Floor-cleaning robot in Japanese office building can ride the elevator, leave early

It might not look like much, but this little... er, big guy is a robot recently developed and employed by Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd and Sumitomo Corporation in Osaka City, Japan to clean their floors. Now we've seen plenty of service robots that love to clean, some even professionally, but this one, operated by Reibi, is especially full-featured. Based on a robot developed in Tokyo in 2001, the updated version has laser sensors for detecting and avoiding obstacles. It's also been outfitted with light transmission devices which allow it to communicate with the elevators (also modified), so that it can travel between floors all on its own. As an icing on this deliciously fastidious cake, the robot can be equipped with cameras that record its entire shift, just to make sure its not falling asleep on the job. Should it ever miss a crumb on the floor or something, we also assume that it can fire itself, head out for a drinking binge, and spiral into an inevitable, lonely depression.

[Eric Tousignant @ Dec 5th 2008 11:37AM]

"Should it ever miss a crumb on the floor or something, we also assume that it can fire itself, head out for a drinking binge, and spiral into an inevitable, lonely depression."

That one made my day !

[OneLove @ Dec 7th 2008 7:13PM]

That's it, am moving to japan! They have all the fun toys!

[patriotsn1 @ Dec 5th 2008 11:38AM]

Can't figure out if this is creepier than my middle school janitor Mr. Moran... Not sure which one would cause more 4th grade nightmares...

[Lowest Ranked @ Dec 5th 2008 11:59AM]

I'm sure you would cause more 4th grade nightmares.

[patriotsn1 @ Dec 5th 2008 12:04PM]

Is that what's passing as "wit" these days? Man the internet is getting dull..

[Lowest Ranked @ Dec 5th 2008 12:20PM]

Your mom.

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 5th 2008 12:44PM]

Or "That's what she said."
Or "I see what you did right there."

And the worst thing is, you don't know whether you'll get high/low ranked if you say it because there is absolutely NO pattern.

[Rocketboy @ Dec 5th 2008 1:20PM]

I'd say the robot was less creepy. You know, less chance of 'bad' touches.

[Ghen @ Dec 5th 2008 1:30PM]

posting just to get ranked up is kinda sad.

[SimbaDogg @ Dec 6th 2008 4:21PM]

@ Mobius
haha, looks like the pattern just bit you in the ass

[absinthe party @ Dec 5th 2008 11:38AM]

Aww, no links to the urinal-polishing elephant bot? He was such a good time!

[David @ Dec 5th 2008 4:08PM]

I'm more a fan of the self-cleaning toilet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebJNjKkKxso

[StalematE @ Dec 5th 2008 11:38AM]

Can it take 14 smoking breaks a day and bitch about refilling the coffee machines like the guy the cleans the office I work in?

[iEye @ Dec 5th 2008 11:42AM]

If you guys drink coffee made by the Janitor, that is one nasty a$$ office...

So the guy finished up cleaning up poop in all the bathrooms, then goes out for a smoke, then proceeds to change the filter in the coffee maker...

Yum Yum...

[StalematE @ Dec 5th 2008 11:49AM]

The exact reason i don't drink coffee at the office. I'm rarely in there anyway, mostly I'm on the road.

[KarlW @ Dec 5th 2008 12:15PM]

Yes, and it also is legally entitled to 3 hours leave to donate blood.

[absinthe party @ Dec 5th 2008 11:39AM]

I think it's creepier that you knew your creepy middle school janitor's name.

[absinthe party @ Dec 5th 2008 11:40AM]

Oh... so this is that whole comment system fiasco you guys complain about? Ridiculous.

This was meant for patriotsn1.

[patriotsn1 @ Dec 5th 2008 11:48AM]

no he was just THAT creepy...

[ack154 @ Dec 5th 2008 11:51AM]

"Should it ever miss a crumb on the floor or something, we also assume that it can fire itself, head out for a drinking binge, and spiral into an inevitable, lonely depression."

As long as they don't try to make a commercial out of it, we'll be OK.

[Sceptical Aussie @ Dec 5th 2008 2:41PM]

Now that's funny.... I can see a big budget beer commercial... beer flowing everywhere..... robot cleaning like crazy..... "This mop's made for you!!"

[John Gennaro @ Dec 5th 2008 11:54AM]

My wife always told me about a similar robot at the Law School Admissions Counsel office that delivers mail to everyone. She couldn't get over how cute it was when it would call the elevator and wait for it.

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Dec 5th 2008 2:13PM]

this may come back to haunt me when robots have civil rights, but I am NOT holding an elevator for a frakking toaster.

[Jamie M @ Dec 5th 2008 11:55AM]

"Arthur, meet Marvin."

[sgt_easton @ Dec 5th 2008 11:55AM]

I can't believe no one said it yet...

[Steve-o @ Dec 5th 2008 11:59AM]

I for one welcome our floor-cleaning robot overlords

[Mike C @ Dec 5th 2008 12:00PM]

I for one welcome our night shift working robot overlords?

[patriotsn1 @ Dec 5th 2008 12:03PM]

Will it blend?

Will it play Crysis?

I for one welcome...

[Patriks7 @ Dec 5th 2008 1:37PM]

"Will it blend?"

You kidding? You will either need a gigantic blender, or blend it in pieces..

[Boarderwoot @ Dec 5th 2008 12:00PM]

I gladly welcome our floor cleaning, binge drinking buddies, i mean overlords...

[Daniel @ Dec 5th 2008 12:06PM]

will it play doom?

[Tony @ Dec 5th 2008 1:35PM]

It will "play" doom...with the optional BFG 9000 add-on. Just don't expect it to be friendly.

[Electromodo @ Dec 5th 2008 12:07PM]

Robots travelling in elevators? Finally!!!!
I am excited, no sarcasm.

[Temo @ Dec 5th 2008 12:09PM]

That is SO SWEET. I was thinking about why they don't have those small robots clean the floors of the office building and I concluded that they are to small and people might "trip" on them.

But this thing is tall enough to be like... "Yeah I am not getting close to you"

[winterfreez @ Dec 5th 2008 2:37PM]

They should make it go 20mph and say "Whatch your toes!" when it goes past people... I'd buy one then... Maybe they could also program it to disguise itself as a watercooler and then scare the crap out of thirsty people! What can I say, I find other's discomfort amusing.

[The Doctor @ Dec 5th 2008 12:12PM]

Eeeextermiiiinate!

[jinjin @ Dec 5th 2008 12:15PM]

walllllll eeeee ? foreign containment!

[michas_pi @ Dec 5th 2008 12:44PM]

M-O has competition.

[Ed T @ Dec 5th 2008 12:44PM]

So when will they have a model to replace the dysfunctional 'bots left over from the dotcom bust? You know, the ones working as managers at BK, McDs, and Starbucks. Next to go: the pale, pierced people (PPPs) working behind the counters. Their mental ability and limited motions should be fairly simple to automate, for the PPP 'tude just paint them black and make the "eyes" glow steadily.

[ill trooper @ Dec 5th 2008 12:54PM]

Ah, now I understand. I was wondering why I saw that thing making photocopies of an invite for a birthday party. Inappropriate use of company resources, if you ask me. Maybe I'm just bitter because I wasn't invited.

[BratPAQ @ Dec 5th 2008 12:54PM]

so it has a camera? i wonder if how many office sex scandal will land on the internet because of this robot.

[owdee @ Dec 5th 2008 12:58PM]

not entirely special...the pharmaceutical company merck has a small fleet of robots that deliver mail to every employee in the building. they can sense if someone or something is in their path and can also use the elevators to move between floors...this thing just looks a little prettier

[Pusta @ Dec 5th 2008 12:58PM]

At least when it turns evil and kills all humans, it can clean up after itself....

[Mr Cool @ Dec 5th 2008 3:52PM]

Oh noes! Skynet!

[Andrew @ Dec 5th 2008 1:16PM]

just replacing the jobs of the lower class....
pretty soon there will be none left, all replaced by robots

[moviehawk @ Dec 5th 2008 1:17PM]

I heard MIT tried hiring one of these but it kept solving the math problems left on the hallway boards. Poor robot's been in therapy every since.

[jtullio @ Dec 5th 2008 1:40PM]

Hospital robots have been navigating obstacles and using elevators for years. See the old HelpMate robot, for example.

[Jason @ Dec 5th 2008 2:03PM]

Yes, but can I hide inside to escape a meeting?

Dōmo arigatō misutā Robotto
Mata au hi made
Dōmo arigatō misutā Robotto
Himitsu wo shiritai

Kilroy! I am Kilroy!

[tiago @ Dec 5th 2008 2:06PM]

"the updated version has laser sensors for detecting and avoiding obstacles"

this means the previous version of the robot hit every single obstacle on its way?

[andy @ Dec 5th 2008 2:29PM]

lol!