RFID tags embedded in the carpet guide a robotic vacuum

Click to enlarge

Via Discovery via PopGadget

This robotic vacuum cleaner has the particularity of using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags to record the location where it already went.

Most automated vacuum such as the Roomba are using a semi-random pattern that make them take various directions in the room, hoping that after a few hours most parts of the floor have been covered. In practice, it mostly works.

RFID is much more accurate in helping the robot to know where it is. However, it is totally overkill -in my opinion- to clean the floor. Other robotic applications might use this technology.