CeBIT 2008: Watch Out, Roomba, Korea's Rowell is Out to Get You

Although CeBIT is all about hi-tech, the latest developments in hardware, as well as consumer electronics, the fair also houses a fairly large number of very innovative, yet relatively unknown products, most of them coming from various development labs across Asia. And that's also the case with the Rowell robot, a little device that takes after the famous Roomba, but undoubtedly at a much more affordable price tag.

As Kevin Kim, the company's representative, was kind enough to explain to us, the device works in the simplest possible manner: the user simply programs it (via the remote control), and the Rowell robot will start sweeping the floor at precisely the right time. Moreover, this "lean, mean, automatic cleaning machine" will also deliver quite a good cleaning action, as- it comes packed with all the necessary accessories in order to handle just about any type of floor.

It's also quite interesting to mention that the device will also deliver some sanitizing action (via the HEPA filter), and can always double as an air freshening unit. The Roomba sweeps and vacuums in a way that will be impossible for a human maid. It comes with sensors to detect the spots where the carpet or floor is dirtier, so it will treat the area with maximum attention. More than that, it can sweep even against the the walls with a built-in brush, and, when the battery is about to get depleted or it finishes the cleaning, it returns to its home-base in order to get recharged.

The electronic maid can be directed using a totally awesome feature, called Virtual Walls. You can set up the walls in a manner that would prevent the machine from entering a room or from leaving a well-delimited space.

The Roomba 560 weighs only 4.2 kilos, and is 356 mm in diameter with a height of just 135 millimeters. The electronic maid is powered by a Li-Polymer battery that can output 4000 mAh and can deliver an autonomy of 100 minutes, after which it will have to be recharged for about 160 minutes. The Roomba 560 can reach a "cruising speed" of 30 cm/sec at a noise level of 68 dbA. By the way, if you were wondering how it can avoid the "traps" you might plant in its way for your own amusement, the e-maid uses an ultrasonic location system.



Live report by Bogdan Popa and Alex Vochin from CeBIT 2008 Hannover, Germany.