Technology @lemmy.world Tea @programming.dev 2d ago

iRobot is likely to collapse within 12 months.

www.theregister.com iRobot in dire straits, likely to collapse within 12 months

: We're doomba, say Roomba goombas, unless...

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.

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(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.
- There is https://valetudo.cloud/ for a lot of existing models, it's about the closest thing we have.
  
  Oh fuck, ~~I'm gonna~~ I might test this.
  I've never heard of it before, but the more I read the more I like it.
  
  Thx!
  
  I have it on a Roborock S5 and it works great, so much more stable than the original firmware that requires an internet connection.
  
  Certain models can be harder to root though, so read through the description and guide thoroughly first.
  
  I have an S5 Max, its a long time I think about switching.. but I dunno if its worth it
  
  Yeah if it's working fine now I wouldn't bother.
  
  "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.
  
  I've wondered before how large an order would be required to entice a white label manufacturer of robot vacuums into doing a production run of units with Valetudo preinstalled.
  
  I would absolutely buy one if someone could work out a fair business arrangement with the developer and throw the project up on kickstarter.
  
  There are not enough smart-vacuum owners in the world that would make it more profitable to just make the hardware without hoovering up the data that comes with its use.
- 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.
- Go ahead and make one then. Nobody is stopping you from being the first.
  
  ... I'm that, my best is what is stopping me :(.
- 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
  
  Sounds like you don't have a thick furred dog that sheds multiple coats throughout the year.
  
  We got a roomba as a gift and it has saved so much effort of sweeping/vacuuming the excess of fur on the floors.
  
  Love my husky but damn...
  
  Yeah, people complain about roombas not giving a super deep clean… But they’re really not intended to do so. They’re meant to be a daily maintenance clean. They may not be great for when you dump an entire can of coffee grounds in your carpet… But they’re wonderful when you have a big dog with lots of fur that needs to be vacuumed every single day.
  
  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
  
  Yes, we all need to manage our lives & our shortcomings.
  I like vacuum cleaning chore too, but can have periods when my brainhole just won't register the todo.
  
  Got a good deal on a Roomba, I have a shark with HEPA filter and all, very good vacuum. I can vacuum, then let the Roomba run, and it still finds shit. I like it, especially for pet hair. Only thing I don't like is it's random pattern, mine doesn't map the room, refuse to get one with a camera.
  
  Better to put my efforts toward automating the flipping of light switches and the raising/lowering of window shades
- I mean, I don't demand an open source washing machine or dryer either.
  
  yes but they don't need a cloud service, neither scanning your home to function
  
  Ok, but that would be amazing.
  
  Imagine the ability to actually define your own cycles.
  
  Tho how most are built, that shouldn't be that hard with a little arduino.
- Didn’t iRobot put out a DIY robot/vacuum that you could assemble how you wanted?
  
  Yeah, but it didn't have a vacuum. It was just a development thing.
  
  It was an awesome rover robot for tinkering and introducing kids to technology! Wish there were more versions of hardware like that.
  
  True, I guess my comment did sound a bit "not interesting" 😅
  
  I think it's a great development kit. I wish my Eufy robot vacuum had that level of tinker-ability. It's already got googly eyes...

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