Roomba Saves Family From Poisonous Snake
Roomba vs. Snake.
When thinking of robots of the future, we often imagine them as servants and protectors of humankind. In some ways, however, we're already at that point. The Roomba automated vacuum cleaner does a job of a servant by cleaning our living space – and now one brave Roomba has served as a protector of a family (inadvertently).
BotJunkie relays a story where an Israeli family was saved from a poisonous snake encounter thanks to their Roomba.
Efi Frida, 39, turned on her Roomba before leaving the home. Upon her return, she found that the little machine was stuck and beeping. Upon closer inspection, she discovered a small viper had been wound up around the cleaning wheel and suffered multiple head injuries. Here's what she found:
The snake was a Vipera palaestinae, which is venomous and native to the region. While this was certainly a case of bad luck for the snake more than it was due to a Roomba's heroics, Efi Frida with her husband, two kids, two cats and two dogs avoided a possible lethal snakebite.
Follow us on Twitter for more tech news, reviews, and exclusive updates!
- Mirror's Edge Leaps Onto iPhone Jan 2010
- EFF Sues Government Over Social Network Use
- Over 3.5K Sex Offenders Booted from Facebook
- Ask.com Users Desperate for Miley Cyrus' Digits
- Square: Accept Credit Card Payments on Phone
- AT&T Places Last in Consumer Reports Study
- Man Officially Married Virtual GF, Plans Future
- Royal Navy to Use PSPs as Training Tools
- Using Google-Wave to Track A Man-Hunt
- Xbox Live Marketplace Getting Pets
- Parents Pull Girl's Tooth, Scares Cat With RC Car
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii Looks Great in 1080p
- Bing Maps Beta Now Available, Uses 3D
- App Plays Mario Sounds to Match Your Movement
- Man Controls Prosthetic Arm With His Mind
- Groom Updates Facebook, Twitter at Altar
- Windows Live Gets Games on Demand
- Man Suffocates Baby Over Gaming Marathon
- Latest Influence of Technology on Society News
- 07/29 – Amazon Announces New, Improved Wi-Fi Kindle
- 07/23 – PICTURED: Darth Vader Robbing Long Island Bank
- 07/20 – Really: Ex-VP Dick Cheney Probably Has No Pulse
- 07/16 – Beijing Gets a 40-foot Optimus Prime
- 07/16 – Google Maps Snaps Plane in LA Intersection
- All Influence of Technology on Society news
This robotic vacuum cleaner clearly is not pet friendly. The 25' tall 100' across version is not human friendly so don't buy it.
Probably left behind by some palestinians as a new way to wage warfare!
Just more evidence for the robots' mounting hunger for flesh.
What if it was the cats tail
...wait 
(I dont like cats)
Viper's Bite: FAIL
now only if it could get rats
saneks today-- people tomorrow
Once poeple master AI, the AI will master us
This time the Roomba saved the cats, dogs and kids from the snake. Next time, it might be the other way around!
Probably left behind by some palestinians as a new way to wage warfare!
I'm confused, are you talking about the snake or the roomba?
Of course snake...
that viper got owned by a roomba XD
Poor snake. I'm amazed that people move into a region with an established population, and then complain about all the native fauna.
"Wolves are killing my sheep!" "Poisonous snakes are biting my children!" "Indians are raiding our caravans!"
You knew these things were there when you moved in, stop complaining and realize you're the idiot.
They should rename their Roomba as Rikki Tikki Tavi.
There is no such thing as a poisonous snake!
There is no such thing as a poisonous snake!
Sorry for the double post
I don't know why, but I find this hilarious.
What are you talking about, no such thing as a poisonous snake?
Probably left behind by some palestinians as a new way to wage warfare!
It'd be a lot better than the phosphorus bombs Israel dropped on civilian buildings in operation Iron cast or (forgot the name).
good story.lucky family.
and to some out there imagine this one.
you live in your home and from the nnext town for years you have missiles shot at your town & home.FOR YEARS OF THIS.
how would you like to have to take that kind of krap.
well you would not and neither would i.you would fight back for your family.
i would not spill any tears for scumbags who blow up babies & women and they hide behind civialians as well.
Poor snake. I'm amazed that people move into a region with an established population, and then complain about all the native fauna.
Do you have any historical realization that folks have been living in this part of the Earth? It's been inhabited for thousands of years. It's not like folks just suddenly moved in.
I'm sure you can find dangerous animals/insects just about anywhere people live if you really try.
"Enough is enough! I have had it with these motherfucking snakes in this motherfucking vacuum cleaner!"
UN Security Concil to debate resolution condemning use of automated killing machines against Palestinian Fauana.
UN SEcurity Council expected to denounce use of automated killing machines against Palestinian Fauna.
the correct word should be...venomous, as opposed to poisonous
I think the snake suffered a bit more than multiple head injuries...
But now the dark times are upon us. An autonomous robot has tasted blood... it will not end here.
What are you talking about, no such thing as a poisonous snake?
the correct word should be...venomous, as opposed to poisonous
Exactly, poisons are ingested, while venoms are injected.
Exactly, poisons are ingested, while venoms are injected.
Thanks for the information. In my language there is a single word for both venom and poison.
That roomba is DIRTY at least it proves it was getting the job done!
lol at all you people who are so worried about context and spelling.
Language is about comprehension, If he told you not step there because there is a posionous snake, are you going to step there and begin your hollier than tho speach on how there is no such thing. Good luck with that.
FYI Poisons can also be injected and venoms can also be injested. So get out of the dictionary and use common sense.
Thanks for the information. In my language there is a single word for both venom and poison.
Indeed, and both venoms and poisons may be cured with a single antidote potion*.
*I too learned everything I need to know about biology and medicine from playing jRPGs. ;-)