Roomba Information
The Roomba is an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner sold by iRobot. Under normal operating conditions, it is able to navigate a living space and its obstacles while vacuuming the floor. The Roomba was introduced in 2002;[1] as of January 2008[update], over 2.5 million units have been sold. Several updates and new models have since been released that allow the Roomba to better negotiate obstacles and optimize cleaning.
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Description
Roomba Discovery| This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be and removed. (June 2010) |
The unit is a disc, 34 cm (13.4") in diameter and less than 9 cm (3.5") high. A large contact-sensing bumper is mounted on the front half of the unit, with an infrared sensor at its top front center. A carrying handle is fitted on the top of the unit. Depending on the model, it may come with between one and three "Virtual Wall" infrared transmitter units.
There have been three generations of Roomba units: The original Roomba, Pro, and Pro Elite; the second-generation "Discovery" series with a larger dustbin, dirt detection, and optional home base; and the newest 5xx series.
The Roomba operates with internal nickel-metal hydride batteries (NiMH) and must be recharged regularly from a wall plug, although newer second and third-generation models have a self-charging homebase they automatically try to find (via its infrared beacon). Charging on the homebase takes about three hours. All second and most third-generation Roombas can be used with the homebase, even if they do not come packaged with it. First and second-generation models came packaged with a twelve-hour charger, although a three-hour rapid charger could also be used with them.
First-generation models needed to be told the size of the room via three room size buttons (Small, Medium, and Large), but this is no longer required with second and third-generation models.
Operation
This EU Roomba is similar to the second-generation US Roomba Sage.| This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be and removed. (June 2010) |
Using a second- or third-generation Roomba consists of carrying it to wherever the owner would like it to start, pressing the "power" button, then pressing the "clean", "spot", or "max" (if applicable) button. Third-generation Roombas no longer have the "max" button, but include a "dock" button allowing the owner to instruct the Roomba to dock with its homebase. A second- or third-generation Roomba may also be used with the Scheduler accessory. It allows the Roomba to begin cleaning automatically at the time of day that the owner desires. This can be useful for people who want the Roomba to clean while they are at work.
The Scheduler accessory is not compatible between second and third-generation Roomba.
When the "clean", "spot", or "max" button is pressed, the Roomba begins its work. The contact bumper detects bumping into walls and furniture, and the Virtual Walls limit the Roomba to the areas that the owner desires with an infrared signal. Special Scheduler Virtual Walls can be programmed to turn on at the same time the Scheduler-enabled Roomba is activated. Four infrared sensors on the bottom of the unit prevent it from falling off ledges. Second- and third-generation models have additional dirt sensors that allow them to detect particularly dirty spots and focus on those areas accordingly.
Unlike the Electrolux Trilobite vacuuming robots, Roombas do not map out the rooms they are cleaning. Instead, they rely on a few simple algorithms such as spiral cleaning (spiraling), room crossing, wall-following and random walk angle-changing after bumping into an object or wall. This design is based on MIT researcher and iRobot CTO Rodney Brooks' philosophy that robots should be like insects, equipped with simple control mechanisms tuned to their environments. The result is that although Roombas are effective at cleaning rooms, they take several times as long to do the job as a person would. The Roomba will cover some areas many times, and other areas only once or twice.
After a period of time in "clean mode", the Roomba stops and sings a few triumphant notes. The duration in "clean mode" depends on room size and volume of dirt. Third-generation models estimate room size by measuring the longest straight-line run they can perform without bumping into an object. First-generation models must be told the room size. After cleaning, if a home base is detected a second or third-generation Roomba will try to return to it. While in contact with the home base, a Roomba will charge its battery. The owner then removes the dustbin from the unit's rear and empties debris into a trash can. With the exception of the first-generation Roomba, an infrared remote control can also be used to control the unit, which is useful for a disabled person.
The Roomba is not designed for deep-pile carpet. The first and second-generation Roombas would get stuck on rug tassels (though they could be tucked under for running a Roomba) and electrical cords. The third generation has a release mechanism in the brush deck and will not only pass over tassels and electrical cords, it will actually clean them. It is low enough to go under a bed or other furniture. If at any time the unit senses that it has become stuck, no longer senses the floor beneath it, or it decides that it has worked its way into a narrow area from which it is unable to escape, it stops and sounds a mournful tone to help its owner find it.
The third-generation Roomba, which moves faster than previous Roombas, has an infrared bumper so it can go slower when the device senses it is about to run into an object.
Models
First generation RoombaThe first-generation Roombas have three buttons for room size.
The second-generation Roombas (dubbed "Discovery") replaced their predecessors in July 2004, adding a larger dust bin, better software that calculates room sizes, fast charging in the home base (or wall hanger in the Discovery SE), and dirt detection. All second-generation Roombas are functionally identical, though some have more or fewer buttons, accessories, or casings, and all featured updated programming after mid 2005. The low-end models continue to be available as of 2007 with new model names. All 2G Roombas can be updated to 2.1G Roombas.
The third-generation 5xx Roomba was introduced in 2007 and features an infrared sensor to detect obstacles, a dock button, and improved mechanical components.[2] Some second-generation models remain on sale, however, as the 4xx series.
Roomba Budget models (Dirt Dog and Model 401) have a simplified interface (a single "Clean" button) and lack some of the program generated flexibility of other versions. They are positioned to be less expensive versions of the Roomba for first-time purchasers. The Roomba Dirt Dog contains sweeping brushes and a larger dust bin but lacks the vacuum motor. It uses the space required for the vacuum for additional dust bin volume. It is designed for home shop or home garage environments. The Roomba Model 401 is similar but has a 'standard' size dust bin and vacuum system. They are compatible with the extended-life batteries, fast charger and schedulers of the Discovery series.
Accessories
- Easy Clean Brush: A brush that is designed specifically for cleaning pet hair, and being easier to clean off (standard on "for pets" models).
- Remote Control: Allows the owner to control the Roomba remotely (works with all second and third generation Roombas).
- iRobot Scheduler: Allows the owner to program the Roomba to clean at certain times automatically. Schedule Upgrade accessory will also update a pre-2.1 Roomba to the 2.1 software (for third generation Roombas).
- Homebase: The Roomba automatically returns to here for recharging (for second and third generation Roombas).
- Virtual Wall: Used for keeping the Roomba out of certain areas (for all Roombas).
- Virtual Wall Lighthouse: Functionality of Virtual Wall in addition to 'Lighthouse' mode which will contain Roomba in one room until the room is completely vacuumed before moving on to the next.
- OSMO: A dongle that attaches to the serial port on the Roomba. This updates a pre-2.1 Roomba's firmware to version 2.1 and can also correct the "circle dance" problem (for all second generation Roombas).
- Advanced Power System (APS) Battery: Rechargeable battery for all Roomba models that holds enough power to clean for 200 minutes.
- Roomba Serial Control Interface (Roomba SCI) exposes all the functionalities and sensor information from the iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner. Using the Roomba SCI a roboticist can command and control the Roomba by interfacing to the 7pin Mini Din UART port.
- Roo series of products: RooTooth, RooStick and Roo232 by RoboDynamics
- RooTooth: A Bluetooth module that converts the RoomBa to Bluetooth control from any bluetooh device.
- RooStick: A Bluetooth dongle to allow control from BlueTooth enabled devices
- Roo232: Allows programming input through a serial port connector.
- RoombaFX - A C# class by RoboDynamics that implements the entire Roomba SCI command set. Available on Source Forge for download and your contributions.[3]
Hacking and extending Roomba
Roomba comes with a Mini-DIN TTL serial interface, which is incompatible with standard PC/Mac serial ports and cables, both electrically and physically. However, third-party adapters are available to access the Roomba's computer via Bluetooth, USB, or RS-232 (PC/Mac serial). New, 500-series, and 410/420 series Roombas upgraded with the OSMO hacker device allow the user to monitor Roomba's many sensors and modify its behavior. The Roomba Open Interface (formerly "Roomba Serial Command Interface") API allows programmers and roboticists to create their own enhancements to Roomba.[4] Several projects are described on Roomba hacking sites. In response to this interest, the company manufactures the iRobot Create, with the vacuum cleaner motor replaced by a "cargo bay" for mounting devices like TV cams, lasers, and even non-mobile robots. The Create provides a greatly enhanced, 25-pin interface providing both analog and digital bidirectional communication with the hosted device. Thus, it can then be used as the mobile base and wireless interface for completely new robots.
See also
| Robotics portal | |
| Electronics portal |
- Comparison of domestic robots
- Domestic robot
- Robotic mapping
- Robotics suite
- Scooba floor washer, iRobot's second home robot
- RoboMower lawn mower home robot, manufactured by Friendly Robotics
References
- ^ "iRobot Corporation: Our History". http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=203.
- ^ "Official iRobot Website". Homesupport.irobot.com. http://homesupport.irobot.com/cgi-bin/irobot_homesupport.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=136&p_created=1154461969&p. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ^ "RoombaFX beta by bluewhackadoo". Anonymous. http://sourceforge.net/projects/roombafx. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
- ^ "iRobot Corporation: Roomba Open Interface". Kibertron.org. 2005-10-24. http://kibertron.org/sp_pageid=248.php. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Roomba |
- iRobot, manufacturer and US retailer of Roombas
- RobotReviews.com, The largest and most active discussion site for Roomba users
- Robotic mapping for Roomba.
- RoombaDevTools.com, provides development tools to use roomba as a robotic base
- C# RoombaSCI, Open Source C# Programming Framework for Roomba
- iRobot - Russia - iRobot in Russia
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Categories: Home appliance brands | Domestic robots | 2002 introductions | Vacuum cleaners | IRobot
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