Home Tech: Where Is My Robot Housekeeper?
We haven't mastered the all-purpose humanoid house cleaner, but these gadgets make quick work of chores
A charming new movie called "Robot & Frank" takes place in the near future, where humanoid robot housekeepers are commonplace. (The lead robot character also functions as caregiver to an aging man and, ultimately, as co-conspirator and friend.)
It’s a common theme in popular culture. From Isaac Asimov’s "I, Robot" series published beginning in 1950 to the Will Smith movie of the same name to "The Jetsons," all have promised a future where intelligent machines would wash our dishes and do our laundry.
In each of these fictional depictions, housecleaning robots are all-purpose and humanoid. The home of the future is cleaned by something approximating a human servant re-created out of circuits and machined metal parts.
It’s a common theme in popular culture. From Isaac Asimov’s "I, Robot" series published beginning in 1950 to the Will Smith movie of the same name to "The Jetsons," all have promised a future where intelligent machines would wash our dishes and do our laundry.
In each of these fictional depictions, housecleaning robots are all-purpose and humanoid. The home of the future is cleaned by something approximating a human servant re-created out of circuits and machined metal parts.
Roomba 650 Floor Cleaner
Floor-Cleaning Robots
Robots that vacuum rugs and mop floors have been around awhile, and they improve with each generation.
The leader in the category is a company called iRobot. They make vacuum cleaner robots under a brand called the Roomba and mopping or floor-washing robots called the Scooba. Other companies have emerged that also sell Roomba-like robot vacuums.
In general, these floor-cleaning robots are round, flat and run on re-chargable batteries. They map the room in their robot brains and make multiple passes in every area. Sensors prevent them from tumbling down stairs and enable them to clean around the legs of furniture. Many return to their own charging stations, so the only human intervention required is the occasional emptying of their dirt compartments and cleaning of their brushes.
One of iRobot’s most recent products is state of the art. Called the Roomba 650, this floor cleaner automatically adjusts for different kinds of floors and carpets. And it has a new design for moving dirt into an enlarged bin, which requires emptying less often. You can program it to clean up to seven times per week starting at whatever time you specify.
Robots that vacuum rugs and mop floors have been around awhile, and they improve with each generation.
The leader in the category is a company called iRobot. They make vacuum cleaner robots under a brand called the Roomba and mopping or floor-washing robots called the Scooba. Other companies have emerged that also sell Roomba-like robot vacuums.
In general, these floor-cleaning robots are round, flat and run on re-chargable batteries. They map the room in their robot brains and make multiple passes in every area. Sensors prevent them from tumbling down stairs and enable them to clean around the legs of furniture. Many return to their own charging stations, so the only human intervention required is the occasional emptying of their dirt compartments and cleaning of their brushes.
One of iRobot’s most recent products is state of the art. Called the Roomba 650, this floor cleaner automatically adjusts for different kinds of floors and carpets. And it has a new design for moving dirt into an enlarged bin, which requires emptying less often. You can program it to clean up to seven times per week starting at whatever time you specify.
WCR-I001 Window Cleaning Robot
Window-Cleaning Robots
A new class of robot does windows! These typically involve two small and light units that you put on each side of the window — one side cleans, and the other side holds it against the glass using magnets and controls direction and speed.
Once you turn it loose, the robot cleans horizontally until it reaches the other side of the window; then it makes another pass in the opposite direction a few inches lower. These passes repeat until the window is done.
One of the leading brands is called Windoro WCR-I001 Window Cleaning Robot. It cleans with replaceable microfiber cloths and runs for about two hours on a battery charge, according to the manufacturer.
A new class of robot does windows! These typically involve two small and light units that you put on each side of the window — one side cleans, and the other side holds it against the glass using magnets and controls direction and speed.
Once you turn it loose, the robot cleans horizontally until it reaches the other side of the window; then it makes another pass in the opposite direction a few inches lower. These passes repeat until the window is done.
One of the leading brands is called Windoro WCR-I001 Window Cleaning Robot. It cleans with replaceable microfiber cloths and runs for about two hours on a battery charge, according to the manufacturer.
Looj 330
Rain Gutter-Cleaning Robots
iRobot makes a gadget called the Looj 330, which will not only clean your roof’s rain gutters without much effort on your part, it will reduce your ladder time, making that seasonal gutter-cleaning chore safer.
The Looj is a skinny, waterproof mini-tank that fits into the gutter. You turn it on and let it go, and its big, rubber flaps flip the leaves and junk out of your gutters.
iRobot makes a gadget called the Looj 330, which will not only clean your roof’s rain gutters without much effort on your part, it will reduce your ladder time, making that seasonal gutter-cleaning chore safer.
The Looj is a skinny, waterproof mini-tank that fits into the gutter. You turn it on and let it go, and its big, rubber flaps flip the leaves and junk out of your gutters.
It’s the future now, isn’t it? So where’s your robot housekeeper? It turns out that some aspects of robotic housekeeping were harder than imagined. The mechanical problems have all been solved, and the “intelligence” to perform domestic chores — for example, rinsing dishes and putting them into a dishwasher — is also doable.
Two problems prevent us from having "The Jetsons' " Rosie the Robot: pattern recognition and decision making.
The human mind’s abilities to recognize what objects are, and to contextualize them, are far beyond even the most powerful computer. These abilities are required for even the most banal of domestic activities.
So with today’s technology, humanoid, all-purpose cleaning robots are out of the question and will be for quite some time.
The good news is that small housecleaning robots that specialize in just one task are becoming increasingly available and affordable.