Toshiba Brings Out The Smarbo Robot Vacuum

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I admit, I’m not what you’d call a great housekeeper. Tales of robotic vacuum cleaners are to me a vague hope that one day I’ll actually be able to fully vacuum under the bed without having to contort myself into positions that would make some circus acts green with envy. So that’s why hearing about the Smarbo from Toshiba was something of a surprise.

It’s not just the cleaning robot part that’s a surprise; it’s just what the Smarbo is packing that will show you a lot more than you were probably expecting. The Smarbo is packing a matched pair of CPUs, which is no small feat in and of itself.

The Japanese version (and no one’s quite sure how this will translate into releases elsewhere, indeed, if there will even be releases elsewhere), is set to offer up a camera and fully 38 different sensors, including gyroscope, range detection, and accelerometer systems. All these sensors and cameras together add up to about 100 square meters (roughly 1000 square feet for those of you who favor the imperial), and it can perform this cleaning job in roughly an hour and a half, putting out about 52 decibels of sound (only slightly less than your average conversation, at about 60-70 decibels). Plus, when it’s done cleaning, it can even return itself to its charging station for a well-deserved break.

Oh, and assuming you want something to do with the process for a feeling of accomplishment, the Smarbo even comes with a remote control so you can operate it from where ever you happen to be at the time, like across the room watching television or surfing the web.

The down side to having your vacuuming done for you? The price tag, plain and simple. This little guy emerges in Japanese markets (and like I said, there’s no word on wider releases) October 1, and you’ll be shelling out $1175 to get one.

So what do you guys think? Is that way too much cash to cut down on your cleaning chores? Or do you call it money well invested? Either way, we want to hear from you, so hit the comments section and tell us what you think!