Anyone who's ever used a Roomba robot cleaner before will know that it bumps into furniture regularly, even mounting curtains if your back is turned. This new Neato (New! Improved! Neato!) uses a Room Positioning System with its lasers, mapping the floorspace in 36-degrees so it doesn't get into trouble against your prized chaise lounge.

On sale in February, it'll cost $400. Did we mention it comes with lasers?! [Wired]

The vipera palaestinae, as his parent snake gods christened him, had wound himself so tightly inside the iRobot Roomba that it died of head wounds. The Roomba? Well, it's back to a life of giving kittens free rides and not cleaning corners correctly. [Facebook via BotJunkie]

That is sexy. Jammable slurry. Wow, a little hot under the collar here. This really is nuts."

It is really nuts indeed: A shape-shifting robot blob that can squeeze through cracks. Sounds familiar? Of course it does. But clearly, this iRobot and Darpa researchers don't read or watch any Sci-Fi material whatsoever.

In any case, ladies and gentlemen, it has been a pleasure and a privilege writing for you. Now, enjoy the rest of your lives. They won't last much more. [JWZ via Make]

One look at this pic could explain why the project was later discontinued. [Ingenious' Flickr via Robot Stock News]

Apparently, there are at least a dozen designs have been considered—designs that would turn the Roomba dock into a litter box of sorts. There are no guarantees that we will see a Roomba capable of cleaning itself anytime in the near future, but it does seem like the next logical step. [Robot Stock News]

Roombas have traditionally avoided angular designs in the pursuit of maneuverability, settling on circular shapes that lend themselves well to the vacuum's omnidirectional cleaning habits. This new, squared-off tank-like design might necessitate more complicated vacuuming approaches for certain scenarios, but it's not like efficiency of movement is their forte anyway.

This is just a patent application, the likes of which iRobot has a small habit of leaving to die, so this could just be another Roomba Mower, lost and forgotten in the archives of the patent office. Also, the Roomba corner problem? Not that big of a deal! Their current spinning brush solution is passable, and I'm not sure changing their iconic design would even be worth it. [Robot Stock News]

Apparently this Roomba has been modified with inkjet printer parts so it can create bitmap patterns on the floor with colored powders. Damn you rebel Roomba! Cut your hair, stop snorting "powder", get a job and create civilized art like your brother! [Botropolis]

Some engineers with some free time on their hands decided to retrofit a Roomba with a mechanism that allowed it to be controlled via hamster ball. That is to say, whichever way the hamster runs, the Roomba goes. I'm sure it's quite liberating for the hamster, but I wouldn't count on your floors getting too clean. [Networkworld via Gadget Review]

The Price: $549

The Verdict: Although the Roomba Pro—which we lovingly dubbed "Calculon Jr."—is meant to be the tough, industrial one of the Roomba series, there are times it acted less like a machine, and more like a rebellious child with ADD. This would be a good cleaning device for industrial sized rooms despite its drawbacks, but it's too big and too loud for apartments.

The Pro is supposed to run on four different cleaning paterns: spiralling, wall following, room crossing, and dirt detection—all seemingly random unless you're familiar with the paths and AI its creators programmed for it.

After directing Calculon Jr. to find his "home," he only managed to dock himself—even when physically placed next to the docking station—twice out of five tries. Moreover, the Roomba is extremely loud, so I wouldn't bother trying to watch TV when the Roomba Pro is running—(unless he's cleaning a different room, which can be sanctioned off using the two included virtual walls, which worked fine with two C batteries).

One cool feature about the Roomba Pro is how simple it is to schedule a cleaning time—which can be set up to once a day, seven times a week—by using the built-in display that also tells the time and day. However, the display can only be seen if you keep the "clock" button held down.

When trying to clean up cookie crumbs and sunflower seeds, Calculon Jr.'s side brush would scatter the mess in different directions instead of sweeping it up into his vacuum. However, if you let your Roomba Pro run around for quite some time—or if you place him directly on top of the mess—he does a quite thorough job of cleaning up the dirt and debris on the floor, as long as it is an open space. You can see the cleaning process in the gallery below.

Here's where the Roomba Pro differentiates itself from its smaller brothers. Because of the Pro's larger size, it is unable to get to the dirt under smaller areas—such as the spaces under counters and couches. Similarly, when Calculon Jr. was placed under a table, it took him a while to maneuver around/between the chairs, and try to find his way out from under. When it is unable to do so, the Roomba Pro will automatically shut itself off.

Because it's a Pro model designed for offices and bed & breakfasts, it comes with various spare parts that owners can use to self-repair. It would've been nice if the Roomba Pro came with a remote, but in addition to what comes already attached, the box has two brushes, a high capacity sweeper bin (which, according to the instruction manual, you're still instructed to clean out after every use), two filters, a mini screwdriver, two brushes, two virtual walls and an extra side sweeper. But it's still a Roomba, so its AI is not going to be dramatically smarter than other models.

For example, when it comes to sensor detection, Calculon Jr. is smarter than a baby, but dumber than a five year old. With our smaller Roomba (4220), whenever it hit an object such as a PS3 controller or my foot, it would immediately turn around and go in a different direction. With the Roomba Pro, however, Calculon Jr. painfully ran over my toes, attempted to crawl up a Rock Band drum set, and knocked over three (toy) guitars.

Many of the problems that we encountered could have been because we tested the Roomba Pro in a (carpeted) medium sized living/dining room and a (tiled) family-sized kitchen. If this apartment were a mansion with large rooms and minimal clutter, the Roomba Pro would be an ideal vacuuming device for everyday housekeeping. But if you're looking for a gadget that'll routinely clean your cozy apartment, we recommend going with one of Calculon Jr.'s smaller and cheaper brothers. [Product Page]

Computing
• LaCie 750 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive for $88.24 (normally $125).
• iRobot® Looj 120 Gutter Cleaning Robot for $49.99 plus free shipping (normally $80).

Flash Memory
• Kingston SD4/8GB 8GB SDHC Class 4 Flash Card for $10.99 (normally $20 - valid today only).

Home Accessories
• Breville BES400XL Ikon Espresso Machine (Refurbished) for $99.99 (normally $200 - valid today only).
• iRobot Looj 120 Gutter Cleaning Robot for $49.99 plus free shipping (normally $80).

Home Entertainment
• Toshiba 15LV505 15.6-Inch Widescreen LCD TV with Built-in DVD Player for $199 plus free shipping (normally $270 - valid today only).
• Logitech Harmony 520 Universal Remote (Refurbished) for $39.99 (normally $70).

Portable Devices (MP3 Players, Etc.)
• SanDisk 1GB Sansa Express MP3 Player for $11.99 (Reconditioned) plus free shipping (normally $38).

Oscar-Winning Movies
• La Vie en Rose for $12.98 plus free shipping (normally $20).
• The Departed for $12.25 plus free shipping (normally $20).
• The Aviator for $7.38 plus free shipping (normally $20).
• Citizen Kane for $12.87 plus free shipping (normally $20).

Hobomodo
• Aartform Curvy 3D 1.5 for $0 (normally $85 - valid today only).

The iRobot Looj Gutter Cleaning Robot drives easily under gutter straps, propelled by a three-stage auger that dislodges and eliminates dirt, leaves and debris that can cause water damage, overspills and ice dams in addition to creating a breeding ground for carpenter ants, mosquitoes and other pests.

Oooooh, naughty naughty. Add a new antena, smart speed, and a battery door that doesn't need tools to be opened, and Bob's your uncle. Bob, the gutter cleaner. Seriously, is this really a gutter cleaning robot or something else?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

iRobot Announces 2nd Generation Looj™ Gutter Cleaning Robot

World's Only Gutter-Cleaning Robot Sports New Internal Antenna, Anti-Flipping Auger and Smart Speed

LAS VEGAS, NV – Consumer Electronics Show – January 8, 2009 – iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT) today unveiled the second generation iRobot® Looj™ Gutter Cleaning Robot at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The Looj, which makes gutter cleaning fast and easy by reducing ladder work and dangerous over-reaching, has new features that help it break up clogged leaves and debris faster and improve overall performance.

"We listened to our customers and designed an updated Looj based on their feedback," said Matt Palma, Vice President Sales & Marketing, iRobot Home Robots Division. "The one-of-a-kind Looj saves people time and frees them from the dull, dirty and dangerous work of gutter cleaning better than ever."

New Looj features include:

· Internal antenna

· Anti-flipping auger

· Smart speed

· Tool-less battery door

The winner of the 2008 Best of CES Innovations Award, iRobot Looj is the only product of its kind. Controlled by a wireless remote that doubles as a detachable handle, the Looj cleans an entire stretch of gutter while the human operator stays in one spot, reducing the need to climb and reposition the ladder multiple times or juggle tools at dangerous heights.

The iRobot Looj Gutter Cleaning Robot drives easily under gutter straps, propelled by a three-stage auger that dislodges and eliminates dirt, leaves and debris that can cause water damage, overspills and ice dams in addition to creating a breeding ground for carpenter ants, mosquitoes and other pests.

The new Looj models 125, 135 and 155 will be available for purchase at www.irobot.com and select retailers this spring for a starting price of $129.99.

Developed for military and applications by Geosystems, the Situational Awareness Mast doesn't use a telescopic design to extend itself, which are very limited and can get extremely bulky and heavy in no time. In the case of the SAM—also called Zipper Mast—there are three metal rolls that assemble together in a triangle—like some kind of zipper—while going up, providing enough support and stability to lift objects up to 200 pounds. There are various models available:

• SAM 8, that goes from four inches to eight feet and can lift six pounds, enough for a video camera and other sensors.
• SAM 10, that goes up to 12 feet lifting 140 pounds, and costs $11,000.
• SAM 12/15, which raises from 15 inches to 15 feet with a 150 pounds weight limit.
• And the top-of-the-line SAM 20, that goes from 25 inches to 20 feet raising up to 200 pounds.

[Hizook via Defense Tech]

Computers

The Voodoo Envy 133 for $1,899 with free second battery (originally $2,099—also, the HP Blackbird 002's price has dropped to $1,799).

Computer Peripherals:

22" Viewsonic Widescreen LCD for $190 plus free shipping (originally $249.99 - valid until 11/10. Use rebate form).

Thermaltake Toughpower 750W Power Supply for $99.99 (originally $189.99 - valid until 11/15. Use rebate form).

Canon Pixma MP970 Photo All-In-One Inkjet Printer for $164.99 plus free shipping (originally $309.00).

D-Link DPH-50U IP Telephone Adapter for $14.99 plus free shipping (originally $24.99. Use this rebate form).

Compaq Presario SR5413WM Desktop for $249.99 plus free shipping (originally $599).

Laptop Accessories:

Belkin Messenger Bag for 15.4" Notebook for $9.99 (originally $24.99 - valid until 11/6. Use rebate form).

Audio Players and Accessories:

SanDisk Sansa e280 1.8" Black 8GB MP3 Player for $48 plus free shipping (originally $249.99).

Monster Cable iFreePlay Cordless Headphones for $34.99 plus free shipping (originally $49.95).

Flash Memory:

OCZ 4GB Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Card, Class 6 for $0 (originally $12.99 - valid until 11/16. Use rebate form).

GPS Systems:

GARMIN nüvi 200W RFB 4.3" GPS Navigation for $124.99 plus free shipping (originally $249.99).

Mio Moov 300 Automobile Navigator GPS system for $164.99 plus free shipping (originally $229.95).

Home Accessories:

iRobot® Roomba 535 Vacuum-Cleaning Robot with 3-pack Replacement Filters for $237.99 plus free shipping (originally $349.97. Use coupon code C56574 for 15% off for new HSN customers).

iRobot Scooba Floor Washing Robotic Hard Surface Cleaner for $149 plus free shipping (originally $399.99).

[Thanks to Ubergizmo, Ben's Bargains, and Robot Stock News]

iRobot Introduces Roomba Pet and Professional Vacuum Cleaning Robots

New iRobot Roomba Pet Series Perfect for Pet Owners; Roomba Professional Series Handles Larger Areas and Office Spaces

BEDFORD, Mass.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT) today introduced the newest additions to its line of vacuum cleaning robots, the iRobot® Roomba® Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot and the iRobot® Roomba® Professional Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot. Engineered and designed with pet owners in mind, the new iRobot Roomba 532 and 562 Pet Series Robots pick up even more pet hair and dander with the help of higher capacity sweeper bins and additional accessories. The new iRobot Roomba 610 Professional Series Robot cleans even the largest of areas, perfect for maintaining office spaces or large high traffic areas.

Help for Hairy Homes

The new Roomba Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robots make caring for a home with pets easier. The Pet Series robots come equipped with an extra set of easy-to-clean brushes, a high capacity sweeper bin for trapping even more pet hair, kitty litter or dander and cleaning tools for ensuring both sets of brushes remain free of debris so they can perform optimally. The sweeper bin holds three-and-a-half times more debris than the vacuum bin, and counter-rotating brushes reach deep into carpets to pull out pet hair and dander. The new iRobot Roomba Pet Series Robots are available immediately in the U.S. and range in price from $349 to $399.

The iRobot Roomba 532 Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot, priced at $349, cleans up to three standard-sized rooms on a single charge. It comes standard with two Virtual Walls® that use infrared beams to confine and guide the Roomba from room to room and then return it to its Home Base when it is done vacuuming. The Roomba 532 also includes iRobot’s latest technological innovations, such as a light-touch bumper, advanced anti-tangle technology and the ability to transition from carpets to hard flooring with ease.

The iRobot Roomba 562 Pet Series Robot, priced at $399, comes with all of the same features found in the Roomba 532 model. In addition, it features an extra set of brushes and can clean up to four standard-sized rooms on a single charge. The Roomba 562 also includes an on-board scheduling function, so it can be programmed to automatically clean up to seven days a week, even when owners are away, and with the new high capacity sweeper bin, Roomba can pick up even more pet debris than ever before.

Going Pro

Designed for small business owners or those with larger areas to clean, the iRobot Roomba 610 Professional Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot features a high capacity sweeper bin, extra brushes and filters, and cleaning tools. It comes equipped with two interchangeable bins that can be utilized for either everyday cleaning or for picking up larger-than-usual amounts of debris. The Roomba 610 also comes with a convenient storage case to keep its extra accessories and sweeping bin organized and in one place.

Additionally, the Roomba 610 features Max Mode, which allows the Roomba to clean until the battery is almost drained, and then returns it to its Home Base, allowing the maximum cleaning effort possible in larger homes, offices or business settings. The Roomba 610 Professional Series retails for $599 and is the only iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaning robot to carry a two-year warranty.

The Roomba 610 features the same Roomba functionality customers have come to expect from iRobot. The Roomba 610 vacuums the entire floor, under and around furniture and along walls and adjusts automatically from carpets to hard floors. The Roomba 610 comes equipped with two Virtual Wall® Lighthouses™ and also features durable paint and a bumper guard, providing a scratch resistant finish to the Roomba and more protection for furniture.

All Roomba Pet and Professional Series robots include iRobot’s patented three-stage cleaning system that automatically adjusts to effectively clean carpets and hard floors. Roomba’s intelligent cleaning system evaluates its environment more than 60 times per second so the robot is always delivering the right amount of cleaning power to your floor, regardless of the size of the room, or the size of the pet.

Availability

The new iRobot Roomba Pet and Roomba Professional Series robots are available immediately in the U.S. from www.irobot.com.

[iRobot]

iRobot also plans on selling the Negotiators for $20,000 apiece—a fraction of the price Ahed was going to get from the military for the project (although the version has been significantly stripped down). The cheaper versions will be equipped with a video camera and little else—just enough to help small-scale police forces scout potentially dangerous situations.

In the end, iRobot executive Joe Dyer is excited about selling the Negotiator: "We always loved the design and the morphology. It's our design." Hahaha...snap. [Danger Room]

For instance, if someone shows fear, the robot can learn to change its behavior to appear less threatening. If someone seems happy, the robot can make a mental (or, I guess, digital) note of what brought on that response. And if someone seems upset and lonely, the robot can give her a pat on the back, offer her a stiff drink and say "Elaine, you deserved someone better than that dickwad anyhow."

I, for one, welcome our new emotionally adept overlords. [Physorg]

According to a detailed 84-page filing, various configurations are on the table, including all-electric model and a gasoline-electric hybrid. The filing also depicts several acoustic and optical sensors that will allow the robot to "avoid hard surfaces, water and other barriers," in addition to its main job: cut grass. The robot can even sense uncut grass and make sure the blades are aligned properly.







Other features gleaned from the filing by Robot Stock News:

• A possible edge trimmer along the outside edge of the chassis.
• The possibility of collecting clippings and depositing them at a specified location
• The possibility of using RFID tags or proximity sensors to avoid running into pets or people
• The possibility of learning your lawn in the first cutting and remembering it for future cuttings
• The inclusion of grass-combing technology to ensure that the grass is fluffed and properly oriented for cutting

[Robot Stock News]

Apparently these students from South Florida aren't the only ones working on iPhone Packbot controls, as the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Lab has been said to be doing similar research. If only there was so much fervor to give the iPhone a decent copy 'n paste application. [via Engadget]

While it may seem weird that iRobot would work on such an ambitious project, it is important to point out that this is not the first time the company has been involved with a military device, and the type of robots they design make them as good a candidate as any. Whether they can actually pull it off or not remains to be seen, but they will have a brain trust at Harvard and MIT backing them up—so you never know. [Danger Room]