This vacuuming robot is called the Figura. It’s like a Roomba in that it can autonomously vacuum your floors, but what sets it apart is its ability to follow verbal instruction. You can tell it to “clean up” or “get out of the way”. It also boasts automatic charging and a wireless computer control system.
This is just a prototype, but it’s functioning enough to clean the carpet at what I think is a Japanese jazz/cocktail party for some reason. The Figura also has an add-on that gives it the ability to wax floors. This should be available (in Japan) around April 2009.
Definitely a cool bot, and although it seems to be making sounds like a Tickle Me Elmo, the Figura won’t be so cute when you’re ordering it to slaughter your enemies. Wait, yeah it will.
Roomba owners should really shut their bots off before leaving the house and arming the alarm system. Here’s why. A Roomba in a Denmark home got all hopped up on dust and dirt and tripped the motion sensors. It was just jonesin’ to snort some debris while its owners were out on the town.
The alarm was tripped, and the authorities were automatically phoned. They arrived to see that the little bot had gorged itself in a shameless and lonely orgy of filth. Otherwise all was well.
They decided not to press charges as it had nothing to handcuff.
When you think about what a limited edition Wall-E Roomba should be, you probably picture a Roomba with those cute Wall-E eyes attached, Wall-E’s squar-ish body. Maybe add some voice effects. How awesome would it be to have a Wall-E Roomba? Count me in.
Turns out, not very awesome at all. It’s being sold in Japan and it amounts to no more then a crappy sticker attached on top. For the price of $850. That’s $550 more then what a standard 530 costs here in the U.S. That’s just lame.
For those who hate Hello Kitty, you’ll be happy to know that she now has a janitorial position cleaning the filth off your floors. Why in the hell we need yet another Hello Kitty item is beyond me, but if we must, at least she can get her paws dirty.
iRobot and Sanrio must have had a few drinks and a bright idea about how to open up to a new demographic. We can be thankful of two things: Only 500 units are made and it’s only available in Japan. It will cost roughly $810. Sadly, too expensive to buy on impulse and let it play in the road.
Mr. Pitful’s ode to the Roomba robot that’s cleaning up his entire life. His living room, kitchen, relationships, and even the deepest, darkest corners of his mind. Does it make you want to buy a new Roomba? I don’t know, but you’ll want to check out the other Mr. Pitful Band creations. With lyrics like “… the dirty dust balls of my mind…”, it’s catchy. It’s like if Tenacious D sang about robots.
