CES 2013

robot cleaners

iRobot updates Roomba, Scooba

People who hate housework will soon have two more robots to handle the chores.

iRobot this week will unveil the Scooba 230 floor washer and the next-generation Roomba 700 series of vacuums.

iRobot already has a line of Scooba floor washers, but the company is touting the Scooba 230 as a leaner cleaner. At 3.5 inches high and 6.5 inches wide, the 230 is geared to squeeze into tight places, such as underneath furniture and around bathroom fixtures. The 230 holds enough cleaning fluid to take care of 150 square feet of space in one session, iRobot said.… Read more

Roomba meets Robocop

If the "Roomba" and "Scooba" had a parent--a morbidly obese one--it might well be this cleaning monster from Japan. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry named it the "2006 Robot of the Year" for its vacuuming prowess, which spanned "3,000 square meters in four hours on a single charge," according to Plastic Bamboo.

You won't find one of these behind the counter at Walgreen's, though: Co-creators Sumitomo and Fuji Heavy Industries put its cost at $170,000, for replacing the work of two full-time humans--and without coffee breaks. … Read more