Have you moved on from the broom to the vacuum cleaner in order to keep your humble abode nice and clean? If you have answered in the affirmative, then you might have also “graduated” to a robotic vacuum cleaner, where the Roomba brand from iRobot would definitely be something that most people are familiar with. What then, is the next evolutionary step for a robotic vacuum cleaner like the Roomba? Juan Lee’s take on the next generation of robotic vacuum cleaners would come in the form of gel-based robot balls.
So far, this particular device has yet to be christened, but it does resemble a Roomba (you do not reinvent the wheel after all), where it is capable of sending out gel balls that are reminders of those sticky hands that you used to purchase for a quarter. The balls themselves will carry tiny robots that are able to “chat” electronically with the main hub, which will in turn suck the balls back in once those tiny critters have gotten the job done – at least to the best of their ability. The hub will then ensure that the small gel-based robot balls will be cleaned up, before they are sent out for yet another cleaning mission. It is right now but a concept, although it would be cool to see it become reality in due time.
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