New research questions success of robotic vacuums in homes

January 17th, 2012

Vacuums & Floor Care

Those that think humans are lazy by nature may be surprised by new research from Swiss technological institute, the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL). The study suggests that automatic vacuum cleaners may not take off in the ordinary household.

Researchers took nine families that were diverse in terms of size and dynamics, and studied their behaviour over six months to measure the level of acceptance of the robotic vacuums in the households.

Anthropologist and study co-author Valérie Bauwens said the families were interviewed before the machines were introduced into the house, and periodically thereafter.

“It was interesting to observe that the decision whether or not to abandon them was made really fast, after about only two weeks,” Bauwens said. “Our robots had very little time to prove themselves!”

Only three of the nine families liked the automated devices.

The Samsung navibot. Does it have a home in your house?

One drawback was the changing of habits required to allow the robot to work, for example, picking things up from the floor.

The qualitative study used practical and emotional criteria to measure satisfaction, including economic utility, social influence, practical utility, learning to use the machine, emotional relation to the machine, and the physical space.

Researchers also looked at the impact of automated devices on the family dynamics. “Overall, we didn’t see many changes,” Bauwens said. “The mother is still generally in control of household organization, even with this tool.”

In two cases, however, the robot was given a name and was spoken to.

 

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.

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