iRobot's Roomba Pet torments the dog, sweeps away dander

iRobot just announced its new Roomba Pet robotic vacuum cleaners. Boasting the core tech found in the 530 and 560 series of vacuums, the Roomba 532 ($349) and more advanced 562 ($399, includes on-board scheduling) Pet series feature higher capacity sweeper bins; counter-rotating, carpet-digging brushes; and additional accessories to keep those brushes hair and dander free. We hear it's pretty good at herding the kids too. Available now.

[Viaono @ Sep 3rd 2008 7:01AM]

This thing (the Electrolux one) fell from my wooden staircase once, and it's the first time I noticed that this thing don't know how to go downstairs properly...

[Jody Clarke @ Sep 3rd 2008 7:43AM]

Mine got out the catflap and never came back; i think a neighbour took it in and now it's forgotten all about me.........selfish bastard.

[Mile @ Sep 3rd 2008 7:21AM]

Photoshop.

[BassCraze @ Sep 3rd 2008 8:11AM]

Imagine the potential of this fellow when upgraded with some creative homebrew firmware:
- A self-moving serving tray… that way your girlfriend doesn't have to leave the kitchen during the game (or boyfriend, for political correctness).
- An indoor segway…
- A battle bot (after adding some extra hardware: an axe or something)…
- A leafblower for your driveway (would require reversing the polarity on the suction motor)…

Any other creative ideas?

[John Blake @ Sep 3rd 2008 8:16AM]

There is a fairly large community of people that are modifying the Roomba to do all sorts of cool things.

There is lot's of good info in this forum:

http://www.roombareview.com/chat/viewforum.php?f=4

[Rocketboy @ Sep 3rd 2008 8:20AM]

Bastages! No-way i'm spending all that cash on a second roomba....

[Rob Bourne @ Sep 3rd 2008 8:21AM]

Robopuppy mistreatment alert! ROBOPUPPY MISTREATMENT ALERT!!

[Haikibutsu @ Sep 3rd 2008 8:43AM]

I need this for Free Roam time with my two adorable guinea piggies!

[kickpush @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:55AM]

I wonder if my dog would run away from this, she hates vacuums.

[Aaron @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:08AM]

I wish I had waited to get my 580 so I could get the 562. With a cat and a dog, the thing is full of hair very quickly. Blah.

[unhappyrobot @ Sep 3rd 2008 11:26AM]

They ought to give it spots or something since its the "Pet" edition.

[Lazarus @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:47PM]

Do these things really work? I've got tons of pet hair.

[Here2Help @ Sep 6th 2008 12:33AM]

It might not work on you, but I hear it cleans carpets & floors well enough

[sdirge @ Sep 7th 2008 11:10AM]

We have 3 dogs, a golden, GSD, and a Lab Mix, they generate a TON of hair. We have a roomba 560 (non-pet) we schedule it every day and it does make a noticeable difference. We only do a full vacuum of the carpets once a month.