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iRobot, Google Team Up To Understand Your Smart Home (zdnet.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the connect-all-the-things dept.

iRobot and Google are looking for ways to integrate the Roomba-maker's home maps with Google Assistant to extend instructions to other gadgets. "The collaboration centers on iRobot's Roomba i7+ vacuum models' ability to map home floor plans and remember room names," notes TechCrunch. From the report: As it is, Google Home users or anyone with Google Assistant can give a voice command like, "Hey Google, clean the kitchen," and a Roomba carries out the task. The integration supports the task across multiple rooms that have been assigned a name, such as the bedroom, living room, and other named areas. According to iRobot, the home-mapping data could also be used to make it easier to set up new smart home gadgets and create new ways to automate the home.

In a statement to The Verge, Google said iRobot's maps could help locate wifi-connected lights and automatically assign names and locations to them within the house. Google stressed that Assistant only learns the names people have given to areas in the home so it can then instruct Roomba i7+ to go to that area. Google doesn't receive information about the layout of the home. Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot, told the publication that the partnership could help users in future tell Assistant to control other smart home gadgets using the same naming and location information used by the Roomba.

8 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Timer is better.... by magarity · · Score: 4, Insightful

    My old pre-wifi Roomba cleans the kitchen floor daily thanks to a simple timer. Why would I want to have to verbally command it from another location daily?

  2. Google is creepy enough already by Kohath · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why do you want Google to know your homes' floorplan and where all the furniture is?

    1. Re:Google is creepy enough already by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

      Ultimately Google would like to show you ads based on analysis of the available space in your home and what you do (or do not) own.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re:Google is creepy enough already by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 2

      Why do you want Google to know your homes' floorplan and where all the furniture is?

      Oh, this information could be useful for somebody . . . along with the location of any of your valuables, and the times when you are usually not home.

      Then a concerned, unknown, total stranger can stop by when you aren't home, and check up on your valuables to make sure that they are all still there.

      As for me . . . it's very practical that my Scooba knows the location of the wolf pits in my home, but it would remove the thrill of the element of "Surprise!" for others, when they discover them accidentally.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  3. I was considering getting an iRobot product... by LostMonk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Well, that plan is canceled.

  4. Entire house is automated, google has been banned. by bongey · · Score: 2

    I have my entire house automated, down to controlling air flow to individual rooms. I bought both the Amazon Echo and Google Home. Google Home work at first and it's voice recognition is much better than the Amazon Echo. Google being Google decided to start limiting functionality, example local Google Home,Harmony Emulator, which makes home control MUCH MUCH faster , ie local network,Google Home, Cloud-,local network,home controller than going local network,Google Home,Google Cloud (Voice Recognition) ,Home Controller Cloud,Local network,Home Controller. Yes it does make a difference especially when you are giving multiple commands in a row. Adding 2-5 seconds between commands, vs 1 second pause is just one reason the Google Home product is now just in the closet.

    Google allowed local harmony access at first, allowing adding all of them with one button click.If you have 80+ devices or even 20+ devices , manually adding each one and giving it name is major PITA. Google then removed adding new local harmony devices, only allowing grandfathered devices, then they just removed all local access to push their own api called google actions.

      Actionis looks pretty good but Google will cancel it in a few years leaving you just with your G Home "It looks like those lights have not been set up yet, just go to the Google Home app", which will involve a new home controller or google home version X.Y.Z or most likely both. Yep they remove the Home part and leave you with a voice activated google search with no screen.

  5. Re:Surveillance by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 3, Insightful

    2020 Headline: Google admits disclosing home layout and belonging data to SWAT teams for use in planning of raids.

    (totally not Big Brother)

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  6. Googles to map your home by oxicage · · Score: 2

    This is a way for Google to map and to get details about your home. Of course its not presented to the public like that. I wonder how much Roomba is getting paid for this data about your home.