Household Robots

[Grathr]

Back in 2012 I got my first house robot.
It was a Samsung Navibot 8855, and I was amazed by how sophisticated it was.
It had object detection sensors, sensors to detect if it was about to drive off a ledge, a camera on top that it used to map our house. It did not run in random patterns, like many still do, but in straight lines adapted to each room by roof recognition and its internal map. Finally, the future was now!

My trusted Navi (yes I gave it a name) served us well for almost 5 years, but lately it has started to struggle more and more. It makes a unhealthy sound from its gears, is half blind and its battery is dying.
Here is a video of how long it now works on a full charge: 


I have been surfing the web for a replacement, and Im honestly a bit underwhelmed by how little progress has been made in this field. I imagined that the next one I would buy would be much more efficient, have longer battery life and would be much more clever. But still most of the robots run in random patterns, and many of the more advanced ones are not much more sophisticated than my old Navi, and still struggle with the same issues they did back in 2012.

I ended up ordering a Neato Botvac D75, wich is a 2015 model, and use lasers for room mapping. As far as I can tell, that is the only new development that has been made in the last 5years, in addition to WiFi connectability.

Anyway, what to do with my old one? Should I spend $40 to get it a new battery for it and let it clean the winter garden until something else fails and it becomes useless? Should I put it in storage for nostalgias sake? Or should I just send it to the "farm" where all retired vacuume robots happily clean never ending obstacle free floors all day long?

Anyway, I sidetracked a bit there.
Do you have a household robot?
What make and model? Are you happy with it?

 

[JP]

Had a Roomba. Spouse made me get rid of it. My parents have it set up in the basement. I have replaced the battery once and the brushes several times....Also replaced an infrared sensor. Techs at work hooked me up.. it still goes!!

Roomba 560.....7+ years old

[Grant Lamontagne]

I bought a Roomba 535 in 2009 and it is still going strong.  It's on its third battery and I've gone through three or four nose wheels and several sets of brushes but it still does the job.

When the first battery went a few years ago I temporarily replaced it with a Dirt Devil Whiskers, which was a much cheaper version without the sensor package.  It did ok, but it wasn't nearly as good as the Roomba.

I have recently gotten sort of interested in the new Dyson robot but at double the height of the Roomba I really see no point to it.  It won't go under as much furniture as the Roomba does.

Def

[gregozedobe]

My trusted Navi (yes I gave it a name) served us well for almost 5 years, but lately it has started to struggle more and more. It makes a unhealthy sound from its gears, is half blind and its battery is dying.

Anyway, what to do with my old one? Should I spend $40 to get it a new battery for it and let it clean the winter garden until something else fails and it becomes useless? Should I put it in storage for nostalgias sake? Or should I just send it to the "farm" where all retired vacuume robots happily clean never ending obstacle free floors all day long?

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but once you give it a name and feel sentimental towards it then what you have now is no longer an appliance, it is a pet.  As such you have to give it proper care and consider its future "quality of life".  So a new battery, lubrication (and new bearings or whatever) are in order so it can continue to enjoy entertaining and keeping you company 

[JP]

Agreed. I think you ought to tune it up. Get the new battery. Battery tech has improved much over the years.

Sent from my XT1563 using Tapatalk

[Don Pablo]

My trusted Navi (yes I gave it a name) served us well for almost 5 years, but lately it has started to struggle more and more. It makes a unhealthy sound from its gears, is half blind and its battery is dying.

Anyway, what to do with my old one? Should I spend $40 to get it a new battery for it and let it clean the winter garden until something else fails and it becomes useless? Should I put it in storage for nostalgias sake? Or should I just send it to the "farm" where all retired vacuume robots happily clean never ending obstacle free floors all day long?

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but once you give it a name and feel sentimental towards it then what you have now is no longer an appliance, it is a pet.  As such you have to give it proper care and consider its future "quality of life".  So a new battery, lubrication (and new bearings or whatever) are in order so it can continue to enjoy entertaining and keeping you company 

+1. 

[Grathr]

Replacement battery and brushes has been ordered.
Not too sure if the Mrs will be to happy with me for buying a new one and then simultaniously fixing the old one.  

[Don Pablo]

Replacement battery and brushes has been ordered.
Not too sure if the Mrs will be to happy with me for buying a new one and then simultaniously fixing the old one.  

The new one is a spare. 

[Grathr]

Replacement battery and brushes has been ordered.
Not too sure if the Mrs will be to happy with me for buying a new one and then simultaniously fixing the old one.  

The new one is a spare. 

Ill tell her that the new one can handle the  2. Floor with livingroom and kitchen, and the old one the 1st floor where my son drags in half the sandbox with him every day. Would not want to break the new one on all that dirt

[Don Pablo]

Why are you torturing the old one?   

[Grathr]

Why are you torturing the old one?   

Because the first floor has a simpler layout with less furniture and obstacles, wich I think will suit the half blind old bot better. Its sensors arent what they used to be.

[Don Pablo]

Why are you torturing the old one?   

Because the first floor has a simpler layout with less furniture and obstacles, wich I think will suit the half blind old bot better. Its sensors arent what they used to be.

When you put it that way... 

[gregozedobe]

Why are you torturing the old one?   

Because the first floor has a simpler layout with less furniture and obstacles, wich I think will suit the half blind old bot better. Its sensors arent what they used to be.

Glad to see you are being considerate of the needs of your older pet 

[JP]

I think the vacuum robots are great. When I had ownership of mine it ran as scheduled and the floors were always in good shape. It really was like having an extra little "Rosie" giving you a helping hand.

Sent from my XT1563 using Tapatalk