GåågleBot Vacuums While Indexing Your Stuff
Hackers have modded a vacuum Roomba to index everything you own.
Swedish hackers have cleverly modded a vacuum Roomba with an on-board web server and camera. Called the GåågleBot (pronounced /google-bot/), the droid's duties are simple: clean and index.
The process is actually rather interesting: while the networked droid roams the floor, performing its programmed duties of sucking up junk, it's also snapping pictures of your possessions using the embedded camera.
While that may seem a little invasive, the GåågleBot is actually extracting text from the images and storing the information into an internal database. Users can access the data by using a web interface from a PC much like users can access a router's console.
Why is this even helpful? Indexing your goods could mean that you actually find that book you thought was lost. Perhaps you forgot that you already owned a copy of The Birdcage on DVD.
"[It's] perfect if you feel like vacuuming while you're at the coffee shop, or for checking what your wife is up to while you are at work," the site reads, referring to the droid's remote control feature.
To see the GåågleBot in action, check out the video below.
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This is a very cool invention indeed... but can it play crrry.... uh... house cleaning?
That's pretty funny once you take it outside and it starts indexing:
"Rock 1". "Rock 2". "Round rock". "Small rock". "Leaf 1".
interesting invention, good idea but sort of sketchy,
So I have to leave everything on the floor now? This would be perfect for me, then...if you know what I mean
Ha, when I saw it go out into the world, I can just hear it going "WEEEE!!!"
No. It's actually pronounced "gogle-bot".
Don't worry Kevin, one sunny day you'll manage to write an article with nothing but facts and without grammatical errors. I'm looking forward to it
On a different note, this thing seems really cool. Now if it only could go through my drawers..
One big flaw: When the camera can't see stuff.
Maybe the DVD case or book is at an angle the camera can't see, maybe there's a bunch of stuff that's covered with clothes, and what about everything in containers, cabinets, drawers, plain boxes, storage containers?
It's still a great idea, but it's limited to what it can see from the ground.
Roomba+camera+remote control=WIN!
I'd so get sued in a week. .___.
*Proceeds to give hot neighbour a Roomba anyways*
Hey, if a thief invades a home and takes hostages, this prog can be used by Police to check what is the situation stuff by identifying the weapons..
but if the thief is smart and kicks GåågleBot's butt, then police shuld handle the negotiations in good old ways..
Hats off to Hackers
Most interesting thing i've seen in a while. I want, although it'd probably fall down my attic hatch if i tried to use it up here.
I've always wondered, there meant to be vacuum cleaners, but, where does it put the dust?
I've always wondered, there meant to be vacuum cleaners, but, where does it put the dust?
It indexes it and puts it on the web server, duh.
I'm more facinated with the vacuuming without me having to be present than the fact that it records stuff it sees .... truth be told, I don't have much stuff at ground level with text to be recognized.
Why can't my dirt devil do the work without me being around?
A vacuum cleaner that works for me, not with me = good
Something that tells me where i left my cheque book = good
But putting them both together is not the obvious choice...hehe.
I like the "check up on the wife" feature, i should get one and lend it to the neighbours, much more interesting!
I would be more interested in changing the web interface to let me play with my roomba in an FPS fashion. "There's the cat! PWNED!"
I would be more interested in changing the web interface to let me play with my roomba in an FPS fashion. "There's the cat! PWNED!"