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Caption contest: cat driving Roomba -- is not so impressed, actually
This is one nonplussed feline, folks. No, he doesn't mind zooming around on the Roomba all day for the humans to videotape, upload to YouTube and laugh at around "the office" all day. Sure, he'll humor you, go ahead and caption -- capshun, if you will -- him until you're blue in the face. He'll have the last LOL. Oh yes, he will. Josh F.: "The perpetual cat-hair, spot-cleaning cycle ultimately spelled doom for this unlucky Roomba, much like tic-tac-toe did in WOPR in 1983."Paul: "Must do no harm, must do no harm... wait, does that only apply to humans?"Chris: "HOVERCAT IZ ON UR CARPIT / STEALIN UR DIRTZ" or "iRobot's demonstration of Roomba's new 'fight or flight' algorithm is an unqualified failure."Laura: "What part of this is the food?"Thomas: "Take your complaints up with the staff, Rrrroomba. There's one holding the camera now."[Via bookofjoe]
Roomba 530 Wall-E edition proves even robots are corrupted by money
It's 2008 and we've finally achieved the ultimate goal of modern robotics. No, not singularity... better: a cross-promotional marketing deal between the world's leading robots. Meet the Wall-E edition of iRobot's Roomba 530. The special edition Roomba is just like the original 530 only with the addition of that magnificent sticker for a extra ¥5,000 (about $50) premium. 400 units of the limited run vacuumbots are scheduled to go on sale in Japan for ¥,84,500 (tax inclusive) starting November 20th. Tsk tsk, what's Eve going to say?
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.
Wii Balance Board used to control Roomba... for reasons unknown
For Roomba hacking extraordinaire longjie0723, it's just another day in the office. Grasping for one more way to control the circular vacuum with something video game-related, he keyed in on the Wii Balance Board. Granted, he's already had success controlling the Roomba with a Wiimote, so we assume that whipping this one up was a lesson in simplicity. We still can't really understand why this here hack is necessary, but unlike decisions made by publicly traded companies, independent DIYers don't need no logic to get their mod on. Video after the cut.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Balance Board Roomba hack floors us
We had two questions upon watching this footage of a Roomba being controlled by a Balance Board: What the heck is a Roomba? Why? Google answered the first for us -- apparently it's a robotic vacuum cleaner or something, which we now want -- while the second is explained to us by hacker "Ron" Tajima. Through endearing Engrish subtitles, we learn that Ron has a dilemma: he wants to surf, but also needs to clean his floors. Hey, happens all the time to us. His solution? Hack the Balance Board so that it controls his Roomba, allowing him to "surf" the Board while also vacuum cleaning his way to lint-free carpets.We especially like how "Surfin' USA" is played in the background while Ron wobbles away, just to make it really feel like actual surfing.%Gallery-23865%[Via Balance Board Blog] Join us in exploring things to do with the Balance Board that aren't Wii Fit. Walk the world! Drive a car! Weigh a cat!
Pac-Man Roomba created with 448 LEDs
We were beginning to wonder if the Roomba hacking community had been sucked dry of ideas, but leave it to longjie0723 to give us hope yet. This Roomba hacker (yeah, he also rigged his up for Wiimote control) managed to solder 448 yellow LEDs onto a board and program said devices to move in such a way that a Pac-Man-type image is seen. C'mon, who hasn't dreamed of having that ghost-inhaler work his magic on those forsaken floors? Check the video after the jump.[Via Hack N Mod]
Study finds Roomba owners heart their vacuums, accept flaws
While we greatly appreciate the research done by the fine folks over at Georgia Tech, we can't exactly say that we're shocked to hear that Roomba owners (in particular) actually care about their vacuums. In a study revolving around the intricacies in human-robot relationships, gurus found that "some Roomba owners became deeply attached to the robotic vacuums and that there was a measure of public readiness to accept additional robots in the house -- even flawed ones." Interestingly, the report goes on to state that consumers would be less likely to complain if troublesome / faulty household bots were "emotionally engaging," and considering that some folks were willing to "buy new rugs, pre-clean floors and purchase refrigerators with higher clearances" for their Roomba, we suppose we can't really argue with the findings. Now, robot manufacturers, don't you go ditching quality just 'cause we're pushovers, capiche?[Image courtesy of Halo5]
Electrical noise could help automate your home
For those building a house from the ground-up, installing a slew of cameras and touch panels to automate it may not be all that burdensome, but new research is hoping to use electrical noise to enable current homeowners to reap the benefits of home automation without tearing the walls back down. Put simply, the new technology would recognize noise whenever a denizen flipped on / off a household appliance, thus enabling the house to react by automatically switching on lights, heat, or music in that very room. 'Course, even the creators realize that it has limitations in its current state, namely that the house won't even flinch if you enter a room but don't interact with an appliance.[Via SmartMobs, image courtesy of KrayTracing]
HD video: Roomba 560 vs Discovery
Anyone at all interested in home robots -- especially those too lazy to vacuum their own floors -- will want to see just how well iRobot's new Roomba 560 fares against its predecessor, the Discovery. Well, we've pitted the two against one another in noise, speed, cable management, docking, and, of course, ability to destroy one another. Embedded player after the break.P.S. -Forgive our shabby carpet, the dudes who rented the place before us took really sucky care of the joint.[MP4] Download in 720p HD (139MB)[MP4] Download in wide VGA (40MB)[AVI] Download in 720p HD (139MB)[AVI] Download in wide VGA (40MB)
iRobot Roomba 560 hands-on
We've been fooling around with a new Roomba 560 of our very own and we can say with some certainty iRobot's really improved on its product. Unfortunately, that isn't saying a whole lot; while we've always loved the Roomba for what it is, we've never been too impressed with the job it does. Still, the built-in scheduler is just such a welcome addition, and the robot is much quieter and generally feels far better built than its predecessor. The fact that the internals are better sealed is also a huge bonus, since we've long found ourselves cleaning our Roomba's innards out nearly as much as its vacuum bin. Jury's still out on the Lighthouses -- it's a decent idea, definitely, but we'd really prefer if the robot actually started trying to learn where things (and its own position in real space) are instead of just using battery-operated stations to tell it which rooms it's already visited. But hey, baby robot steps, right? Photo gallery below.%Gallery-6211%
iRobot's new Roomba 560, 530: totally redesigned vacuumbots
iRobot hasn't released a new, proper Roomba servantbot since late 2004's Discovery (Scooba, of course, excepted). Today that changes, with the 560 and 530 we caught wind of back in May. There's a lot going on here, so we'll start at the top: iRobot is touting these new Roombas as being "totally redesigned" from the ground up. The new vacuum system is supposedly 100% more effective at picking up the grime in your floors. Really makes the old model suck. Thanks, we'll be here all week. The 560 features 2.4GHz RF that activates its new Virtual Wall Lighthouse system (we'll get to that in a sec. The 530 doesn't have RF. Scheduling is now built into the robot. Friggin FINALLY! The new Roombas have IR sensors built into the bumper, and have a second, slower running speed. When Roomba is approaching an object, it slows down so as not to bump it so hard. Lighthouses are Roomba's new RF-based progress tracking system. Place one in each doorway, and they switch on via RF when your Roomba does. When Roomba's done with a room, it won't re-enter until the next time it runs. The battery is still removable, but you have to unscrew the bottom plate to get it out. Oh, and now you can add faceplates. The system is far better sealed off, so most of the crap you're vacuuming up supposedly won't actually get inside the robot anymore. Extra bonus: that black arc between the bumper and buttons is a handle that lies flush. The 560 goes for $350, the 530 goes for $300 -- snag 'em both starting now. %Gallery-6207%
SK Telecom develops phone-controlled cleaning bot
SK Telecom, never wanting to be outdone by clever hackers in producing totally useless and bizarre devices that no one really needs, is in the final development stages on a Roomba-style robot that can be controlled by your mobile phone. The circular cleaning bot will be able to receive direction from a phone user on where to scrub, buff, and vacuum, while the controller views all of the exciting, floor-sweeping action on his or her cell phone via a built-in camera at the front of the bot. This should be the prefect product for those who feel the Roomba makes life too easy by cleaning a room on its own -- although it's possible that this technology could be adopted by legions of young men hoping to get a better look up women's skirts. Only time will tell.
A look back at the sale of Wowhead.com
Now that we've had a few days to think about it, I think it's worth taking a bigger look at the Wowhead acqusition news that broke over the weekend. On Friday evening, a blogger named Ahmed Farooq posted that as a person who'd previously worked to acquire websites for goldseller IGE, he'd heard from "three different sources," all unnamed, that Wowhead had sold to Affinity Media for $1 million. That's when we reported on it, and more than a few other sites also picked up the story. We also were one of the first sites to report in conjunction that Affinity Media had supposedly sold IGE, and claimed they were no longer in the business of goldselling.On Saturday, Wowhead posted a confirmation on their site, and then this Q&A with their CEO and the head of Affinity Media, John Maffei. They claim to be "100% sure" that since Affinity reportedly sold IGE, Wowhead will never carry gold ads. Farooq, the original tipster, posted an update on his site that says Affinity was "still very much involved with IGE," but Wowhead's Q&A says "the individual who leaked the story about the Wowhead sale" (apparently Farooq) also "owns competitive content properties," including a real-money trading (goldselling) site, and calls the act of that person spreading rumors about Wowhead "the height of hypocrisy." By all appearances, Affinity Media is no longer associated with IGE at all, and at the moment, the proof is in the pudding: there are currently no gold ads on Wowhead or Thottbot.As for IGE, this report about the CEO at the Virtual Goods Summit makes it seem as though there are stormy waters ahead for their company and the entire gold selling market.
Roomba revisions coming in September?
There's not much that gets us more excited than new cleaning bots -- yes, we're unabashed iRobot fanboys -- so we always want to be the first to know when a fresh product comes along (we did a little happy dance with our dog when the Roomba for Pets was announced earlier this month). Luckily, then, we caught wind of the linked thread on Roomba Review (your home for all things, um, Roomba), in which a purported insider delivers some details and pics of upcoming revisions to the Scheduler, Discovery, and Roomba Red models: the 560, 530, and 510 (whose supposed retail packaging is pictured above), respectively. New features are said to include a 'lighthouse (peripheral to indicate which room is cleaned)' and integrated display, with upgrades also coming in the form of a redesign (pictured after the break), easily-swappable parts (wheels, motors, etc.), greatly improved battery life (1,500 hours versus the current 350, allegedly), and automatically-activated virtual walls. Pricing will range from CAD$300 to CAD$450 ($279 to $418), according to the RR member, so now we have to squirrel away at least that amount of dough along with however much more it's gonna cost to pick up those completely new bots we've been promised for the holidays. [Via Electronista]
Ask PSP Fanboy: Volume 19
Every Saturday, PSP Fanboy will answer your burning questions. If you have a question for the team, send an e-mail to andrew @ pspfanboy.com with the subject "Ask PSP Fanboy." NOTE: We do NOT answer questions related to downloading illegal copies of games. Stop asking.Q: Does Andrew hand-select his emails for Ask PSP Fanboy?A: Yes. Some questions simply can't be answered, while others aren't worth answering at all.Q: How many people have installed custom firmware on their PSP systems?A: This is probably an impossible question to answer. There's no way of tracking all the PSP systems out there, nor is there a fair way of evaluating it. If we polled the PSP Fanboy community, it will be more likely that we'll have users of custom firmware -- but will a casual player even know about homebrew? Most likely not. The one thing we can say, however, is that custom firmware is becoming increasingly popular. A look at dark-alex.org's alexa stats reveals the incredible growing demand for custom firmware.
Airsoft Roomba kits up with plastic pellets
We always knew that the eventual robotic rebellion would come in stages (and would start with Roombas), so while many may take a childish satisfaction in seeing an innocent Roomba hacked up to shoot Airsoft BB pellets, we're constantly aware that this is another step towards the ultimate annihilation of all meat-based life forms. "Cool Bots!" MAKE cries, oblivious to the destructive potential pent up inside the little hoover's circuitry -- it's thinking: "I don't even need to try, they're giving me weapons!" Fortunately, this is very much an early stage killer robot, as the photos over on isobot's flickr stream attest. The modified Roomba may look menacing with its red laser sight, but it appears as if the little thing can't aim its plastic payload any higher than a few inches off the ground, limiting its targets to feet and unsuspecting house cats. Of course, that red laser also gives it more than a passing similarity to a certain infamous robot / human hybrid. Today, Airsoft; tomorrow, assimilation?[Via MAKE]
Rogue Roomba breaks all iRobot's three laws of Roombotics
It's the stuff robotic room-cleaner nightmares are made of. According to The Onion, Ken Graney's third-gen Roomba (with Scheduler) is among the first known to have actually shattered iRobot's three prescribed laws of Roombotics: Roombots must not suck up jewelry or other valuables, or through inaction, allow valuables to be sucked up. Roombots must obey vacuuming orders given to it by humans except when such orders would conflict with the first law. Roombots are authorized to protect their own ability to suction dust and debris as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law. The most important set of robotics rules since Isaac Hayesimov's Three Laws, apparently model 4260 actually climbed dresser and sucked up a pair of heirloom cufflinks, as well as keys and a wrist watch. 4260 has also supposedly been known to climb up and down stairs -- even walls -- hide its own virtual walls, and has since being detected gone missing entirely. Graney fears for the worst: that his Roomba knows the source of its households messes, the very human that occupies it -- him. We face a grim, immaculate dystopian future indeed.
Dyson building a robo-vac to compete on Roomba's turf?
If you're willing to buy into this whole "doesn't lose suction" song and dance, Dyson might have a robotic vacuum cleaner in the works just for you. A recent job advertisement on the Dyson website, is seeking a roboticist with "navigation and localization systems knowledge (Kalman filters, SLAM)" and "computer vision experience," which sure sounds like shoe-in for robo-vac development to us. We know they were at work developing the $6000 DC06 a couple years back, but that early attempt at a Roomba-killer didn't itself take life to the best of our knowledge. Of course, by the time they complete this new hire and s/he gets the next robotic Dyson bumping, we could be a good many months (or years) down the road. At very least the "machine vision" bit seems to imply something fancier than the Roomba dumbass-bumparound method, which will hopefully lead to some exciting floor cleaning times, and even more promising hacks whenever this device might possibly make it to market.
iRobot releases "Create" specs, pricing
Until now all we've seen of iRobot "Create" is a bunch of FCC docs that illustrate the concept of a vacuum-less Roomba spin-off. As of tonight, iRobot has started selling the Create with a 1-2 day shipping period at prices starting from $129.99 going up to $999.99 for a 10-pack of the little fellas. Riding the wave of the open source / hacking communities, iRobot hopes that owners of the Create will do what they did with the Roomba and use their imagination to come up with innovative and zany uses for the technology. For a little taste of "the zany," check out the bionic hamster ball navigation system add-on that the iRobot engineers cooked up. Some of the features of the Create are 30 built-in sensors, a 25-pin expansion port for connecting a command module and other electronics, and a spacious cargo bay with plenty of holes for mounting hardware. iRobot is so eager to get people out there Creat-ing clever uses for their device that they're offering a free 30-day trial period, so what're you waiting for?[Via MAKE]
ETRI's ROMI cleaning bot could beat up, insult your Roomba
What's the Roomba got, Bleeps and bloops? Love in its cold metallic heart? Pshaw. Korea's ETRI just unveiled it's new ROMI bot, which can love your family so much better. Not only is ROMI quite the cutie, but it can clean floors with the best of 'em, all while taking commands via (presumably) WiFi and CDMA, recording video with its big camera eyes, and vocalizing via a speech synthesizer. We're sure it's all just a proud, fragile shell, overcompensating for ROMI's general depression and dissatisfaction for the world that give him birth, but we suppose we'll find out when we see this guy at CES and as him a few psychoanalytical questions -- don't worry, it's all in the line of duty.[Via Akihabara]

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