The Geek Toy Vacuum Cleaner 182
TheDarkpoint sent us a new device sure to be on all neat-nik geek Christmas lists. It's an automatic vacuum cleaner. Cool little device and the polite gift for those who just aren't quite up to clean-snuff.
Re:Done Before.... (Score:3)
Improvements (Score:2)
a) automatically return to a charging station when its batteries get low
b) empty itself when it fills with dirt
That's about the only way I'll ever keep my carpet clean all the time
Automated Appliances.... (Score:2)
Do we really want everything hooked up to the internet? At school, for our senior engineering project many people are doing internet technologies where they connect applicances to the internet. Nothing here is really innovative. It mostly consists of them arranging sensors of some sort on the device and then using a laptop to monitor it. Of course they try to use wireless technology - cell phone modem, or wireless lan to get it to a central computer that is hooked to the internet.
I'm sure someone is going to hook a toilet to the internet sometime soon...then it will run linux, of course, and count how many flushes, and how big the 'load' is....
The perfect gift for the single guy... (Score:1)
the inventor (Score:4)
anyhow, he's a major engineering guy, and is trying to spearhead a movement to bring engineering and design back into schools.
he's a top man...check out here [hackvan.com]
Patented spiral!? (Score:1)
It seems that they have applied for a patent on the spiral as a form that covers a rectangle. (See http://dc06.dyson.com/solution2.htm [dyson.com].
Sad.
Does anybody know what comouters and OS it uses? :-9
One concern... (Score:1)
Geek gift (Score:2)
(Side note: would a better geek gift be Lego Mindstorms so we can create our very own intelligent, robotic vacuum cleaner?)
Dana
Yet another stupid patent (Score:3)
Re: Done Before.... (Score:1)
In any case, when you vacuum, it's the corners that count... and this thing didn't even get close to those.
Motor (Score:1)
There is probably no doubt that it is "the first ... microprocessor-driven ... motor to be installed in a domestic vacuum cleaner", but does anybody have a clue to how these new "SR" motors are supposed to work? Couldn't find anything on the web site.
Re:Automated Appliances.... (Score:2)
um...what? where does it mention anything about hooking the vacuum cleaner up to the net?
--Siva
Keyboard not found.
Re:One concern... (Score:1)
Actually, looking at it I'd say it's perfect for those 'under the desk' jobs. It'd be able to get at the dust without eating the cable, and would obviate all that desk-and-box-moving that is such a pain in the arse.
No good for me. (Score:2)
I didn't read everypage of the website because the thing is kinda slow loading, being slashdotted and all, but what about vacuuming under couches and tables and stuff? It seems to me this is limited to wide open relatively uncluttered spaces, besides am I the only one that things us humans need to quit finding ways to sit on our kiesters all day and let machines do the work for us? I mean vacuuming isn't that bad. Unless you have a really big house, but that why you have an upstairs maid and a downstairs maid
Someone else mentioned (the first post actually, imagine that a useful first post) that this was just a rip off of the robotic lawn mower, now there is a good idea, we have 10 acres of land that can be a real pain to mow, by the time you are done it is time to start over again, it would be nice to just have a continous running bot. Of course them cityfied people with a half an acre don't really need it, but considering I've seen some of them with riding lawnmowers they would probably get it anyhow
Oh well, I guess soon we will have devices that breath for us. *sigh*
Festivus!!! (Score:1)
"A Festivus for the rest of us!!"
... (Score:5)
This is a good start (Score:1)
I think it's one of the holy grails of science.
How much does thins thing cost?? (Score:1)
Who am I?
Why am here?
Where is the chocolate?
Neat! (Score:1)
I was a bit disappointed there was no "science bit", though - technologies used like NN's, GA's etc...
I wonder what sort of capacity this thing has? I mean, my front room looks more like a bombsite most Sunday mornings if I have had people over...
Imagine if this really takes off - and they get the cash to invest more development. A cross between an AIBO and a vacuum cleaner!!! Way to go! Moving further down the line - it could "home in" on it's docking station. Add a shampooing module - it totally cleans as it goes...
Incidentally, Dyson use a really smart method of cleaning - some sort of vortex anomaly actually sweeps the dust up. So you have no bag to fill up - the sucking force is maintained at a uniform level no matter how full it is... plus I think it's waterproof... Handy for all those red wine spills!
IIRC, Dyson is one of those eccentric garden-shed type inventors who made some cash with the wheelbarrow with a ball for a wheel, and then went on to make the vacuum. Warms the cockles of my heart to see the nerd mantle being taken up where Sir Clive Sinclair left off...
Uh, let's see here... (Score:1)
Avery
Editor, ScowlZine
Okay... this sucks. (Score:1)
Seriously, I'm not _this_ lazy. I can get up and vacuum myself.
Not the only one out there (Score:2)
I saw a similar device demonstrated on Japanese TV the other day, except that it could automatically return to its charging station when it was finished vacuuming.
Solar Lawn Mower (Score:3)
Re:Geek gift (Score:2)
The Mindstorms are a good idea, but there's one downside... I know I'm not a 'typical' geek for the most part, but, I know I couldn't leave the Lego's alone long enough for it to get any cleaning done. I'd have it assembled, let it start doing it's thing, see a way to improve it, etc. That process could go on forever!
More silly patents (Score:1)
This is just a whole site of silly patent applications.
Arrrrrgh! (I still want one, though :-))
There goes my idea.... (Score:2)
I guess I'll just have to move on to building that automatic lawnmower....
Re:Neat! (Score:1)
Yeah. There's one in the show Teletubbies. It's called the Noo-Noo.
ObTopic: Now, if only it could recognize when it picked up a stray Lego and reassemble itself....
Re:Improvements (Score:3)
This brings up another question: what would it take to change the tracking system to actually target the cat instead of avoid it?
Avery
Editor, ScowlZine
Re:Motor (Score:1)
Re:Improvements (Score:1)
And if you were going to have it vacuum when you were sleeping or doing other things like studying or talking on the phone, you'd want one of those silencer speakers on it that produces the opposite waveform in an attempt to negate the sound. That would be pretty nifty.
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:2)
At the risk of starting (or contributing to) an OT flamewar...
The use of Xmas in this context is a nice shorthand for "in the spirit of giving and sharing that is common to many faiths at this time of year". My wife got into a painful discussion of this sort a few days ago at work. She and I are of, shall we say, a religious belief that isn't mainstream. Yet we celebrate Christmas, because we have friends and family who do, and we enjoy giving them presents and being part of their celebrations. Our religion celebrates Yule. The presents we happen to give each other are Yule presents, but they're part of our "Christmas shopping". Not holiday shopping, as most of it is for people who celebrate Christmas, and "holiday shopping" smacks way too much of political correctness for our tastes.
The aforementioned painful discussion was with a cow-orker who doesn't think that someone of alternative beliefs should celebrate Christmas. And more's the pity. Such thought hides the true message of this season, which is that it's time for friends and family to get together and give gifts, most importantly those gifts which can't be packaged in a cardboard box with wrapping paper.
So don't get bent out of shape over the use of "Christmas". If the sacred holiday of Christmas isn't part of your belief system, then insert whatever celebration is appropriate for you. (Especially for those of you who don't get a day off on or around 25 Dec., and therefore don't like thinking of it as "the holiday season".)
Horrifying scenario... (Score:2)
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:1)
I don't mean to bash on anyone else's religion, even though mine is the Right One, but yours is out there. Cow-orking is just plain wrong. Never ork the cow.
Re:Neat! (Score:1)
OPEN SOURCE WARS (Score:3)
A New Troll
It is a period of civil war on slashdot. Striking from a hidden base, the trolls have won their first victory against the evil galactic moderators.
During the battle, troll spies managed to steal secret plans to the moderator's ultimate weapon, the post vacuum, an open sourced virtual vacuum cleaner with an enough power to suck up an entire thread of trolls.
Pursued by the moderator's sinister agents, open source man races to create another off-topic thread to expose the moderator's plans and restore freedom to slashdot...
thank you.
Re:Neat! (Score:1)
Re:Improvements (Score:1)
b) empty itself when it fills with dirt "
Why not have it filter out the organic material (bugs, spiders, slugs, small mammals, etc), put it into a fermentation container to generate methane, which it could then use later to generate energy to charge its batteries?
Re:Improvements (Score:1)
Re:Geek gift (Score:1)
Hopefully we'll see a similar trend like Open Source for software in the hardware area: You get a working device but are free to take it apart and rebuild it to suit your needs. That's opposite to the current approach, trying to hide how it works and preventing people to change it. In a way, that might be why PC's are so successful and useful, you can open them and insert/remove/replace stuff. It would be neat to see other kinds of hardware follow, you can do it with your car, what about your TV? One size never fits all so being able to customize your software AND hardware is the new way of doing things!
Switched Reluctance Motor info here (Score:3)
SR Motor = Switched Reluctance motor
Let's see here..
Quick search found this site:
http://www.vtt.fi/aut/kau/results/srm/ [www.vtt.fi]
There's even a few GIF animations to show how it works.
---
C'mon! (Score:1)
Re:... (Score:1)
Guiniea Pigs are better than... (Score:1)
Re:Motor (Score:1)
Well, yes, all electric appliances create harmful emissions. No, not in your house, but at the power plant. Okay, maybe you're on hydropower or solar or windpower or maybe you run your house on fermenting slugs - either way, you're in the minority. And even if you ARE using one of those listed previously, they had to use large machines running on fossil fuels in order to build the dam or the propellers or the solar cells.
So, the lesson learned is - FERMENTING SLUG POWER!
(I wonder if they could have a lawnmower that runs on fermenting grass(no, not that kind of grass)).
Bad Pun (or good) not Troll above (Score:1)
Re:Yet another stupid patent (Score:1)
Re:Not the only one out there (Score:2)
Cautionary Tale (Score:1)
Re:the inventor (Score:2)
I FOUND YOU! (Score:2)
Hey! *THIS* is the guy who's been posting all those stupid natalie portman comments as an anonymous coward! The username, the hatred for moderators, the lowercase "thank you" at the bottom, it all fits. We have you now, fool.
JD
Make sure to get (Score:2)
not too cool (Score:1)
*whap* (Score:1)
opensourceman
He wants you to get him.
I own a Dyson vacuum cleaner... (Score:3)
Dyson has really shaken up the UK manufacturing establishment; and done it in a very engineering-oriented way. All credit to him.
Its easy to get carried away when we hear about so many really stupid patents, but Dyson risked an awful lot to build his company; it got its start from his exploitation of the Dual Cyclone technique.
Perhaps we should make a distinction between software patents (stupid), biotech (dangerous) and the more traditional physical invention types that have (generally) served us very well.
Re:Neat! (Score:2)
The body of the cleaner, where you might expect the bag to be, is a big transparent plastic cylinder with another cylinder inside it. There are a couple of downwards pointing cone shaped thingies that fit inside the tops of the cylinders.
The air swirls around and around the cones until the dirt gets dizzy and drops to the bottom. Because the bin is transparent you can see how full it is, or if you've accidentally picked up anything that you shouldn't have (coins, pets, etc.)
The absolute best thing about it is that it even sorts your dirt out for you. Big dirt in the outside bin and fine dust in the middle. I don't know why but this pleases me immensely.
Deefer said:
>plus I think it's waterproof... Handy for
>all those red wine spills!
Unfortunately not. The instruction book specifically warns you not to try to pick up damp stuff. I don't know why, perhaps it would be hard to get the damp dust-sludge out of the bin.
Molly.
Re:Improvements (Score:1)
Re:One concern... (Score:2)
More importantly, how long before some enterprising cracker attempts to hack these things? In the future, when little robot vacuum cleaners become common and can sense when the floor is dirty and needs to be cleaned, will I see articles like the following:
--
NEW YORK (AP) -- In what authorities are calling "the worst attack by pro-clutter hackers yet," thousands of Dyson DC17 robot vacuum cleaners burned out today when a swarm of dirt-dumping robots was released into the city. The dirtbots, as the FBI is calling them, invaded homes and left trails of dirt across carpets. While the DC17s attempted to vacuum up the dirt, the dirtbots continued making tracks until the DC17s lost power or their motors burnt out....
--
Alternatively, given their Mood indicator light [dyson.com] (patent pending), will these be to the next decade what mood rings were to the 70's?
Sargent
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:1)
'Notice that this appendage to the main message is not a sig.'
Mindstorms (Score:1)
Xmas is a Capitalist holiday. (Score:2)
Re:Yet another stupid patent (Score:1)
Yeah, and on the Two Speed System [dyson.com] as well. Man they must have spent a lot of time on research coming up with the concept of a machine that can move to different speeds. How completely original and innovative! (remember, only difficulty of invention, not implementation, counts for a patent).
-
We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.
Re:One concern... (Score:1)
Re:the inventor (Score:2)
Of course, even if Mr. Dyson didn't invent this, he may have patented refinements to it. Or he may be the person Amway originally got their rights from.
p.s. No, I am not an Amway distributor. I won't be hitting you up to attend any recruitment meetings
My Vacuum Cleaner Feels Threatened (Score:4)
Why does the thought of my vacuum cleaner feeling "distressed or threatened" amuse me?
Re:/.ed (Score:1)
Re:... (Score:1)
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:1)
Perhaps just treat the Winter Solstice as the main holiday and let the various religions refer to it by their own names? You don't need a religion to get into the spirit of giving and the like. And besides, Christmas is a direct descendant of the old pagan celebrations for the Winter Solstice, as when they were (forcerfully) converted they didn't want to give up their celebration around that time of the year, so the supposed birthdate of the god Mithra was commandeered to celebrate as the birthday of Jesus.
---
ugly (Score:1)
Commercial cleaning (Score:2)
I wonder if they'd take care of the staple collection I have under my desk?
Yeah, that and the "mood indicator" (Score:2)
Possibly worse is the fact that on the same page they say they've got a patent pending on the idea of a light which changes color to indicate the robot's operating mode.
Maybe this is only ludicrous to me because I've dabbled in robotics, but think about it... You have software which runs in one of a few modes and runs on a machine with no output. So, you hook up a mode indicator. It's for debugging, not for indicating any sort of emotion. Come on - navigating around a chair is a mood?
I figure it started out as a debugging tool and some marketing moron thought it was cool... "No, no... not a mode indicator... a MOOD indicator!"
SR motors (Score:1)
They work not by the traditional method of producing an electromagnetic force by passing electrons through a coiled wire, but by the revolutionary technology of harnesing non-motile electrons, or NMEs, which are lying dormant in the wire.
This produces a much longer time-to-failiure because there are no motive parts to get in the way of the motor. Nearly 0 friction = nearly 0 wear & tear.
The lower carbon emissions claim is dubious--suffice to say critics of SR studies reveal that it's similar to the early 90s claim that oatmeal lowers your cholesterol, but debunkers showed that their studies relied on you eating oatmeal and not egg yolks for breakfast.
For more information on this subject, see here [ksu.edu]
Re:There goes my idea.... (Score:2)
They also had a Radio Controlled version in an earlier magazine..
Anyway, it used tha same sort of 'spiral' pattern Dyson's device does..
"The Doorway into Summer?" (Score:1)
hmmm, isn't this the predecessor to the novel "The Doorway into Summer" by Robert A. Heinlen...
What's next... cryo-engineering so we can all sleep to the year 2003?... oh yeah he wrote that a long time ago, the protagonist slept from 1973 to 2003, after creating "household hannah" (I forgot the real name) an automated vacuum cleaner/housemaid, then went into suspended animation to come back in the future to harass some shady business partners
oh well, moderate this one down to oblivion, for it IS kinda offtopic.. sorry folks
Re:Automated Appliances.... (Score:2)
This was done along with the VT100 and music-on-demand system in the bathroom so you could listen to music (realize that this was long before the MP3 age) while showering, or you could log into your machine while you were logging into the toilet. Unfortunately not just anyone could telnet to the toilet (we DO have to pay for water, ya know) but you could telnet to the control computer if you had an account, and yes, you could flush the toilet remotely, or play music in the bathroom remotely, from anywhere in the world.
Here's a picture of the control keypad [mit.edu] that let you choose music and flush the toilet.
We later got rid of the hard drive (it kept falling off the wall into the toilet) and replaced it with an extra printer [mit.edu] screwed to the wall. We attached a cable from the printhead to the flapper in the toilet, so that when you sent data and did a carriage return, it would flush. Unfortunately the high humidity in the bathroom made the printer rust and seize up within a week. Eit!
Must agree (Score:1)
I also agree that for the standard Geek-Lair, it's not yet a useful tool, but these things have to startup and improve. Next year's model will be smarter and more adept. The first version of Linux was not generally useful either. Just damned cool.
OT: (Re:Automated Appliances....) (Score:1)
Yeah, like those £300 `personal appliances` or whatever they`re called, like the palm pilot etc, which have about the same level of functionality as a pen and paper (£0.50), only with the ever-exciting risk of losing all your phone numbers and schedules when you drop it/battery runs out etc....never understood that. Am i
missing something?
Yes, convenience and efficiency.
You need a lot of pens and paper to hold the amount of information I keep in my Palm Pilot. I keep simple, Excel compatible spreadsheets in mine. This allows me to consolidate a myriad of paper books. I can keep my phonebook, checkbook, notes, memos, novels, calculators, conversion tables, and alarm clocks in a box that is about the size of a stack of 3" by 5" cards.
I can also keep all of my passwords encrypted. Try doing that with a dead tree notepad.
Ever read Slashdot while riding a car or a bus? I have thanks to AvantGo.
I dropped and broke my Palm III a week after I got it. I didn't lose a single phone number or appointment because it syncs with my computer every night.
I originally bought my Palm III for $254.00 American. I recently upgraded to a Visor Deluxe for about the same price. I'm not up on the current exchange rates but I think that's about £170. This is considerably less than what you think they cost and there are cheaper models available. As far as I'm concerned, they are worth every penny.
Re:No it isn't. It a Christian holiday. (Score:1)
Actualy Chistmas as we know it is the result of the Roman empire's domination of pagan europe. The winter solstace celebration ( Yule ) was a long standing tradition from at least the time farming emurged as a human occupation. Most religions apart form the minority of people who follow a path with a single deity ( yes - monotheism is a minority, the majority of the worlds population follows some form of polytheism ) they would have had to mark the importand times of the year. The Romans were quite fond of mixing local and empire wide traditions. It was a way to subdu the local populations and apease them. Easter is also a combination of Christian dogma overlaying the traditional spring celebration of Oeaster ( various spellings - spoken history languages and all that ).
Anyhow - this has scant to do with the little robot save it would make for a cool Yule party conversation gimic as the party goes on.
--
James Michael Keller
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:2)
My dad, meanwhile, had been born jewish (in germany, raised from the age of 13 in a jewish orphanage here in San Francisco) but agreed to let the kids be raised catholic (etc.) and to go to mass. He slept; we nudged him when he started to snore too loudly. Now, he is in a nursing home, the Jewish Home for the Aged. We have to remind him that he's buying chanukkah gifts for the kids, not christmas gifts.
Now I am antagotheistic. (Mostly athiest, but I sincerely hope there is a god so I can beat the living shit out of him.) My wife is more agnostic/athiestic. We mostly celebrate the solstice, but have a christmas tree and give christmas gifts, and so on.) When someone says "Merry Christmas" to us, we say thanks and offer the same to them.
As far as I'm concerned, the christians commandeered the pagan solstice holidays, so there is no reason I can't commandeer christmas for my own use. Turnabout is fair play. Also, I'm far too lazy to explain to people that I don't believe in Christ, so I don't celebrate christmas, etc. That can also lead to having to sit through attempts at being converted, etc. Better just to say Merry Christmas and know in your mind that you really mean May the coming seasons bring you much happiness.
Geek rooms don't take well to cleaning (Score:1)
I'm in agreement that this thing isn't going to do well in a typical geek room; even if it can successfully navigate obstacles, that'd leave about %0.2 of my workroom's floorspace sparkling. The rest is covered with parts, printouts, and assorted spelkus.
However, it'd be ideal for the living room.
Round and Round it Goes... (Score:1)
BTW - Everyone got the video [dyson.com], it's funny as hell (3.5MB though)
Re:... (Score:4)
I know where he got the idea... (Score:4)
I wanted one then, and I want one now.
If you haven't read the book, I highly recommend it. A little outdated technology-wise, but still an excellent story with good engineering, time travel, and a cat. What more could you ask for?
Re:the inventor (Score:1)
I wonder is he related to celebrated physicist Freeman Dyson?
Just how hereditary is genius anyway?
Good article, btw.
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:2)
Yer a Wiccan, yippy, just say it, no need to beat around the bush and pretend your ashamed of it... My GF is a Wiccan, I'm a Baptist, point out to your christian Cow-Worker that Christmas was moved to where it is in the calendar precisely to encourage the Pagan populace to celebrate it,and that the Christmas Tree, mistletoe, and Holly are all druidic symbols. Anyone who is worried about celebrating 'Pagan' holidays needs to take a look at some of the bizarre rituals christians have built into their holidays, Easter Eggs (Druidic Fertility ritual), Christmas Trees, all manner of 'Pagan' characteristics.
Kintanon
Merry Fucking Christmas mister Pagan! (Nods to SP and Mr. Garrison)
Kintanon
Re:... (Score:2)
Re:No it isn't. It a Christian holiday. (Score:2)
Kintanon
Not as smart as your Grrrrl (Score:3)
:)
Murphy(c)
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:2)
AugstWest dun said:
Just how the hell does one ork cows, anyways? I've heard of cow-orkers, but I can't imagine what the hell it is...transforming cattle into big green fellas? Goblinising cattle (in the Shadowrun sense) and if so (in the Shadowrun sense) does this mean Shadowrun wendigos (aka vampy-orks) are really man-eating cattle? Getting a bunch of Da Boyz into ranching? Just how the hell does one ork cows?
I think we should be told. Maybe the Grits Boy knows...I sure as hell don't ;)
Never having orked a cow, but having known more than one werecow,
Re:Patented spiral!? (Score:2)
It's much worse.
They appear (on the same page) to have applied for a patent on a light that tells how its doing. Nevermind that old mainframes used to have a bunch of those lights (OT: IMO the media wants to bring the blinkenlights back) but also Sony's AIBO flashes different colored lights depending on its mood.
So there. Not that the patent office reads slashdot.
Re:My Vacuum Cleaner Feels Threatened (Score:2)
DC06 Sales Line: "Don't mess with a Dyson, unless you want to die, son!"
Regards, Ralph.
Re:Xmas? what about Channukah? (Score:2)
Me, I'm a Zen-Pagan-Taoist-Athiest-Discordian. I'll be visiting my parental units for "Christmas" on the 25th and have my friends from the Circle of Laughing Thunder over for a Yule celebration on the 26th. (That turned out to be the most convenient day for everyone, even though the Solstice and a full moon fall on the 22nd.)
We're completely off-topic, so if anyone want to discuss further e-mail me. (Remove "spambefuddler-" from the address above.) Happy (insert-holiday-here)!
Re:Getting closer to robotic woman. (Score:2)
Re:Improvements (Score:2)
I want to know what the price guestimate is going to be! I've got allergies, and I'm really lazy about vacuuming - it would be worth a lot to me to have something like this vacuuming my house very day!
Re:Xmas is a Capitalist holiday. (Score:2)
Here is a non-Christian who does:
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=99/12/09/12
I am not a Christian and I celebrate christmas.
There are even Catholics who don't believe in god.
Re:... (Score:2)
Other robot vacuums (Score:2)
Aha, a good ol' Google search returned their link: http://www3.electrolux.se/robot/ [electrolux.se]. Apparently, it goes over cables without any trouble. That's impressive.
For other robot vacuums, here's a short list:
I want that Electrolux one, though.
I haven't seen the Dyson one from the article. The site appears to be down hard.
Both (Score:2)
At least the ones typically used in vacuum cleaners do. Series motors start fast and spin fast.
And they probly mean ozone, not carbon.
Both. Brush/commutator motors gradually grind up the graphite brushes. The motor is in the exhaust air path (to cool it while keeping dirt out of it), so the graphite dust tends to be blown out into the room unless caught with an additional filter.
There's not enough to re-dirty your rugs. But graphite dust accumulates in lungs and is bad for them.
It's a very small amount of the dirt your lungs are exposed to. But why let them be exposed to any extra crud at all, now that hall-effect sensors are available to replace brushes? It's a nice selling point.
Re:I know where he got the idea... (Score:2)
So "it's in Heinlein" ought to be as good a reason for a mechanical contrivance to be unpatentable as "it's in Knuth" is for an algorithm
How much? (Score:2)
I want the pet avoidance feature to have programable agressiveness. I need something to terrorize my cats while I'm gone.
I also want to know if it comes with a cow catcher feature so it can collect the legos as it goes (no, not from it's predecessor, but the lego mindfield most parents are familiar with)
I think it would be easy enough to modify it into a Van de Graf generator to charge the outer shell. That would solve the external harassment issues 8^)
Re:Yeah, that and the "mood indicator" (Score:2)
Ryan