Geek tech takes hoovering to new heights
Extreme ironing anyone?
If the Missus always nags you to help her clean, she’ll faint when you offer to vacuum the whole house. Thankfully, technology’s found a way to liven up this chore – but you’ll need a Wii Balance Board.
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Wii and vacuuming nerd “Ron” Tajima of Japan has developed a way to control the iRobot Roomba robotic vaccum cleaner through physical movements made while standing on Wii Fit’s Balance Board. Move left on the board and the Roomba moves left, move right on the board, well, you get the idea.
Bluetooth is the key to Roomba surfin'
In his You Tube video, Ron describes how he added a Bluetooth serial adaptor to the robotic sucker, before connecting the Wii’s Balance Board up to his laptop over Bluetooth. Presumably some unmentioned software hacking was required along the way too, because Ron also thanks two hacking websites at the end of his video.
Nonetheless, the hack appears to allow Ron to move his Roomba in whatever direction he wants, simply by bending and curving his body on the Balance Board.
It’s worth noting that Register Hardware’s recent iRobot Roomba review only got 30 per cent, so whilst controlling the sucker with your Balance Board might kill, say, five minutes of boredom – it still won’t get your floor clean.
COMMENTS
@ Adam W
Er, Reg readers can't get girlfriends, nevermind wives! Jeez, you must be a first time reader....
@ Mis-read the title
Yeah, it sucks. But that's the point :-)
Yeah, coat..
Multi-tasking
Who said men can't multi-task?
Apart from the obvious drink beer/scratch arse/watch telly combination we can now have get fit/clean floor/design race track in our armoury of excuses. It could be possible to add the beer drinking element to further infuriate our loved ones and add to our 'What? what have I done?' list of innocent pastimes.
The Wii proves itself once again as the most unique*console.
*yes, slipped in to sports commentator mode there
Nice one adam W
The register: so simple, even a woman could read it
But don't let the missus find out!
et fecking cetera
*koff* excuse me?
Wait - this story from the same Reg which this morning also published a story poking fun at 'political correctness' over sexism on the grounds we're all so enlightened we don't need it any more?
"If the Missus always nags you to help her with the cleaning, she’ll faint when you offer to vaccum the whole house."
This the Reg's view of today's society - Jack Geek out working in the server room while his missus waits at home with the vacuum cleaner (and, presumably, Jack's pipe and slippers)?
What's next, an article titled "Ladies! Learn to use the Personal Computer to store your knitting patterns!"? This is pathetic.
Also, vacuum has one c, two u's.
