Neato Robotics Robot Vacuum Features & Video

Neato Robotics have introduced their XV11 robot vacuum cleaner, a device that can potentially be a serious contender to the Roomba. The XV11 is the first automated vacuum to utilize SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) and laser technology to accurately lay out a room and the location of “obstacles” prior to beginning the cleaning process.
Unlike Roomba which moves around in circular patterns to clean a room, XV11 uses a more systematic approach of going back and forth across the floor until the room is cleaned. In the event that the robotic device runs out of battery power prior to finishing a room, it will head back to its charging station to recharge, after which it will finish the task at hand. Read the rest of this entry »

Researchers Tweak Roomba to Respond to Emotions

Researchers at the University of Calgary tricked out an iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner to react to signals such as muscle tension and eye movement in a bid to test limited brain-computer interaction between humans and robots.

“As far as we know we are amongst the very first to pursue bioelectric signal interfaces in human-robot interaction, where we program a robot to react to the user’s emotional state rather than just direct control,” says Paul Saulnier, a graduate student at the University. Saulnier presented his findings at the
Human Robot Interaction conference in San Diego earlier this month.

Saulnier’s team used NIA, a gaming peripheral from OCZ that reads bioelectrical signals from gamers and translates it into on-screen actions. For instance, gamers who wear the NIA (neural impulse actuator) headband can use some basic thoughts and eye movements to control a video game.

The team mapped NIA to the Roomba and used indicators such as muscle tension to control robot speed. The more tense a muscle, the greater the indication of stress, which in turn acts a signal for the Roomba to back off. (Read the complete paper)

The idea is to prove that mapping the emotional state of a user to the emotional state of a robot is possible with existing technology, say the researchers.

“People have often asked me about the potential real-world applications of this,” says Saulnier. “The example I like to use is an emotion-sensing robot could that could be used to monitor the health of an elderly relative and react if something is detected of concern.”

While it may be an interesting idea, there are technical challenges currently, says Saulnier. But it is something the team hopes to investigate next.

Read More http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/03/researchers-tes/#ixzz0pJrCOlWV

Neato XV-11 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Video (Features&Review)

If the increasing workload and busy schedules stop you from spending time to do home cleaning work, perhaps it is time to look for helper such as Neato XV-11 auto vacuum system if you don’t plan to hire a house keeper. Neato XV-11 all-floor vacuum system which was released lately by Neato Robotics is a fully automatic home robot vacuum cleaner that can share your household chores. This smart robot uses a high-tech laser-powered Room Positioning System (RPS) Technology to map the entire floor space in your room and avoids most obstacles. It has a 360-degree view of a room Read the rest of this entry »