By Wendy J. Miller
"House cleaning PAUSED"
I love technology - and although sometimes it baffles me, I appreciate the brilliance that goes into its development.
Robotics are a particular area of interest for me. I dream of the day when I will have a robot servant who (notice how I've already humanized it) brings me my slippers and a cocktail at the end of a hectic day. For years I've longed for one of the Star Trek food replicators - the magical gizmo that will instantaneously prepare any food or beverage you desire!
About eight or nine years ago I purchased a robotic lawnmower. It had a very stylish shape and was bright yellow, but it required getting down on your hands and knees to carefully lay out a thin perimeter wire so that the robot would not go AWOL. As most of the area I wanted cut was grass layered over rock bed, it was almost impossible to set the work area.
Just as I was reaching my peak of frustration, I found out that the robot only wanted to communicate in Hebrew! The mower had been manufactured in Israel and did not have an English language option. Alas, it proved to be a huge OY VEY and I gave it to an auction house to sell. I don't think anyone ever "bot" it...
For the past few years I have been intrigued by robotic vacuums. Different makes and models appeared and became locally available. I continued watching flyers, hoping that I would develop an actual NEED for this machine; not just a "WOW! That would be cool!" inkling.
Last month I couldn't wait any longer. A new model, the NEATO XV-11, was on the market - with better suction (the size of my dust bunnies required an engine akin to that used for an A320 Airbus), improved manoeuvrability, and with more clever design to tackle corners! And online purchasing with free delivery would have it in my hands within five days. My dust had been waiting for weeks - another five days would be no problem.
to be continued...
