3. Roomba: Bluetooth, Singing, Cylons

Roomba hacks: Bluetooth Roombas, singing Roombas, and much more

Kurt’s hacking history is extensive; some of the following projects come from his book, others from his blog. Because of the do-it-yourself nature of his work, he always includes info on how readers can recreate these hacks at home. So if you see something you like, remember that you can try it out!

A few of Kurt’s hacks are purely practical, like installing a serial tether that allows users to control the Roomba from their computers. Also, straight-up useful are Kurt’s instructions for building a Bluetooth adapter for the Roomba, which allows it to interact with external Bluetooth devices.

Other hacks of Kurt’s are about control. Out of all his projects, he says he’s most proud of this one, which lets him use a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone as a Roomba remote control. After synching the two, he can drive the Roomba, making it spin and curve as it moves forward – or even turn on its vacuum cleaner function. Take a look:

He even used the accelerometer in his Macbook as a controller. Tilt the laptop forward, and the Roomba will move forward. Tilt it to the side, and it will turn. Lay it still and it will stop.

Kurt even turned his Roomba into a musical instrument by accessing its ability to play MIDI tones. Along with the sound of its motor, this turned the once humble vacuum into a make-shift jukebox. With all of its sounds mapped to a MIDI keyboard, Kurt’s Roomba handles classics theme songs like those from Pacman and Super Mario Bros. with ease. It can even move from side to side and flash its lights in a musical dance.

Of course, some of Kurt’s hacks are just fun, like his mod that turns a Roomba into a mini Cylon from Battlestar Galactica. He he parodies the disobedient robots in the popular show by fitting his Roombas with blinking red face plates and positioning them in a faux-menacing gang.

Probably his most popular project is his caroling Roombas. After adorning them with Christmas hats and antlers, Kurt positioned three of the little guys like a family, singing “Frosty the Snowman” in MIDI tones and moving from side to side in a synchronized dance. See here:

From those who prefer a Hannukah song, his Roombas also do a rendition of “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.” Like all of his hacks, neither light-hearted alteration will harm or permanently modify your Roomba, though judging from those caroling bots, they may make it irreversibly adorable.