March 08, 2004
NYTimes on Robotic Vacume Cleaners
The NY Times has an article in their circuits section on the various robotic vacume cleaners. I have to admit that I own a Roomba, and I like it. I have also dismantled the Trilobyte, which is an interesting robot in its own right. You do get used to having clean floors without much fuss after owning one.
Posted by elkaim at March 8, 2004 11:53 AMWhile the idea of a vacuum that cleans while its owner does almost anything else may sound appealing, the robotic models are in many ways like early dishwashers and washing machines, said Carolyn Forte, the director of home care at the Good Housekeeping Institute in New York. That is, initially, they don't measure up to what they replaced.
"People who washed dishes and clothes by hand probably didn't think dishwashers and washing machines worked very well when they were introduced," she said. "But now we can't live without them."
For now, Ms. Forte said, the robotic vacuums are best at picking up surface dirt and dust, and - because of their slick disk shape - at reaching places that some vacuums can't get to, like under the sofa. But the robotic sweepers don't do stairs or cushions, they are not as powerful as conventional vacuums, and they sometimes miss spots. So for deep cleaning, Ms. Forte said, "you unfortunately still have to drag out the old vacuum cleaner."