Robots That Serve Beyond The Vacuum

Tim Brown of Mobile Robotics writes "While everyone has been debating the abilities of new robotic vacuum cleaners and their varying price tags, Siemens has quietly announced they have developed a 'Dressman' robot that will iron your clothes! (my least favorite household chore). Rumoured to be priced at US$1700 it seems expensive for an iron. But it appears that the Roomba's best work might be that it is ushering in a new era of innovation in home products. (Note very cool picture with the article.)"

Comments

Re:Boooring.

[Manaz]

Now, I agree with this comment (there's no way that's a robot) - but it brings up the question - exactly what DOES constitute a robot?

A lot of us, I imagine, immediately think of devices such as the robot in "Lost in Space", or (those of us who are a bit older, or into movies) Klaatu (sp) from "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Industrial robots (such as those used to manufacture cars, or carry out extremely dangerous industrial procedures), or other devices, such as those used by the police to defuse bombs, etc are most certainly real "robots" - but what is it about those devices is it that makes them a robot?

Ironing for the Lazy

[lupin_sansei]

Here's how I get my shirts wrinkle free with no ironing.

1) Hang online while still wet
2) Place dry shirt in tumble dryer for 10 minutes just before wearing it
3) Wear shirt, letting body heat finish the job

Waste of space and cash..

[Mechcommander]

While it is nice that the home robotics field is getting some attention, I believe this is a nearly useless device. Most of us (even us uber-geeks) saw our mothers iron clothes once or twice in our lives. I could easily spend $30 on a nice iron, and learn a new ironing technique (Google, anyone?) and iron my clothes from time to time. There is probably a .3% market demand for this robot that simply irons clothes, mainly because of the price and the size.. Seems like an enormous waste of space to me, when an iron is 1/30th of the size, and can fit easily in my closet on a shelf or in a drawer, for that matter. Come on, you researchers: Work on something that I can use in my every day life that will help me, yet won't break the bank. As of yet, I have not seen any robotic piece of equipment that does this. (Don't bother mentioning the robotic vacuum, I've read reviews.) However, I can't have my post be all negative: I am happy that some research is being put into these things. Once the technology matures, heck.. I may be finding myself buying something similar to one of these. =)

7 or 8 minutes?

[Anonymous Coward]

From the article:

a normal cotton shirt usually takes 7-8 minutes

Now, being a single young(ish) male, I don't do a lot of ironing. But what ironing I have done does NOT take 7 or 8 minutes for a normal cotton shirt!

1700 bux for a device that takes longer than traditional methods, takes up an unreasonable amount of space, cant do elastic materials, etc, etc... no thanks.

Wow, a valid use for a patent

[michaelmalak]

It's a non-obvious solution for a long-standing problem using technology that's been around for over a hundred years.

Re:Too much for too little.

[kfg]

Dude, if you live on the West coast of the US, then, okay, it's a good bet that you are not going to need to iron your shirt.

I live in NY. I used to work as a men's suit salesman and was expected to look seriously sharp at all times. I didn't have to iron a shirt while doing so.

Indeed, I'm more inclined to iron when dressed casually in untreated soft cottons or linens that shrink and wrinkle. Plackets on flannel shirts pucker up terribly, and if you're inclined to more esoteric fashions (for the American northeastern megalopolis) shenti/veshti and chlamys/sari can use a pass with an iron, especially along the hem and selvage, now and again.

For the most part formal clothing has dealt with the issue by developing technology that largely obviates the need to iron, at least for those who wash and store their clothes properly. If you just toss shit on the floor/in the dresser your milage may well vary a good deal.

KFG

Re:Too much for too little.

[ahfoo]

"Personally, the only robot I'm interested in is a sex-slave android and I don't think we'll be seeing any of those in my lifetime."

I shouldn't be giving away my plans to rule the world and make a zillion bucks, but the sex robot might not be as difficult as you think. As always, you start off with what has already been done. In this case, there's already a major growth industry in robotic milking machines.
In fact, the reason there's so much growth in the field is that cows actually prefer robotic milkers and tend to go in for an extra milking a day because it just feels right. I'm not kidding. This is precisely why there is growth despite the costs, the diary ends up with higher milk production.
So, perhaps an android is out of the question so far, but how about 1090i video on a cube of four 42 inch high resolution panels and a milk machine!
You heard it here first baby.
And as for this hot air toy, how the hell is it a robot if you have to put the shirt on it yourself?

History of the word...

[Beolach]

Clicky

The word robot comes from the Czech robota meaning "labor." The word was first used in Karel Capek's play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (written in 1920; first performed 1921; performed in New York 1922; English edition published 1923). 1. While Karel is frequently acknowledged as the originator of the word, he wrote a short letter in reference to the Oxford English Dictionary etymology in which he named his brother, painter and writer Josef Capek as its true inventor. 2. . . .

So, at least literally, a robot is anything that labors. Check the clicky to see more of it's literary history, or read some of Isaac Asimovs numerous essays on robots.

Re:Too much for too little.

[Seumas]

What would really impress me is a washing machine that you could just through your clothes into and it would decide, based on the color and material of your clothing, what temperature and how much water to use as well as how long to run for and how much of what kind of soap to include.

That might only work if you used some sort of modified RFID tag that would transmit the details of the clothing, but it could still be cool.

Consumed by work - your missing your life

[Anonymous Coward]

If one person is working 60 or 80 hours a week to make a six figure salary a

If you're working 60 or 80 hours a week you're married to your work not to your wife. What's the point in living under the same roof if all you have the time to do is to sleep in the same bed?

Wake up! A job is just a job. There's an entire life that you're missing! Yes, it might hurt your paycheck but your heart, mind and friends will thank you.

I feel sorry for people like you who get so consumed by their jobs/quest for money that they're not living a human life anymore. What will you do when you're a burnt-out hulk of a man at 50 with no friends?

Re:Consumed by work - your missing your life

[Seumas]

But you know what? I like working because I like my job and I like my income and I like enjoying my money by doing and buying things that I otherwise would be unable to. I think it's grossly unfair to expect a man to bring home the bacon (as society generally does) but then for the woman he sets-up with to turn around and say that he works too much. Where do you think the money that both people enjoy comes from? It doesn't grow on trees.

We've all heard the stories of women who cheated on their hard working men with greasy mooching losers who have lots of free time because "he doesn't pay enough attention to me and is always working".

I would much rather be well-off (certainly not rich by any means) than poor, regardless of relationship status. Being poor or having a hard time making ends meet doesn't make for enjoyable relationships, even in the best of pairings. Especially if you ever want to have kids and afford to help them with college and give them a decent start in life.

As for hard working - you've got me there. I would like to be more social, but I can't manage to stay away from home (where I work) very long without feeling like I should be getting something done and like I'm wasting time. As it is, I have not left my home (as in, I have literally not gone outside the front door) since Christmas of 2003. I sleep a few feet from my work desk and only nap when I can't possibly keep my eyes open any longer to work.

I know I can't live like this forever, but I'm only in my late 20's. I have another 15 years before I need to worry about settling down, by which time I sure hope to have enough saved up to spend all my time enjoying "life".

But I disagree with the assertion that anyone who is working 60 or 80 hours a week is "marrie to their job". Those are often the hours required to stay employed. There are always other people who are willing to work that much and will happily replace you.

I don't feel sorry that I am consumed by my job at all. I love my job. I'm lucky to have this career and I wake up and get to work every morning with a smile on my face, eager to confront challenges and puzzles and learn. I feel that it's when your job is terrible and you hate it and you don't want to be there but have to (for the money) that you're missing your life.

If someone enjoyed painting and spent most of their time painting, would you say they were wasting their life? What if about actors or authors? It's only a waste if it's not something you like doing. Hell, to me, being a car mechanic seems like a waste of life, to me. But I bet there are thousands of dedicated people who love cars and working on them that live for it.

And maybe I'll meet someone some day that makes me stop and say "I need to work 20 less hours per week so I can spend 20 more hours with them". And when I do, I'll probably know that's the right person.

The people I feel sorry for are those like my younger friends who are in their very early twenties and getting married and have a kid on the way, but have no education, career or money. They may have "love" and spend a lot of time together, but that doesn't make up for the hardships they and their child are going to have and the major relationship troubles that will result from never being able to take care of the bills.

Not a robot

[Drog]

Yeah, I wrote about this yesterday on www.sciscoop.com and I refused to call it a robot, no matter how many times the articles called it that. Sure, technically it could be considered a robot, but no more so than my washing machine. Even less, really, since at least my washing machine has moving parts.