(no subject)

[catsittingstill]

Kip and I got a Roomba (the robot vacuum cleaner) for Christmas. It's roughly circular, about the size of a serving plate (bigger than a dinner plate), and about three inches tall. When you turn it on, it plays a triumphant little phrase, starts up, and works its way out in a spiral for three or four circles, then takes off in a straight line until it hits the wall. Everytime it hits something it turns (sometimes sharply, sometimes slightly) and takes off in a different direction (sometimes straight, sometimes in a spiral). It seems to have some way of telling whether the room is small or big (mean free path, maybe?), as it takes noticeably less time to decide it's finished with a small room. When it thinks it's done, it stops, plays another triumphant little phrase, and waits to be picked up. If you don't pick it up after a few minutes, it turns itself off. It's not very efficient, but it eventually covers the whole floor, and it does a fine job on wood and linoleum, and an okay job on carpet. You still have to pick up the floor first--the Roomba's got no judgement and no way to move electrical cords and such out of the way. But then you set it down, shut the doors and go about your business while it cleans the floor.

So far the floors are noticeably cleaner. :-)

Comments

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

Plus, they're so darn cute. :)

Unrelated note: Michael Kelley's been trying to get hold of you. Did you hear from him? If you didn't, email me (I think you still have mine) and I'll send you his email address, if you don't have it.

[tnatj.livejournal.com]

Hee! I've seen those in the local discount house-store.

Now, when they make one with a capacity and power of a Shop-Vac® vacuum, I'd buy one in an instant. ;-)

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

Next, the domed city, the flying car, and the vacation on the moon.

[filkergem.livejournal.com]

kyttn and I bought a "RoboMaid" on sale a while ago. It's very inepensively made, but does a creditable job of removing dust and tiny crud from underfoot on our new laminate wood floor. No way would it work on a rug, but the Roomba is much much more expensive. I can see why it would be helpful - keeping the majority of the floor clear of obstacles is a bit of a hassle for our lifestyle.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Hee! Useful toys! Have you already written a song about it?

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

given her description of its startup pattern, an obvious beginning to the chorus would be

"And around, and around, and around goes the Roomba"

...of course it would be even funnier if the song was done TO a rhumba beat...

[dan-ad-nauseam.livejournal.com]

o/~And it's just another Roomba
That certainly wants to zoomba
So much that it will drown the neighbor's boomba
And I'm imagining his threats of doomba