July 01, 2005 | Back

iRobot's Latest Robot Cleans Around Your Schedule

Self-cleaning vacuum not enough for you, you say? You need it to turn itself on and off too? That may sound a bit absurd to most folks, but not to iRobot. The company just introduced the iRobot Roomba Scheduler Robotic Floorvac, a robot that automatically vacuums floors on a schedule you set. The latest addition to iRobot's popular line of Roomba Discovery Robotic Floorvacs allows people to program the new robot to clean floors at a certain time each day, seven days a week.

The company also announced a new accessory for iRobot Roomba owners. The Scheduler pack updates the software in Roomba Discovery series models, thereby adding new scheduling functionality to their existing robots. With more than 1.2 million units sold since its introduction in 2002, iRobot claims that its award-winning Roomba Robotic Floorvac is the most successful consumer robot in history.

> Source: iRobot
> Estimated price: Roomba Scheduler $329 - Accessory Pack $59
> Date released/expected: N/A

Posted at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Email to a friend | Comments

June 21, 2005 | Back

Smart Carpet Directs Robot Vacuum

If you love your Roomba, but are always finding missed spots, check this out. Vorwerk Teppichwerke, working jointly with Infineon Technologies AG, has developed a textile floor covering as a one-of-its-kind electronic guidance system on the basis of RFID ( Radio Frequency ID entification) technology. This "Smart Carpet" enables robots equipped with an RFID reader to navigate automatically and intelligently across the floor. Robots of this type can be deployed for example as an automatically controlled transport unit or a self-propelling automated cleaner.

Externally the "Smart Carpet" does not differ from a normal carpet. The secret lies in its backing. Invisibly placed RFID tags are integrated into the carpet's basic construction. There those tags are enscribed and read out electromagnetically. The robot then moves precisely along the "routing network" formed in this manner towards a certain point or room. A reading memory analyses which spots have already been driven to or which areas of a given surface have already been processed. The robot can also store date and time information on the RFID tag, for example. The carpet is not yet available, but will be ready in 2006. Wonder if RFID tags will work on laundry too...

> Source: Vorwerk
> Estimated price: N/A
> Date released/expected: N/A

Posted at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Email to a friend | Comments

May 25, 2005 | Back

iRobot Unveils World's First Robotic Floor Washer

iRobot has unvelied the company's latest household miracle (and I do not use the term loosely), the iRobot Scooba Robotic Floor Washer. This next-generation robot is designed to vacuum, scrub and dry hard floors automatically. Yes, you read it right. Automatically.

The new robot builds on technology advances from the company's runaway hit, the iRobot Roomba Robotic Floorvac. The new robot will utilize a specially engineered cleaning solution from Clorox, and only uses fresh water and cleaning solution from a clean tank. It never spreads dirty water on the floor! So, you basically do nothing and get cleaner floors than you ever thought possible. I predict a winner here...

> Source: iRobot
> Estimated price: Not yet determined
> Date released/expected: N/A

Posted at 06:02 PM | Permalink | Email to a friend | Comments