacuum can't do it maim someone. With a robotic lawnmower, you need spinning blades to cut the grass while you leave it unattended to do whatever. All it needs is ONE idiot neighborhood kid in the world for that idea to be really bad, really dangerous.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Robotic Lawnower already exist : you can buy for 1500 $. There is two of three models avalaible on the market if my memory is good.
Robotic Lawnower already exist : you can buy for 1500 $. There is two of three models avalaible on the market if my memory is good.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That you can just leave unattended? Wow. We should start a pool: how long before the first lawsuit?
That you can just leave unattended? Wow. We should start a pool: how long before the first lawsuit?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I think that the lawsuit will be for the owner, the maker of this kind of machine will made a notice of 100 pages of various recommandations : do not use this device if your garden is not close ...
I have a John Deere micro-tractor lawnower and the notice is full of various recommandations. For sure it has been made by lawyers.
I think that the lawsuit will be for the owner, the maker of this kind of machine will made a notice of 100 pages of various recommandations : do not use this device if your garden is not close ...</strong><hr></blockquote>
Still a bit risky, don't you think? Any links to said machine? This thread IS about cool inventions, eh?
I imagine with appropriate safetey devices, a robotic lawnmower could be fairly safe. For example, a heat sensor so it wouldn't mow over any living object in it's path (a kid lying on the grass?), and some sort of mechanism to immediately stop the blades if it was lifted up.
When you think about it, there are lots of dangerous devices all around kids today. There's little to stop them from playing with a conventoinal lawnmower and chopping off their fingers. It's just that a robotic lawnmower is unfamiliar.. so certain people might not realize the precautions they have to take.
-robo
ps. The Roomba sounds awesome, but i wonder if version 2.0 would be even more exciting. Automatic dust pan emptying, charging, and multiple room cleaning (on a schedule you set from your computer, via bluetooth? ) seem like no-brainers.
Too bad my apartment is too cluttered for a Roomba.
Comments
<strong>Still waiting for my robotic lawn mower and snow shoveler!</strong><hr></blockquote>
My friend Sasha said that they should come out with robots that mow the lawn and I told her that I can't really see that happening. What would happen if the thing went haywire? That's the last thing I'd want to see, though it may be funny: my out of control lawn mower chasing the neighborhood kids.
<strong>How about a robotic wiener holder so I don't have wash may hands after using the urinal?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I bet a lot of people would mod theirs to not just HOLD it but....
<strong>what happens if the thing falls down the stairs?
Does this thing essentially act like a pool vaccuum? It does its thing until you stop it? Does it 'know' when it's 'done' with the room? Does it ever miss a spot?
[ 01-02-2003: Message edited by: CosmoNut ]</p>
<strong>200 US dollars is the list price.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Oh HELL yes! I was gonna pay close to that much for a standard vacuum anyway in a few months.. I think I know what I'm saving up for!
This is too cool. I'll just have to see what the answers are to CosmoNut's questions, I'm wondering the same things.
Robotic lawnmowers have got to be coming. Snowthrowers might be a bit more difficult to automate, however.
<strong>So anyone know where to buy them here in Europe?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I'd say come back in about a year or so mate - and be prepared to pay at least twice those $200
<strong>My question is: what about oddly shaped rooms, or rooms with lots of stuff on the floor and in the way (e.g. A dining room with chairs, the table, a serving table, etc.)?
Does this thing essentially act like a pool vaccuum? It does its thing until you stop it? Does it 'know' when it's 'done' with the room? Does it ever miss a spot?
[ 01-02-2003: Message edited by: CosmoNut ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
Didn't mean to take so long to get back but I've been downed by the flu.
First question: oddly shaped rooms and/or rooms with objects in them. Well, one thing you have to do before letting this thing loose is to make sure there are no wires on the floor that can get tangled in the rollers. This IS a vacuum cleaner, so you want to avoid that. Another thing, you want to space out chairs or whatever so it can't get caught between them (called a lobster trap). After you make sure those provisions are set, you can let it loose.
Second question: no this thing does not act like a pool vacuum but it is on a timer to stop. There are three settings on the Roomba: small, medium, and large rooms. Each setting is a different timing: 15, 25, 35 minutes, or something like that. after the preset time is done, it plays a cute little song.
Third question: does it miss a spot? Not that I've seen. There is a preset algorithm it uses to clean the floors and it's VERY good at covering every space it can. (This algorithm is also used by robotic mine sweapers who automatically search for buried explosives in war zones, so I imagine it's pretty damned accurate covering the area it's supposed to cover. It better f*cking be.) I've been very pleased by the results of this cleaner, but I have had to double-check tight corners, just in case. So, given the patterns, all it really needs is time to go through a room.
Bags and such: the thing comes with a little tray that stores all the dirt. This has to be emptied each time you're finished with a room. I believe I commented on this up there somewhere, let me see. Ahh yes, here it is: the dust bin where it stores everything it picks up was probably designed by the marketing team. I say this because you must empty it after each room, therefore you see the results of the work the Roomba has done, impressing you each time! If that's not good marketing, I don't know what is.
Any more questions, I'll be glad to answser them. I've had this thing for nearly a week now and I must say, my apartment floor looks great! Especially around the sugar glider area in the kitchen. Underneath their cage on the floor used to be messy all the time because of their activity at night. No longer! Whenever I feel it needs to be picked up, I just let Roomba go at it. It's a vacuum, but it also sweeps floors. Ain't life grand? lol
<strong>Oh HELL yes! I was gonna pay close to that much for a standard vacuum anyway in a few months.. I think I know what I'm saving up for!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Seriously, it's totally worth it. And at the comparable price of a good vacuum cleaner, too, it's not like you're paying too much for it.
[quote]Originally posted by bradbower:
<strong>Robotic lawnmowers have got to be coming. Snowthrowers might be a bit more difficult to automate, however.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I bet you neither will be coming soon. Think about it: sure, you can have robotic lawnmowers or snowblowers that follow or stay within an invisible beam, hell, my vacuum can do that. But the one thing my vacuum can't do it maim someone. With a robotic lawnmower, you need spinning blades to cut the grass while you leave it unattended to do whatever. All it needs is ONE idiot neighborhood kid in the world for that idea to be really bad, really dangerous.
<strong>
I bet you neither will be coming soon. Think about it: sure, you can have robotic lawnmowers or snowblowers that follow or stay within an invisible beam, hell, my vacuum can do that. But the one thing my vacuum can't do it maim someone. With a robotic lawnmower, you need spinning blades to cut the grass while you leave it unattended to do whatever. All it needs is ONE idiot neighborhood kid in the world for that idea to be really bad, really dangerous.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Robotic Lawnower already exist : you can buy for 1500 $. There is two of three models avalaible on the market if my memory is good.
<strong>
Robotic Lawnower already exist : you can buy for 1500 $. There is two of three models avalaible on the market if my memory is good.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That you can just leave unattended? Wow. We should start a pool: how long before the first lawsuit?
<strong>
That you can just leave unattended? Wow. We should start a pool: how long before the first lawsuit?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I think that the lawsuit will be for the owner, the maker of this kind of machine will made a notice of 100 pages of various recommandations : do not use this device if your garden is not close ...
I have a John Deere micro-tractor lawnower and the notice is full of various recommandations. For sure it has been made by lawyers.
<strong>
I think that the lawsuit will be for the owner, the maker of this kind of machine will made a notice of 100 pages of various recommandations : do not use this device if your garden is not close ...</strong><hr></blockquote>
Still a bit risky, don't you think? Any links to said machine? This thread IS about cool inventions, eh?
When you think about it, there are lots of dangerous devices all around kids today. There's little to stop them from playing with a conventoinal lawnmower and chopping off their fingers. It's just that a robotic lawnmower is unfamiliar.. so certain people might not realize the precautions they have to take.
-robo
ps. The Roomba sounds awesome, but i wonder if version 2.0 would be even more exciting. Automatic dust pan emptying, charging, and multiple room cleaning (on a schedule you set from your computer, via bluetooth?
Too bad my apartment is too cluttered for a Roomba.
[ 01-05-2003: Message edited by: robo ]</p>