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Don't look down: LG tests its robotic vacuum cleaners at extreme heights
When LG wants to show off the spatial awareness of its robotic vacuum cleaners, it doesn't just set them off in a dummy living room. No, instead, the company has taken its latest Roboking to the roof of a skyscraper to prove that, when left to its own devices, the hardware can go right to the edge of a surface without diving off the side. Even when playing a quick game of rooftop soccer, the vacuum managed to stay in one piece and make the tiles look pristine. In another test, LG balanced the cleaner on a metal plate, hanging 100 meters off the ground, a challenge that was met with ease. Most people's living rooms aren't half as dangerous as this, of course, but if you enjoy watching robots flirting with death, you'll be well catered for by the videos below.
LG Hom-Bot 2.0 Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner hands-on (video)
Smile, you're on Vacucam! LG's Hom-Bot (RoboKing in the US) was zipping around its own special playpen on the stage at the company's IFA booth today, picking up the occasional speck of dust and using its dual cams to spy on bloggers and Germans, while also diligently avoiding a plastic family dog along its ten-square-foot cube of real estate. The bot's Smart ThinQ technology enables it to interact with an Android or iPhone app, which you'll use to watch a live video feed from its built-in cam, send it rolling to a specific point in the house in "Patrol" mode, or adjust settings. You can also log in remotely, assuming your Hom-Bot is powered up and has a WiFi connection. Official US and Euro pricing and availability hasn't been announced yet, but an LG rep suggested we'll see it in the €500-700 range (about $710-995 US). Cameras and interactivity are nice and all, but that's a lot to spend on any vacuum cleaner. Today's trade show sneak peek is probably the closest we'll be getting to this pricey little vac, so roll past the break for some super action footage.%Gallery-132520%
iPhone-controlled robot vacuum transmits photos of its work
You can do almost everything from your iPhone, so it was only a matter of time you could clean your home with it. LG is set to demo its iPhone-controllable Roboking VR680VMNC robaotic vacuum cleaner at IFA 2011 this week. The Roboking sports three cameras and multiple sensors, which allow it to capture video and send it back to your iPhone over your home's Wi-Fi connection. You can then use the video to select which areas you want Roboking to clean first. According to SlashGear, the Roboking can also act as a sort of robotic sentry, streaming live video of your home to your iPhone so you can see what's going on while you're away. The Roboking VR680VMNC launches in Korea this fall for the equivilant of US$800. No word on when the device starts cleaning up America.
LG launches 'RoboKing Triple Eye' smartphone-controlled vacuuming robot
You won't have to leave your post on the couch, but you will have to lift a finger to your smartphone in order to tidy up with LG's 'RoboKing Triple Eye' VR6180VMNV robot vacuum. Unlike it's purple cousin who spends his time looking inwards, this little guy is always looking outward with its three cameras, capturing video and sending it to your smartphone or PC over WiFi. The robot uses sensors to create a plan of attack map of your home, allowing you to move it around by clicking the filthiest parts. Like a well-trained puppy, the dust buster also responds to voice commands from up to 5 feet away and it doesn't even bark -- only emitting 48dB of sound while sucking up dust. Of course, laziness of this caliber doesn't come cheap, as it costs 899,000 Korean won, or around $840 bones.
LG RoboKing vacuum bot can self-diagnose, ask for help after colliding with your Roomba
Sick of all those one-way chats with your Roomba 700? LG's got you covered with its latest self-diagnosing robotized cleaning assistant. The newest RoboKing -- the VR6172LVM -- will set you back 779,000 Won (around $730), and apparently sports a low noise 48dB design (when it's not talking, we presume). Most intriguing to us, however, is the bot's ability to run diagnostics at the press of a button, enunciating its ailments if any one of the fourteen testable components are, in-fact, broken. We imagine your carpet would be happy to welcome Robo to the family, but when you have two pets to brush and all kitty can do is meow, we surmise the vacuum will come forth as King.
LG RoboKing adds second camera, seeks to escape Roomba shadow
We know, we know -- the original Roomba saves children from peril, plays real-life Pacman, and steals its owners' hearts away, but let's give LG's refreshed autonomous robovac a chance, shall we? Now equipped with two cameras (claimed to be an industry first) and lowering operational noise to a more bearable 50dB, the RoboKing is back in town and pining for your attention. It's more compact than its previous iteration, stretching up to only 90mm, and it's also said to be 30 percent faster on the job. Nice gains, to be sure, but we'd still like to see how this machine handles before we're convinced. Bonus video after the break.
