June 21, 2005 | Back

Smart Carpet Directs Robot Vacuum

Filed under category: Robots

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 on June 21, 2005 10:57 PM

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