I'm tempted to get one just to play with the sensors for possible drone use. From the announcement: "This unique 360° vision system uses complex mathematics, probability theory, geometry and trigonometry to map and navigate a room. So it knows where it is, where it’s been and where it’s yet to clean." I don't know exactly what this means, but I like the sound of it!
From Core77: "Coupled with infrared sensors that detect obstacles, data is generated. Some 31 Dyson robotic software engineers spent north of 100,000 R&D hours figuring out how to turn that data into a mapping and navigation system, accurate to "within mm," that sets the machine on a minimal-overlap, lawnmower-like course."
Comments
+1 for Neato. I own a botvac85 and that just Rox!
Why to scan the whole hemisphere as the robot is just able to clean the floor, Neato design is largely enough but actually the 360°*180° scan ability would be great for flying vehicles
The geek in me loves the 360 camera tech, but the pragmatic side just screams overkill.
A vacuum robot only needs to know the room layout at it's own base height.
I.e. it needs to know if it will fit under the couch of not, and if there are any stuff lying on the floor it should navigate around. And for this, all you need is a single wide beam laser range finder.
The robot will then start by doing a 360 turn at the beginning of the job to scan the room layout, and continuously scan and update this layout during vacuuming.
Any one have anything specific on the EYE patents?
So if we made this DIY style, and used a firecape and a BBB, ran the rover code, we could then plug in a HD webcam run it through Recap 360 to generate a point cloud, this probably would have to require a bit of desktop computer companion trickery. Then we need to map the floor, but is this not something that I may be able to crib from my that old computer program called Logo? Maybe a Pixhawk firecape crowd funded campaign is not to far off!
It looks like they kicked Roomba's butt. The tracks look effective and the whole vacuuming system looks more serious. All this serious effectiveness must need a substantial battery, it will be interesting to find out what kind and size battery it uses. If the vision system works in most lighting conditions and doesn't get tripped up by changing lighting conditions then I think they may have a winner. Of course Dyson no doubt will start out with a very serious price for this machine.
Shouldn't a robot have actual eyes as apposed to sticker eyes? I don't know, maybe it's best to stay miles away from the uncanny valley...
I don't really understand patents. I see stuff made by person A and then person B with a big wallet invents it.
I don't generally have a good perception of Dyson engineering. Seems like more hype than fact generally. But it would be interesting to see if this thing actually works.
"are becoming"?
We are decades past when patents stopped being a incentive to protect inventors, and instead become a tool for big corporations to combat competition (aka innovation).
Patents are becoming the death of innovation.
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