Floor-cleaning robot in Japanese office building can ride the elevator, leave early
By Laura June 
posted December 5th 2008 11:32AM
posted December 5th 2008 11:32AM
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.
[robot voice] OUT OF MY WAY! COMING THROUGH! MOVE IT LADY! [/robot voice]
i for one only read through all these comments to see who would make the i for one welcome our overlords... type comment first and i'm now stuck in a positive feedback loop, stuck in a postive feedback loop, stuck in a postive feedback loop and now worried the internet is collapsing in on itself. insert random hunter s thompson quote... sala brought the rum and the bag of ice from the car. Yeamon chuckled happily and poured the ice in a tub beside the door ''thanks" he said. 'this poverty is driving me nuts we can't even afford ice'
burp
This comment reminds me of Christmas at my grandparent's house.
That's no floor cleaner, it's a Robotic Food Dispenser. "Eat recycled food. It's good for the environment and okay for you."
AETHON TUG ROBOT IS ALL USA AND DEF COOLER!!!!
HTTP://WWW.AETHON.COM
Oh, jeff, jeff, jeff. I wish you wouldn't go ahead and try to represent the rest of us USAers. It's because of you that I tell other people I was born in Canada.
Sorry to spoil the party, folks. The hospital at which I am resident has been using these machines for years, they come on shift at about 10pm and wrap up around 3am, when there is less foot traffic. Stop by any time to see the one trolling the halls in the main hospital in Olympia Fields, IL. Cheers.
Will it blend?
R2D2 becoming a reality.
I love you kara.
You make me mad, James.
Made me think of a Life less ordinary.
Oddly enough this also lives in the furnace room in the basement, in the exact place as the man it replaced.
Only more, you know...efficient.