Your Roomba is lazy, and scientists say we should hack them to do more than sit around
A robot vacuum can be great if they don't suck. But scientists think hacking is the answer to make them work smarter.
- Robot vacuums are increasingly popular, but on average, they’re only in use for less than two hours a day, and idling the rest of the time.
- With some modifications, you can make your robot vacuum work harder for you.
- Researchers from the University of Bath retrained a Roomba to do various tasks like follow you around with a mobile phone charger, project videos onto walls or ceilings, and more.
While some of us dream of a future where robots keep the house clean and help us cook meals for us, and other tasks we may not have time for, that’s still a ways off. Plus, that could go the way of Skynet, which would be bad news for all of us. For now, we just have robot vacuums, but maybe you don’t have one yet and plan to buy one. But what if these domestic appliances could do more than just suck?
Researchers at the University of Bath have modified a Roomba so that it can do more tasks than just vacuuming. A robot vacuum, by design, is limited to a single task: cleaning the floors in your house, which can involve vacuuming or even mopping. Those who live in a home with multiple floors need at least two, since they (unfortunately) can’t navigate steps.
