iRobot Scooba Exposed 67
ticketmaster41 writes "Informit is running an article that takes a look at what's inside a Scooba. As the write up indicates, adding water to a robotic cleaner not only means more parts, but also more fail safes to frustrate the end user. The site also has posted an interview with Helen Greiner, one of the founders of iRobot."
Re:Lawsuit (Score:5, Funny)
Wait a second. . .
Re:Lawsuit (Score:1)
Pardon me, but i W is to the LEFT of a QWERTY keyboard, and H happens to be in Middle.
What keyboard you are using? DVORAK?
Re:Lawsuit (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Lawsuit (Score:1)
"Sarcasm is ward"?
Re:Lawsuit (Score:2, Insightful)
Asimov was from one of those mysterious previous generations where having your ideas built upon by others was considered an honour.
It's amazing they could ever make any money.
Re:Lawsuit (Score:2)
The Previous generation has grown up. Welcome to the Real World(R) my friend, where you can patent even thoughts.
Re:Lawsuit (Score:1)
Re:Lawsuit (Score:1)
Scoobas are pretty good (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:1)
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:1)
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:2, Insightful)
When was the last time one had to drain or fill his or her washing machine or dishwasher by hand? It's connected to the home plumbing system. I'd expect iRobot to work within this existing home infrastructure. Such major appliances can be found for around $400, same price as the Scooba. People are comfortable with having such monstrous appliances in their home.
It'd hardly be as complicated as an in-flight refuling from a tanker to a fighter
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:1)
Please enlighten me to other options that might be simpler. I'll be happy to send it on to iRobot feedback.
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:2)
Since the base is onviously attached to a power source, said power source could power a pump to get the dirty water out. Once all the dirty water is out, the clean water can either be gravity fed or simply be pumped into the Scooba. Top off the battery, if needed, and the process is complete.
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:2)
I can tell you that the pump for my fish tank (runs 24/7 and has yet to fail after 5 years) cost around $25 or so. I don't think this solution would be very costly, and even if a nominal cost were added to the Scooba, the machine would certainly be more attractive to the consumer!
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:2)
It would be considerably less complex than something which has to move around. Probably the most difficult part of the engineering would be any electrical connections for data/charging. Since these would need precise alignment and protection from moisture.
Finally, someone is going to have to refil and empty _that_ b
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:2)
Re:Scoobas are pretty good (Score:2)
...and clean her?
Europe please! (Score:5, Interesting)
That's obviously untenable - I've got some tests lined up for a bottle of Flash Liquid All-Purpose to see if it will do the same job. Simple things - ph balance, foam test, conductivity and traction. If all passes, then I'll be using Flash inside the Scooba instead of Clorox. But I'd rather use the recommended stuff, so if iRobot feels like making it available in Europe than that would be very welcome.
The Roomba has been the ultimate in word-of-mouth marketing, by the way. Since buying one I've had three other people buy just by hearing my description of it, and they in turn have inspired about three more people each to buy one. Great little devices.
Cheers,
Ian
Re:Europe please! (Score:1)
Geez, has iRobot gone the MLM (Amway) too? Have you gone Emerald yet? How big is your upline? Are the bonuses any good?
Just joking (I hope...)
Re:Europe please! (Score:3, Informative)
Looking at this room I reckon an automatic hoover would fail in about 10 seconds. The room is an odd shape, there are cables going between the TV/Computers/Hifi that need moving. To hoover behind the furniture you must move it... there's an area around the birdcage that needs extra work as it won't clean on the first pass... There's the a discarded coke bottle that needs picking up...
Not to mention the hallway is too na
Re:Europe please! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Europe please! (Score:2)
Re:Europe please! (Score:4, Informative)
Your description is of an old cat-lady's house, not the average UK house.
> there are cables going between the TV/Computers/Hifi
Those are hazards for people too. Secure them to the crack where the wall and floor meet where possible. Tape them down elsewhere.
> there's an area around the birdcage that needs extra work as it won't clean on the first pass
My Roomba can detect dirt. A little blue 'dirt detected' LED comes on and it switches to a spiral "spot" pattern until the area is clean.
Then again, ew. Put down some paper under the birdcage. I don't suppose you have dog droppings laying around the flat too?
> There's the a discarded coke bottle that needs picking up
So pick it up. Your mother doesn't live with you does she? Roomba won't pick up your dirty clothes from all over the floor either. Nor that week old tuna fish sandwich behind the couch.
> Not to mention the hallway is too narrow for the roomba
If it's too narrow for the Roomba then it's WAY too narrow for people to navigate. I suggest you change your designation of that area from 'hallway' to 'closet'. It's easier than removing the clutter.
Re:Europe please! (Score:2)
It's not your mum. Maybe you should invite her over to do some chores :-)
Bruce
Re:Europe please! (Score:2)
Re:Europe please! (Score:3, Informative)
As an added bonus, it will help us because we have hard water. It should prevent lime scale buildup on the robot.
Re:Europe please! (Score:2)
Re:Europe please! (Score:1)
Use the gay vinegar. It makes floors more fabulous.
Re:Europe please! (Score:2)
Its quite impressive (Score:3, Interesting)
The scooba seems to be worth a buy excpet for the fact that u have to use the special cholorox (its is still cheaper than hiring a maid, but its not as simple and easy like the original roomba). Now my only pending request to iRobot and the evil mom is a bending unit , a boomba ?
Hire a maid, much better results! (Score:5, Insightful)
My wife and I though about getting one of these and then another for the vacumming. But we decided on a maid and the rest is history. We spend 0 hours/week cleaning and our house looks great. I'll highly recommend one :)
http://religiousfreaks.com/ [religiousfreaks.com]Re:Hire a maid, much better results! (Score:2)
The first of them scratched all the paint from the fridge while cleaning it.
The second often unplugged power cables while mopping the floors, resulting in critical equipment (DECT phone, router, computer compiling Gentoo) to be reset and as a result these had to be turned on because they don't do it automatically when plugged into power.
The third one was so slow that cleaning one window seemed to take something like 40 minutes. And when ironing c
Re:Hire a maid, much better results! (Score:2)
That said, I had a hot Romanian maid that I SO did not want to get rid of...
Re:Hire a maid, much better results! (Score:2, Funny)
Did you somehow stumble onto the wrong website here?
10 FIND COUCH; 20 GET STUCK UNDER IT; RUN (Score:4, Funny)
10 find couch
20 get stuck under it
30 if free==true then goto 10
run
Re:10 FIND COUCH; 20 GET STUCK UNDER IT; RUN (Score:1)
Re:10 FIND COUCH; 20 GET STUCK UNDER IT; RUN (Score:2)
Yeah, buy American!
Re:10 FIND COUCH; 20 GET STUCK UNDER IT; RUN (Score:2)
That's super. (Score:1)
Re:That's super. (Score:2)
http://people.csail.mit.edu/bpadams/roomba/ [mit.edu]
Probably the scooba as well. Looks very, very interesting...
scooba video (Score:5, Informative)
Re:scooba video (Score:2)
I assume it was slowed down for the demo though.. would be pretty useless at that speed
Re:scooba video (Score:2)
Watch the product video on their website, there is an animation that demonstrates the way it covers the room. It doesn't systematically clean sections of the room systematically. Rather, it follows a circuitous path around the room, presumably to discover the extent of the room and clean at the same time. Admittedly it looks a little haphazard, but their animation claims
Re:scooba video (Score:2, Interesting)
It actually runs very slowly. It does a great job in my fairly large open kitchen. But my grandma has a HUUUUGE kitchen+dining+living room all hardwood. The living room itself was so big that we had to break it into two ares with obstacles and other shrapnel available.
It seemed to have some difficulty grokking the room size and did indeed make several passes in places. But it got the job done.
However, twice now it seemed unhappy with the whole "check tank" routine. It whined that it was empty
I want the /. opinion (Score:1)
1. Would you prefer one "super device" to clean everything, or an assortment of appliances each tailored to a specific task?
2. Do you agree with TFA that this "super device" is still "decades away", or is iRobot's PR department simply spinning? Specifically: how many years until we can buy Rosie from the Jetsons?
I've got a few prototype ideas I've been kicking around. All honest opinions are appreciated.
Re:I want the /. opinion (Score:2)
Robots can't do that - even these automatic hoovers don't work in most houses because they require large basically square rooms.. they can't move cables out of the way, pick up litter, open doors, climb stairs...
Re:I want the /. opinion (Score:2)
2) It isn't PR. It's reality. Talk to any roboticist. We are decades away from autonomous general purpose robotics. A few folks are working on the tele-op problem in #1. I just watche
Re:I want the /. opinion (Score:2)
I'd like a robot to do my laundry and clean the bathroom so I assume because of the complicated tasks those require that it would require a multi-purpose device, but I'd settle for one robot for laundry and one robot to clean the bath room. And by doing the laundry I mean pick up the cloths, sort, throw into the washer and dryer and then folder and put away. Yes... I can do it easy, bu
Scooba videos, reviews, analysis on this blog (Score:1)
Batteries (Score:2)
Re:Batteries (Score:2)
Re:Batteries (Score:2)
Powered by alcohol!
Just pour a beer on the floor to refuel it.
my question (Score:1)
I hope Scooba is better than Roomba. (Score:1)