this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2025
658 points (99.4% liked)

Technology

66353 readers
7159 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Troubled robot vacuum-cleaner maker iRobot, abandoned by Amazon after regulators effectively doomed the web giant's takeover offer, has warned investors it may not survive the next 12 months.

(page 2) 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 103 points 2 days ago (13 children)

(I know I didn't contribute shit & just complain but) ... isn't it a bit weird how after all this time there arent any good open sauce diy robot kits?

Like, materials, sensors, brushes, filters, batteries, etc are all cheaply available, a basic board could literally be just cut plywood with the rest is the things mounted on top (who even needs a cover?). And ofc one could mount various weapons mod on it.

[–] MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 87 points 2 days ago (5 children)

There is https://valetudo.cloud/ for a lot of existing models, it's about the closest thing we have.

[–] onoki@reddthat.com 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

"for a lot of models" is a bit of an exaggeration. Especially as Xiaomi/Dreame try to actively restrict Valetudo use.

But yes, Valetudo is a great project. I'd just wish there was a manufacturer who would openly endorse it.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] turkalino@lemmy.yachts 13 points 1 day ago (6 children)

I love DIY tech projects and yet I would never go through the effort to make a robot vacuum because vacuuming is already the easiest chore in the house. You kinda just stand there and go swoop swoop swoop a few times. Takes like 3 minutes to do an entire room. As opposed to listening to the robot vacuum rumble around for an hour and do a half ass job, if it even finishes without getting spooked by a shadow thinking it’s a 100ft cliff

[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 day ago

I really don't like vacuuming, so to me it doesn't matter how long it takes; I can set it up and then leave the house

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 17 points 1 day ago

Popular Science had an "open source" robot lawnmower plans in the...80s? I have it somewhere. Old enough that it used deep cycle lead-acid batteries and spinning round dremel blades. No laser to cut the grass, although it did use LEDs for sensors for grass height.

load more comments (10 replies)

I'm glad I waited to replace my old Eufy one. I definitely will not be replacing it with Roomba now.

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 52 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I'm a bit of a diy and repair nerd for damned near anything. I have a near 20 year old roomba 530 model that still works great. Back then and for a good many years roombas were hands down the best bang for your buck. I haven't recommended them for the past decade. They fell behind in ability and build quality. Let alone any of the privacy concerns stuff. Damned shame.

[–] freely1333@reddthat.com 18 points 1 day ago

Patiently awaiting Congress to ban any Chinese robot vacuums out of national security risk

[–] pHr34kY@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Mozilla gave them an OK privacy rating. Not great, but not terrible.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] kane@femboys.biz 65 points 2 days ago (12 children)

Their products require their app, would this effectively turn their devices useless when the servers die?

I know it supports a single button to start cleaning, but I wonder if that will work properly without being able to call home.

Might be time for people to look for alternatives.

[–] TheGreatSnacku@lemm.ee 47 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It technically still works without the app but it loses features that increase the efficiency of the map, tells it where not to clean, scheduled cleaning, etc.

[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago (2 children)

So basically anything that makes it more useful than just doing it yourself.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (11 replies)
[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 55 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Another company squandering their patents and market advantage. Reminds me of TiVo.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] bouncing_blob@sh.itjust.works 37 points 2 days ago

my first thought was aren't they a part of the Military Industrial Complex, how could they possibly go bankrupt? It turns out they sold off that part of their business in 2016 to private equity. Oops.

load more comments
view more: ‹ prev next ›