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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.
LG Kompressor compresses dust, improves sucking action
Nah, LG's latest household gizmo won't run laps around Fido, order its own replacement parts, or replace hordes of human janitors, but the aptly-named Kompressor will do a number to those nasty dust particles that get all stirred up when facing a vacuum. Essentially, the cleaner sucks up dirt and debris as any normal vacuum would, but rather than emitting dusty byproducts whilst handling its duties, this rendition actually compresses the dirt into blocks, which not only decreases the frequency in which you'll be unloading it, but also helps to cut down on those allergic reactions. Furthermore, you'll find a washable HEPA filter and an "electronic controller of power" right on the handle, which will hopefully prevent those awkward moments when trying to find the "off" switch with your foot. Potentially most encouraging, however, is the fairly reasonable pricetag, as you'll end up paying quite a bit less (€299; $398) than a souped-up Dyson when this lands next month.[Via Coolest-Gadgets]
VacuumMail: Automate Vacuuming Your Mail Index
A while back we mentioned a neat trick for speeding up Mail.app by "vacuuming" its SQlite database. Now the original source of the tip, Tim Gaden over at Hawk Wings, points to Leland Scott's VacuumMail, which utilizes a little AppleScript and launchd to automate this process. Tim also notes that if the default time of 1pm on Tuesday isn't to your liking, you can change it using Lingon. VacuumMail is a free download.[Via Hawk Wings]
NASCAR themed Track Vac runs circles around dirt
If pimping out your Roomba to sing, dance, or flash doesn't really interest you, or you'd simply feel more comfortable still holding the reins of your trusty vacuum cleaner, Track Vac's NASCAR-inspired vacuum is just the thing. Officially licensed and laced with decals, this RF-controlled device burns out around your hardwoods and carpet to suck up dirt, dust, and small chunks of gravel, and even makes "authentic" start-up and power drain sounds to give you that familiar Sunday afternoon thrill. Sporting five vacuums patterns and a wireless remote to steer it around, the racer even includes its own "Pit Row" when a recharge is in order. Additionally, you can switch the tidying functions off and crank things up in Race mode, which is certainly a surefire way to convince your kids to clean up quickly if they want to frolic. The NASCAR Track Vac is available now for reliving Talladega Nights every time your floor gets a bit trashed for $279.95.[Via CNET]
$170,000 Japanese-style Roomba takes home the gold
It seems that automated floor-suckers are getting all the attention of late, as we've had users parading their Roombas around with all sorts of unorthodox methods, teaching them to bust a move, and now how to pose for the cameras. While already recognized in one Tokyo ceremony, the Fuji Heavy Industries and Sumitomo-created vacuum has officially taken the gold in the Robot of the Year competition hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. Due to its purported ability to replace "two live human beings" and clean out an area of "3,000 square meters in four hours on a single charge," the jumbo-sized Roomba wannabe can help those towering skyscrapers stay clean in a bustling world. Additionally, it can maneuver up and down floors, in and out of elevators, and around crowded workspaces with ease, but we're not exactly sure how many decibels of noise this thing cranks out while taking care of business. Nevertheless, the co-founders are selling the device for a whopping ¥20 million ($168, 011), but still claim that it will more than pay for itself after a decade or so -- you know, since it doesn't beg for health insurance or anything.[Via Plastic Bamboo]
RoombaWii: pretty flippin' awesome?
We'd take a Wii-controlled RC car over a similarly modded Roomba any day, but hey, we can respect those meticulously clean persons who would value a lively vacuuming sesh. Take one part Roomba control software (courtesy of Tod Kurt), and one part DarwinRemote, add a dash of Chris Hughes' new script, and voilà, you've just harnessed the power of a domestic robot vacuum. Pretty flippin' awesome dude! Totally.[Via Engadget]
Roombas get some holiday cheer, go caroling
Just in case that "holiday cheer" you once had has completely vanished at the thought of battling the crowds this weekend in an attempt to snag those last-minute gizmos on everyone's gift list, here's something to not only brighten your spirits, but to help you procrastinate a bit more as well. While gadgets getting their sing 'n dance on aren't anything new, a trio of Roombas breaking it down to Frosty the Snowman is enthralling nonetheless. We figured out how to give that pre-programmed Roomba its own freedom of expression awhile back, but serving up a few glasses of "robo-nog" and donning the Christmas apparel just puts this act over the top. Still, the Trans-Siberian lightfest remains numero uno until further notice. Hit the jump to see these servantbots strut their stuff...[Via MAKE]
Japan crowns top robots in lavish Tokyo ceremony
With all these award ceremonies going down to close out the year, it's only appropriate to crown a few winners in the robotic realm as well -- you know, since they'll be law-abiding citizens someday. The Robot Awards were set up earlier this year by the Japanese government to "promote research and development in the robotics industry," and just ten creations took home prizes out of the 152 entries. The cream of the crop started with the currently-available My Spoon feeding contraption, which helps the elderly and disabled to eat with a "joystick-controlled swiveling arm." Not far behind was the Paro seal, who rocks a furry, huggable outfit with sensors beneath its whiskers that allows it to "open and close its eyes and move its flippers" when petted and held by folks in hospitals. In another instance of "robots replacing human jobs," a "mammoth, automated vacuum cleaner that uses elevators to travel between floors" was highly praised for its sucky actions. So if you're interested in seeing what other bots are taking home the jewelry (as well as the how to enter yourself in the future), be sure to hit the read link and bust out your broken translator, um, translator.[Via Yahoo]
Electrolux unveils "vacuum shoe" concept
In an announcement sure to cause lazy people everywhere to raise their arms ever so slightly in glee, home appliance manufacturer Electrolux has revealed a "vacuum shoe" concept model. In order to accommodate the electric motor -- and store all the crap that you've left on your floor -- the concept design features a rather thick and ugly sole reminiscent of Cosmo Kramer's basketball sneakers, so you probably wouldn't want to do much walking outdoors in them. Seeing as this is just a concept model that's at least a couple of testing stages away from a real product, we wouldn't be surprised if the real model was even more "visually challenged." No matter, because a device that completes chores without the owner knowingly doing them is effectively impossible to price, although that doesn't mean Electrolux won't try. And if the vacuum shoe does manage to make it out of testing, it probably won't ship for a while: in other words, don't say we didn't warn you if the excuse of leaving mess around just "so you can have something to test it with when it ships" doesn't cut it with your significant other.
Enter the Steamer: a new vacuum and mopping bot
iRobot meet your match: the Steamer. (No, it's not that kind of Steambot.) We know you've seen other challengers before, but this household robot newbie claims to "vacuums off dust after brushing, followed by mopping" and then busts out with a "mopping function using steam." Oooh snap, Roomba and Scooba. Did you hear that? That's the sound of a foreign robot comin' to steal your jobs. Whatcha gonna do about it, huh? HUH? Yeah, Steamer looks pretty good over there, with its "less than 65db" noise level, and "dust compartment cyclone," don't you think? If you want to catch a glimpse of your latest rival, you should scoot on over to RoboWorld 2006 in Korea right about now and then start training to get down to your fighting weight by February 2007, which is when the Steamer will hit Korean households everywhere. We're not sure how much the humans will be willing to pay a Steamer of their very own (get your mind out of the gutter), but if you find out on your recon mission, do tell us.
Evolution Robotics prepping Roomba killer
Many have tried to challenge the iRobot's dominance in the brain-dead floor-cleaner space, but with 2 million Roombas sold in 4 years, it doesn't look like the cute little vacuum is going anywhere anytime soon. Now Evolution Robotics is teaming up a unnamed large appliance manufacturer to take robot subservience to new heights, and hopefully knock the Roomba down a notch while they're at it. They're touting their "NorthStar" navigation system as a key differentiating factor, which involves wall units that project an infrared pattern on the ceiling, allowing the bot to orient itself and therefore clean more efficiently. Of course, NorthStar is already present in the eVac robo-vacuum available from The Sharper Image, so we're guessing Evolution Robotics is banking on the brand caché of their "large appliance manufacturer" to get the forthcoming bot a bit of recognition. Evolution products have been quite successful in other arenas -- their navigation systems power WowWee robots, along with Sony's now defunct Aibo. They're also working with Korea's Yujin Robotics to power the "Jupiter" household bot prototype, pictured above. Of course, iRobot isn't just sitting back and counting the cash -- they've hinted at improved navigation for the Roomba as well, and who knows what they'll have on the market by the time Evolution's vacuum bot hits retail in 2008.
MD AirForce vacuum emails over powerlines
Admittedly, this vacuum from MD Manufacturing has a little less robot-action than we're accustomed to, but it makes up for it with some innovative Internet connectivity to accommodate our laziness in other ways. In addition to packing a pile of dirt-storing capacity, the AirForce central vacuum incorporates Universal Powerline Bus (UPB) technology to provide Internet access to the vacuum over your home's AC wiring. Which means that when it's not hooking up with other lonely vacuums on MySpace, it'll send an email to let you know when its bag needs replacing, or if it encounters other problems like a clog or overheating. Alas, the aforementioned lack of robotic abilities means you'll actually have to fix the problem yourself, but that'll no doubt change one day -- when an overstuffed bag will be the least of our robotic vacuum problems.
Samsung is back with new robo-vacs
We hope you're taking notes, kids. Only when you have a large Samsung display, powered by a Samsung A/V receiver, powered by a Samsung Blu-ray drive, and accompanied by a Samsung speaker system -- so that you can watch vegetation in HD with your children while a robot does your housework -- then and only then will you be happy. To help complete that picture of domestic bliss, Samsung is releasing some new robo-vacs, and they're not looking too shabby. With design by Zairo, whomever that is, Samsung is putting those bulky curves to good use, since the bots are a bit smarter than average. Not only can they map out their cleaning area to optimize cleaning times, but they'll return home to their charger when they're getting low on juice, and can even be remotely activated for the ultimate in geeky housekeeping fun. Samsung's vacuums, the VC-RS60 and VC-RS60H (to be honest, we don't know the difference other than the "premium" title), run at a relatively speedy 1.3-feet per second, and can manage about an hour of work before a charge. The two models go for $936 and $1,042 respectively, with no word on availability in the States, but we think we'd be waiting for a price drop anyways. [Via Akihabara]
