evolution robotics

Fitbit adds Zip to its workout routine

Tuesday's CNET Update has some Zip:

If you geek out over workout and personal fitness technology, then check out the review of the new Fitbit Zip. For $60, this fitness tracker is an advanced pedometer that records calories are burned over time. Progress is displayed on the app, and data is synced to an iPhone via Bluetooth. (Bluetooth syncing not yet available for Android.) Users also earn fitness badges and share progress with friends. The higher-end model is called the Fitbit One, which in addition tracks sleep and has a silent vibrating alarm. That comes out in early October … Read more

iRobot sucks up Mint maker Evolution Robotics

Is Roomba going square?

Besides celebrating the vac-bot's tenth birthday today, iRobot announced that it's buying Evolution Robotics, whose sleek, four-sided Mint droid cleans hard surfaces with disposable cloths.

The $74 million deal brings the compact, lightweight Mint into the iRobot fold, giving the vacubot maker another product to tackle floors that aren't carpeted.

The scrubber was a potential rival to iRobot's Scooba robot. Now iRobot will get Evolution's know-how in sensing, navigation, and artificial intelligence, built up over 10 years.

"It's more about growing our capabilities -- both product line and long-term … Read more

Dancing Mint robots break it down

LAS VEGAS--Evolution Robotics' Mint floor-cleaning robot was back at CES this year with a funky dance routine that turned heads.

Five Mints got funky at the Evolution booth with a choreographed tribute to "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas. The routine was a scaled-down version of a dance involving 12 Mints. The company has spent three weeks putting the routine together. … Read more

Floor fight: Cleaning robot Mint versus Scooba

It's the 21st century, and robots are supposed to be doing everything for us now. As with personal jet packs, that hasn't happened. But Evolution Robotics' Mint is one of a number of floor-cleaning robots designed to lighten the housework load.

Announced at CES earlier this year and shipping this fall, Mint is an automatic floor cleaner--not a vacuum like iRobot's Roomba. You put a wet or dry dust cloth on the removable cleaning pad, push a button, and Mint gets to work.

Mint is somewhat comparable to low-cost dusting robots like the $50 RoboMop, but at $249 it's almost in the same league as more sophisticated floor-washing machines like iRobot's Scooba. Scooba retails for $299 and up, and has been on the market for nearly five years.

I happened to have a Scooba 350 at home, so when I got my hands on a Mint, I decided to compare the bots' performance on my hardwood and tile floors. They're two very different machines, but let's see how they stack up. … Read more

Robot floor cleaner Mint gets those tight spots

Evolution Robotics is introducing an automatic floor cleaner for hard surfaces that can get those tricky spots like corners, edges, and places under furniture.

The Mint robot mop and duster being introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show uses disposable or reusable cleaning cloths to get the job done. You put a Swiffer or Pledge cloth on the bottom, push a button, and off it goes.

The dry cloths trap dirt and dust. When set to mop mode and given a wet cloth, Mint does a back-and-forth movement to scrub floors.

The sexy, compact machine uses Evolution Robotics' NorthStar navigation technology. … Read more