Window Cleaning Robot "Slated"

Winbot W730, the Window Cleaning Robot. "In the end, there’s no way I can recommend this as a product. For $400, you want a window cleaner who doesn’t miss spots, won’t leave streaks, and isn’t going to get cranky when faced with anything other than a generous expanse of undivided pane. You’re much better off hiring a person—preferably a professional—to do the job."

This Bot Does Windows - It’ll clean your panes inside and out. But is it worth $400? (By Seth Stevenson) Cleaning windows is so arduous and dangerous that it earned its own 20th-century catchphrase. “I don’t do windows”—a warning that the speaker may be desperate but still has limits—was a frequent sitcom one-liner in the ’70s. The meme grew popular enough that, according to William Safire, it likely spawned the entire “I don’t do mornings/Mondays/etc.” phrasal construction. How miserable is the chore? I’ll let country songsmith Hank Cochran answer. In the 1980 ditty “I Don’t Do Windows,” he equated scrubbing panes with eternal damnation: “There’s some things that I just won't do. I think it’s time that I told them to you. I don’t do windows and I won’t go to hell for you.”

My own windows are a source of mild shame. Anyone in the building across the way can observe how flecked with schmutz they’ve become. I haven’t cleaned their exteriors since I moved in a couple of years ago. Partly that’s because I’m lazy (as evidenced by the fact that I haven’t cleaned their interiors either), but partly it’s because to do so I’d need to wager life and limb by dangling out over a four-story drop. Thus I was excited to borrow a Winbot—a robot that pledges to polish your windows, mirrors, and other glass surfaces without you rigging up a harness and going all human fly. This compact, square droid will vacuum-attach itself to a pane and then scuttle around squeegeeing off all the muck it encounters.

The approach is almost identical to that of the Scooba robot floor mop I recently reviewed, except the Winbot dares to get vertical. Like the Scooba, it’s programmed to automatically cover the entire surface you place it on, and then stop when it’s done, alerting you with a fanfare of beeps. Set it to work, go out for a walk, and return to a crystal-clear view of the world outside. Sounded fantastic to this fourth-story apartment dweller.

Before I exposed the Winbot to the elements, I tried it out on the large mirror that covers the wall above the vanity in my bathroom. I began by spraying cleaning solution onto a soft, fabric pad that’s attached to the Winbot’s base. Then I plugged the bot in, turned it on, and stuck it to the mirror. Amazingly, it stayed there. The motor created enough suction to let the Winbot cling to this sheer, vertical surface with seemingly little difficulty. When I hit the start button, the bot began to merrily crawl to and fro—like a very conscientious, domestically oriented Spider-Man.

When no catastrophes ensued, I brought the Winbot out to my living room. I slid open a window, reached around to the outside, and affixed the Winbot to the exterior. Then I used the remote control to launch the cleaning program. Again, the little bot did its thing without falling off. The front pad, soaked with the cleaning solution, sponged away dirt. The rear pad followed behind, sopping up the resulting detritus. Though I never saw the Winbot have any trouble maintaining suction, there is a special fail-safe retaining device—a tether rooted to the inside of the window by one of those old-school, nonelectrified suction cups—to ensure that, in the event of an unplanned dismount, the Winbot won’t free-fall and create a surprise for someone on the avenue below.

When the Winbot was done cleaning, I used its remote to steer it back to a reachable spot on the window. I turned it off, pulled it off the glass, and brought it back inside. Then I assessed the results. The window was drastically less dirty. The bulk of the glass looked pretty fantastic. But just as the Winbot replicates the Scooba’s approach to cleaning, it also mimics the Scooba’s crucial flaw: It can’t quite reach all the way to edges or into corners. Its overhanging bumpers don’t let the cleaning pads get flush to the sides of your windows, so it leaves slender areas untouched. Using the remote control, I was able to maneuver the Winbot back to these spots and, by guiding it patiently and carefully, clean a few millimeters closer to the edges. But there remained schmutzy regions that simply could not be un-schmutzed.

Plus: streaks. The Winbot left swoops of filmy residue marking its path. In the bathroom, when the mirror got steamy during a shower, I could even make out the pattern of the Winbot’s little tank treads clearly marked on the glass. The fact that a chamois cloth comes packed in the box—with directions suggesting you use it to finish up each job—suggests that Ecovacs, the Chinese company behind the Winbot, is aware of the problem. But if I need to lean out a window 50 feet above street level to manually polish windows with a cloth, the very purpose of the droid is defeated.

Because it’s corded, the device also suffers from a more basic flaw. The cord needs to trail out the window, which means you can’t pull the window fully shut. Depending on the nature of your windows, this open position can leave a slim margin of the pane obscured. The Winbot has no hope of cleaning that area.

Live in a colder climate? The Winbot doesn’t work when the temperature outside is below 40 degrees. It affects the suction strength—the bot can’t find purchase on the cold glass. You’re out of luck all winter, Northerners with dirty panes. And of course, the Winbot can’t leap over muntins. So it’s pretty useless unless you can sic it on wide swaths of uninterrupted glass. You wouldn’t want to keep reattaching the thing to each little square in your big gridded bay.

In the end, there’s no way I can recommend this as a product. For $400, you want a window cleaner who doesn’t miss spots, won’t leave streaks, and isn’t going to get cranky when faced with anything other than a generous expanse of undivided pane. You’re much better off hiring a person—preferably a professional—to do the job. (Unless you want to clean your windows with abnormal frequency and are OK with the above mentioned limitations. Or you just hate humans and strive to eliminate all service jobs.)

Still, given that—as far as I can tell—robots can’t yet tie shoelaces unaided, I have to marvel at how close we’re getting to creating effective domestic droids. There’s already a pool-cleaning bot, an aquarium-cleaning bot, a grill-cleaning bot, and a slew of bot vacuums. These devices may not be flawless yet, but they will without doubt improve quickly.

I can easily envision a cordless Winbot that manages to clean every cranny and leaves behind no streaky traces of its efforts. When this magical robot eventually arrives in stores, I’ll be the first in line. If there’s one thing I know about my future self, it’s that he still doesn’t do windows.

More on the Winbot here.

Window Cleaning Robot Has It's Limits

The Winbot robotic window cleaner clings to the glass by suction, wets it and wipes it dry.

Ecovacs Winbot sucks glass to clean your panes: This window-washing robot showing at CES 2013 has easy stick-on and clean operation. But don't chuck your Windex yet. In Las Vegas robots that wash your windows are another dream of domestic automation, but most early models involve a cumbersome two-part unit that goes on both sides of a pane. At  CES 2013, China-based Ecovacs is showing off a new version of its Winbot window washer, one that doesn't require a magnetic support on the other side of the glass. Just stick the Winbot 7 series on the window, press start, and it starts moving up and down. That's a lot easier than handling two machines.

It can work wirelessly on a battery charge, but when used above ground level it's best to attach a safety cable, which doubles as a power supply, to the unit and the window itself. Winbot was exhibited at IFA 2012, and it's billed as the only bot of its kind that cleans glass of any thickness, even Thermopanes. But it won't work on frosted glass or panes with writing or signage on them.

Winbot has a vacuum pump that seals it to the glass, while letting it move around automatically. It travels in a zig-zag pattern before doing the edges. It cleans by wiping with a solution-moistened cleaning pad, then squeegee-ing remaining dirt, and then drying with a rear pad. That sounds good enough to toss out your Windex, but unless you have floor-to-ceiling views, repositioning Winbot to clean smaller windows will still be a pain in the pane.

Following earlier versions, the latest Winbot was launched in China last year and is expected to go on sale in the U.S. in the spring of this year. A $299 version will clean windows that have frames, in other words well-defined borders, while a $349 version will be able to clean glass walls or windows that have no frames. Now all they need are legs, and they'll be cleaning skyscrapers.

Winbot won’t complain about cleaning windows: So when a robot-like device comes along that can perform a cleaning task on its own so that we don’t have to, it naturally gets people talking. Ecovacs Robotics’ Winbot 7 certainly had people talking (and gawking) at CES 2013. This little robot cleans windows and can get to hard-to-reach areas better than humans can. Winbot 7 sticks to any window with two powerful vacuum suctions, and moves around the window using a set of rotating suction cups that power the robot along. A cleaning cloth wipes away dust, grime, and moisture as the Winbot zig-zags across the glass.

When first set on the window, Winbot crawls to the very bottom, and then to the very top, to measure the window size. It then movies across the window in a zig-zag pattern, making sure to cover every inch of surface. When finished, Winbot crawls back to the spot where it started. The time needed per window of course will vary with the window size, but the robot moves pretty fast overall. While the Winbot is great for a quick dust or clean, it doesn’t provide much elbow grease—tougher water spots or stains might need extra cleaning. Another drawback to Winbot is its movement limitations. It isn’t cordless, so it’s stuck with cleaning windows within reach of its 10-foot power cord. You’ll have to manually pick Winbot up and move it to another spot if the window is bigger.

Still, having a personal window cleaning assistant is pretty helpful. And you can see where this might go in the future. Home vacuuming robots have overcome similar limitations, dramatically reducing the human help they need to get their work done. Someday soon we may see a machine like the Winbot that is wireless, jumps from window to window, and can be set to automatically do the windows every seven days. Winbot 7 is set to go on sale in the spring, and will be priced between $299 and $399.

Super Suction Lets This Window Cleaning Bot Stick To Glass: Designed to complement the Roomba, the Scuba, and the myriad of other cleaning robots that keep your floors spic and span, the new Winbot 7 uses its suction powers to stick to and clean your windows instead. So when it's available come April for somewhere around $400 to $500, you may never have to buy Windex or paper towels again. The Winbot 7 is actually an upgrade to an older model that required a magnetic backing on the other side of the window to hold it in place. Instead, the Winbot 7 uses a pair of suction rings powered by a strong motor to cling to the side of a smooth window, while a set of soft silicone treads drive it around. Once a strong seal is made, indicated by a color-changing LED, the Winbot 7 will quickly explore the entire window, calculating its size so it can plan out an effective cleaning routine. After that it zig-zags its away across a pane using a pad soaked in cleaning solution to wipe off dirt and grime. Power is provided by a tethered cable that also serves as a last resort lifeline should the bot lose power and suction, but a three hour backup battery is included that will keep the suction motor running until it can be rescued.

Ecovacs claims that the Winbot 7 is the only window-cleaning robot that can clean windows of any thickness. There are two models—the W710 is for framed windows and the W730 can be used on both framed and frameless. Unlike window bots of the past, the Winbot 7 doesn't require a magnetic support on the other side of the glass. Instead, it has a vacuum pump that seals it to the glass then cleans with a moist pad on one side, a built-in squeegee and a drying pad on the other side. When first placed on the window, the Winbot 7 is programmed to "measure' the window and determine the best path. It does so by crawling from the bottom of the window to the top and then cleaning in a zig-zag motion. For a normal-sized window, it can complete its task in 10 minutes or less. That's plenty of time for you to grab a cup of coffee. The Winbot 7 reportedly will be available in the spring, just in time for spring cleaning, at a cost of $299 to $399.

Most visitors miss the surprises that can be found in a plain corner called the “International Gateway,” where manufacturers from Asia display unglamorous components and offbeat items. Man Hyun Ryu (right) demonstrated two Windoros for a visitor to the booth of South Korea’s Ilshim Global. Much as iRobot’s Roomba will vacuum your floor, Ilshim’s Windoro will clean your window as it moves across the glass. Each unit has two pieces held together by magnets—one for the inside of a window and one for the outside. The devices, which are about $450, are available in Japan, Korea, and Europe. They clean one side of a window at a time; Ilshim is developing a version that does both sides.

Another Window Cleaning Robot - Windoro - here & here.

Korea Seeks To Blast Home Owners With Robot Window Cleaner

Korean robotics industry picks up steam: Korea’s robotics industry is picking up steam as government-led pilot programs are spurring sales and exports, while carving out new niches in the fledgling market. About 200 local robotics firms are expected to have generated at least 2 trillion won ($1.77 billion) in output last year, an official at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said Monday, citing preliminary data. The ministry plans to release the final figures as early as June. Yet the tally is up about 12 percent from 2010 and more than 240 percent from 2008.

The ministry attributed the upbeat results to a 2011 pan-government scheme to cultivate robotics as one of the country’s key growth industries. Seven ministries including industry, welfare and environment have been funneling in 15 billion won since then to expand the use of robotics into areas ranging from education and agriculture to medical and defense, shifting their focus from manufacturing. The country had been shoring up the burgeoning industry by investing 75 billion won since 2002. But the funds were mostly channeled into developing assembly robots, officials said.

In last year’s pilot programs, robots were deployed for small-scale manufacturing, teaching, firefighting, demining, sewage repairs and patrolling danger zones, among other tasks. The project led Curexo, a local startup, to add 3.53 billion won in sales by selling high-tech robotic equipment for artificial joint operations to hospitals in Korea and India.



In another development, Ilshim Global in August sealed two deals worth 4.4 billion won with Euroboats of Germany and Ezicom of France to supply a combined 20,000 units of window cleaning robots. Other companies such as Yujin Robot, Gaha and ED are discussing exports with clients in countries like New Zealand, Finland and Denmark after demonstrating their products for health care and education services at nursing homes there. “The programs helped Korean firms open up new markets, branch out abroad and boost the use of robots across industries,” the ministry said in a statement.

Seeking to expedite commercial production and induce more private investment, the economy ministry said it plans to select other promising developers for the 22.4 billion won initiative. Korea tails Japan, Germany and the U.S. in the global robots industry, which is forecast to grow to $100 billion in 2018 from $5.7 billion in 2010, according to the International Federation of Robotics. The Frankfurt-based industry body picked Korea as one of the most dynamic robot markets along with China and the ASEAN countries. In 2010, Korean firms sold some 23,500 robots at home and abroad, more than triple the 2009 level, it estimated. “Huge investments made by the electronics industry and the motor vehicle industry were mostly responsible for this large increase in robot sales,” the IFR said.

Metra Martech, a London-based research firm, noted that the robotics industry helped create up to 5 million jobs worldwide in recent years and remains a major force behind employment growth. The mainstay of the high value-added industry is also shifting to service robots, which help with household and office chores and other professional missions including surgery, navigation, milking, teaching and military operations, it added.  In December 2010, the ministry unveiled a comprehensive package to underpin the nascent service robotics industry. It will spend 30 billion won for development, commercialization, standardization and marketing by 2017.

Also see previous blog here or use the search term "Windoro" in the top left corner.

Escaped Killer Found Cleaning Windows + News

Escaped killer found cleaning windows: A sadistic murderer who went on the run from jail has been found in Blackpool working as a window cleaner. Neighbours in Marton today spoke of their shock after discovering killer Matthew Taylor living on their street. The 25-year-old tortured and stabbed a man to death during a sickening robbery 10 years ago. He had been serving time at Kirkham Prison, but went on the run in March after failing to return to the open jail following home leave. Taylor was finally caught on Thursday when police found him at his partner's home in Cleves Court, Marton (pictured). He has now been sent back to prison to complete his 10 year sentence.
Taylor was just 16 when he, together with accomplice 17-year-old Christopher Pownall, was found guilty of the murder and robbery of Simon Bailey. The 39-year-old victim was beaten and had bleach poured over him before he was stabbed to death in his Stockport home. Residents on Cleves Court today said they were horrified to learn Taylor was living in a flat on their street. One neighbour, who saw last week's arrest, said: "There were loads of police everywhere wearing riot gear. "It's worrying – what if he comes back? It's pretty shocking to think he was living here and it was six months before he was found."
The killer, who formerly lived in Stockport, pleaded guilty to remaining at large from prison at Blackpool Magistrates Court. The court added 125 days to his sentence. Taylor will now serve at least another year in prison. He told the court he had packed his bag to surrender himself at a police station the day of his arrest. Angela Shelmerdine, defending, said her client failed to return to the prison because he was scared as his parole was coming up. She said: "After he failed to return to prison he committed no offences. "He started work, getting cash-in-hand jobs from friends, involving gardening and mechanical work. He also got a window cleaning round.



That's Smart, Kid-Friendly Glass: With these glass panels, doodling on the walls isn't discouraged - it's required. Looking for a way to let your kids make their mark on your walls without, well, destroying your home in the process? Check out this brilliant new product from Skyline Design, a company dedicated to providing eco-friendly decorative glass for the home. The Kids Glass collection combines color and imagination in the form of clear panels of safety glass (the same glass used in car windows, designed to withstand shattering) with patterns printed on the back. Originally designed to entertain kids in hospitals and day cares, Kids Glass can be drawn on with regular marker, which then cleans up easily with window cleaner or a chalkboard eraser.

Doggie drool remover: The current pet travel safety drive being spearheaded by Toyota to ensure that all pets are properly restrained in moving vehicles means that dogs are more likely to fog up car windows if they aren’t allowed to ride with their heads outside. Yecch is a special window cleaner to remove doggie drool from any glass surfaces in the car. Made by Bissell, the special formulation is applied with a soft brush to loosen the sticky goo and has a squeegee to remove the slobber and restore visibility. Available in specialty pet stores countrywide.
Bringing your pet along for a trip involves more then just getting them into the car and hitting the open road. You need to consider your pet's safety on the long ride. Does your pet get carsick? Do you have a restraint in place for its safety? Is your pet too skittish for car travel? We've put together our top five safety tips designed to help make traveling with a pet in the car a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Keep reading to find out how to get to your destination without any pet-related incidents.



Windoro stays vertical using neodymium magnets: Called Windoro, the robot consists of two separate modules that clean the window by spraying detergent and scrubbing away with a series of spinning pads. Unlike the Stickybot we looked at recently that mimicked gecko biology to scale surfaces including glass, Windoro relies on neodymium magnets that pull the two modules on either side of the window together with enough force to allow it to stay vertical. The researchers chose this method instead of vacuum power because they found it wasn’t as safe or reliable and would require the vacuum to be on at all times just to keep the robot in place.
With the magnets, Windoro will stay on a window from 10 - 25mm (0.39 - 0.98-in) thick, even when powered down. Once in place, Windoro uses distance measuring sensors, attitude determination and collision detection to stay on track as it performs its window washing magic. The robot reportedly took around 300 million KRW (approx. US$258,500) to develop and the PIRO team plans to release it commercially next year targeted for use in high-rise buildings. Now that the floor and windows are covered we’re awaiting a vacuuming robot that clings to the ceiling to banish those hard to reach cobwebs. See previous blog here.

It was decided two weeks ago to send the Large Yacht Code 2 to consultation for three months. It includes new regulations regarding submarines, helicopters, radio and window cleaning, Towner said. Apparently, the practice of hanging off sailboat tracks meant for masts and rigging can be unsafe, so the MCA is writing some regulations about it. The Large Yacht Passenger Code, 1336 Code, is being written by the Cayman Islands and he said he thought it might be announced at METS in Amsterdam in November. The Maritime Labor Convention is being discussed this week in Geneva and it is still unclear how it will impact the yachting industry.



Installation of protective bird netting will soon be completed at Scarborough’s Grand Hotel thanks to abseiling workers. The netting will prevent birds, specifically seagulls, from building nests on the 143-year-old hotel. Hotel manager David Ayllo said: “The programme began in May but then some kittiwakes built a nest. They are a protected species due to their declining numbers, so the installation had to wait to be completed.” It is necessary to prevent the gulls, which are regarded a nuisance in some parts of town, from disturbing hotel guests with their mating calls. Their droppings are also responsible for a significant proportion of the hotel’s cleaning expenses. Mr Ayllot said: “The seagulls can play havoc for the hotel and have disturbed guests. This should make all the difference. “It has been a huge success and it will really make a massive difference to the guest experience.” Planning permission was required to install the protective netting and it is expected to be effective for around five years.

Court hears Norfolk Four appeal in Richmond: Derek Tice's applications when they spotted his criminal record. After searching for six months, he landed a job as a window washer, his first employment since leaving prison. As a convicted felon and registered sex offender, Tice has severe limits on his career and his life, said his father, Larry Tice. On Tuesday, lawyers argued whether Derek Tice should remain under close legal supervision or have convictions for rape and murder erased from his record. A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond questioned lawyers about the case and the legal strategy used during Tice's original two trials. Tice was part of a group of sailors, known as the Norfolk Four, convicted in the 1997 rape and murder of Michelle Moore-Bosko. William Bosko, an enlisted sailor, returned from a deployment and found his wife dead in their Ocean View apartment.

“Taste Napa Valley,” a wine tasting scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 14 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., Oklahoma City. The tasting will be a come-and-go event benefiting the museum. A silent auction also will take place. Participating restaurants will be at the Petroleum Club. Silent auction donors include Crystal Clear Window Cleaning.

Because here's the reality: doing something new is much harder than saying it. A new job that's in your field is itself a massive change. You might think I'm being a bit pessimistic, and that I just need a little belief in myself to get something off the ground. But really, that's not the problem--I believe in myself, but I know better that it really is that simple. People don't seem to realize that whatever job they suggest, IT'S ALREADY TAKEN. And there are 50 people on a waiting list when the position of window washer or lawn mower opens up. Those who haven't been poor for a while would do well to remember that it takes more than a month to get back on your feet after a huge economic setback, and it will take more than washing windows to do it. Most people in my position are not averse to any sort of work they can do to make ends meet, but in this arena, there are one million gladiators too many.

Another Window Cleaning Robot - Windoro

But first - a remembrance of 9/11..

Window-cleaning robots and other household products: New household products including a coffee machine that remembers how you like your drinks and a robot that will clean your windows have been unveiled at consumer electronics and appliances trade show IFA 2010. The chore of cleaning windows could soon be a thing of the past with the "world's first automated window cleaner" - Windoro. Manufactured by Ilshim Global Co. - the robot can clean a square meter of windows in ten minutes. Windoro is equipped with bumpers in order to negotiate window frames and is programmed to return to its original location once its task is complete. IFA took place in Frankfurt September 3-8, other innovative household products will be exhibited at Grand Designs Live October 8-10 in Birmingham, UK.

Every year more and more stuff is automated, which first started with the fully automatic washing machine & now leads down the path of other administrative tasks that we no longer want to do because they are either boring or sometimes just very difficult. Wandering around the home appliances department at the IFA in Berlin was a 'window robot' ISG Micro seen here.

This ingenious device works on both sides of a window from the top where the window opens. The Windoro consists of two separate elements, one element contains the brushes and the other element works by four magnets that keeps 'Windoro' on the window. The Windoro only works on one side of the window at a time, so therefore cleaning must take place twice. The Windoro lasts for 60 minutes on one charge - & can be used after 180 minutes after it has been fully charged. There is 10ml per 1m2 detergent used and the brushing parts work at a rate of 20cm/sec.

When Windoro has finished cleaning the windows it goes back to the start position and can easily be removed. Frames are detected by means of pulse sensors and a remote control allows you to have conrol over the device. The people behind Windoro say the device is most applicable for large shop windows - the staff place the Windoro and one can then get on with over work. Also it is made for people who have hard to reach windows such as in a high apartment building.

After a brief demonstration - Harold put the question, "But what if you can't reach either side of the window, like you demonstrate here?" This problem has already been refuted by the seller as not a problem & there is a tool that allows you to put Windoro on a window with suction cups in the right place. We found here that this same company sees no problems & solutions do more.

What we did notice was that the newly cleaned window showed lines, this was caused by the use of rubber. This of course is currently being investigated and resolved before the market is conquered by Windoro! ...

(Editors note) Perhaps this could be in evidence here as the first 'Windoro' test took place. The rest of the videos show the Windoro in action in different parts of the world. Check out the Windoro site here.