The Rise Of The Window Robots

Nick Savadian of Ecovacs Robotics demonstrates the company's new robotic window cleaning machine, and a veteran New York City window cleaner offers his thoughts.

Robots Rise; Humans Balk - New York's legion of window washers have long fascinated city dwellers below with their fearlessness. But the future of the profession may belong to those even more impervious to dangerous heights: robots. Clearing a path to the market soon will be the Winbot 7, a compact machine billed by manufacturer Ecovacs Robotics as the first full-service window-washing robot. The device, which resembles a Roomba vacuum cleaner, attaches itself to a pane, maps out its perimeter and proceeds to clean the surface, playing a tinny tune when the work is completed.

Nick Savadian, executive general manager of the company's U.S. arm, said the robot is aimed at busy homeowners looking for a labor-saving escape from boring chores. "One thing we're short of in life is time," he said. Mr. Savadian allowed that his company's small robots could have potential applications someday on gleaming skyscrapers, where window work carries risks. "Winbot is very proud to put itself in that position," he said. "It will clean the outside without taking any chances of liability."

But the prospect of a near future in which scaffold-riding professionals are replaced by automatons doesn't appeal to everyone—particularly window washers and the New Yorkers who romanticize them. "Technology is nice—phones and everything—but for window cleaning, I can't see it," said William Coffey, who works for Manhattan-based Skyway Window Cleaning and has been in the industry for three decades. Mr. Coffey has worked alongside cleaning machines at times but said his most important jobs, including cleaning the glass observation deck at the Twin Towers, have always been done by human hands. "We're jumping, we're going on a scaffold, we're getting pushed out [by wind], you know, we're going down the side of a building," he added. "I can't see a robot thinking of all the things that have to be done."

The total number of high-rise window washers in and around the city isn't clear. The window-cleaning division of Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, one of the largest unions, counts 800 members. Andrew Horton, who coordinates safety training for the union's apprentice window washers, said graduates of the nearly two-year-long program can expect to earn roughly $27 an hour plus an $18-a-day fee for working on a scaffold; experienced window cleaners can earn up to $60,000 a year.

In a city defined in no small measure by its towering architecture, Brooklyn Public Library archivist Ivy Marvel believes there is "civic pride" in knowing that window cleaners exist. "It humanizes the city," she said. "We take a lot of pride in people that do those jobs that only exist in a city like this." The city's sense of window-washing heroism is likely as old as its skyscrapers. Ms. Marvel recently found a 1952 Brooklyn Daily Eagle profile of Ed Kemp, a window cleaner she describes as fighting a "grimly noble struggle against ambient dirt and pigeon dung." She said she wouldn't be surprised to see machines doing the work one day.

While the Winbot 7 tries to win over homeowners, others are already aiming to automate window-washing work for the world's futuristic mega-towers. Swiss manufacturer Serbot AG is close to completing a robot dubbed the Gecko, and company salesman Hansjorg Schindler said there are interested customers in Russia, the Middle East and Asia. In Dubai, meanwhile, the 160-story Burj Khalifa was designed to accommodate 18 machines built on horizontal tracks currently assisting human cleaners in navigating the building's half-mile façade.

Cameron Riddell, president of J. Racenstein, a company that has supplied window cleaners since 1909, notes that workers in the industry are notoriously hidebound. Some old-school cleaners are so resistant to change that the company still stocks brass-handled squeegees, even though newer models made of plastic offer protection against cold temperatures. "They're traditionalists," he said. Even with advances in robotics, Mr. Riddell believes the idiosyncratic corners, buttresses and recesses of New York's 20th-century skyline will keep humans involved in the trade. "In some cases you could see a machine has benefit, but in most cases it'll be old elbow grease and ingenuity," he said. At J. Racenstein, which has offices in Secaucus, N.J., the most high-tech option available is the HighRise Window Cleaning System, which costs up to $50,000 and promises to cut labor costs by 50%. The machines are operated by technicians and built to fit into existing rigging used by human cleaners.

Steve Sullivan, president of Indianapolis-based American National Skyline, has purchased two of the machines in the hopes of impressing clients and cutting costs. His company's building managers are keen on limiting liability associated with workers "hanging out of the side of the building," he said. Mr. Sullivan said the HighRise can move up and down a 15-story building in about 20 minutes—a feat that would take a person "a considerable amount of time longer." But he acknowledged the machine wouldn't work in places like Manhattan, where high-rise buildings are packed together and falling water from the machine would be an issue for pedestrians below.

Mr. Riddell, for his part, doesn't anticipate any time soon a robotic future that deprives his distributorship of its customer base of traditional window cleaners. "In time there may be some advancement which on a certain building may eliminate men," he said. "But it's never going to be a thing where men lose jobs." Mr. Horton, the union official, agreed: "I'm in favor of change but I don't see automation taking over the industry." Mr. Savadian, the robot maker, understands the general wariness people feel over a robotic future. "Any change is scary. When it's something new it's always difficult," he said. "But once you understand it and adjust to it, you see how much it can improve your lives. Change is a fact of life."

Sky Pro® - Automatic Window Cleaning

High-rise Window Cleaning System travels at rates to 35 fpm: Able to clean windows, frames, and entire building, Sky Pro® Window Cleaning System operates from existing roof rigs, davit arms, tracks, or Sky Pro® 4-Wheel steering rig. Completely self-contained, self-climbing washing system is operated via wireless remote and leaves windows spot free without using any chemicals or cleaning solutions. Raindrop nozzles create and apply de-ionized water droplets only to surface to be cleaned, reducing spray, drifting, and water consumption.

Safely Wash a Month's Worth of Windows in Less Than a Day! Sky Pro® Window Cleaning System is an automatic window washing solution for high-rise window cleaning services and commercial building owners. Shakopee, Minn.-The new, Sky Pro® Window Cleaning System, manufactured by NuStar, Inc., can safely clean a building in a fraction of the time of conventional washing.

The Sky Pro® system is a completely self-contained, self-climbing washing system that operates from existing roof rigs, davit arms, tracks, or from the unique Sky Pro® "4-Wheel" steering rig. Just push the wireless remote up or down to clean. The Sky Pro® system cleans the windows, frames and the entire building, removing deteriorating residue to extend the life not only of the windows and frames, but of the entire building.



Ultra pure water leaves windows free from chemical and mineral residue that attracts air-borne contaminants and pollutants. This process leaves windows spot free. No chemicals or cleaning solutions are required, saving you even more money. See how the system works in these videos.

The patented pendulum design allows the Sky Pro® system to wash high-rises completely from the top of the building without ground lines, hoses or cables. The apparatus is built of heavy gauge aluminum to last for years. Its motors are rated to 10,000 hours. The unique, patented heavy-duty "raindrop" nozzles create and apply large de-ionized water droplets only to the surface to be cleaned. This reduces spray, drifting and water consumption.



The Sky Pro® system delivers these benefits:

• Fast return on investment (ROI)
• Labor savings
• Now a safer job, it's easier to find and retain labor
• Safely operates from the top of your building
• No rails or scaffolding needed- the system operates from existing roof rigs
• Cleans entire walls, windows and frames
• Windows stay cleaner longer
• Cleans entire building for extended life
• Uniform cleaning using only spot-free pure water-No chemicals required!
• No squeegees or potential failing objects
• Cleans much faster and better than hand washing
• Cleans in high winds, rain and other poor weather conditions
• Can work long hours
• Dramatic savings in liability insurance
  

Sky Pro® window cleaning equipment is available in standard 8', 12', and 16' models or can be customized to meet any requirements. The system travels at a rate of 35 feet per minute. It can be safely operated from on top of a building or from the ground by wireless remote control. The return on investment can be as little as one year.

Sky Pro® Window Cleaning System is the perfect automatic window washing solution for high-rise window cleaning services and commercial building owners. For more information, visit www.skypro.com or call Ian Burton at 1-800-800-WASH. About NuStar, Inc. -Headquartered in Shakopee, MN, NuStar, Inc. is a privately-held corporation specializing in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of rollover automatic car wash equipment, pet wash salons and automatic window washing equipment.

Window Cleaning News + Another Ladder Fall

Window cleaner airlifted after fall: A window cleaner had to be airlifted to hospital after he fell off his ladder in a Powys village. The man, who has been named locally as Tim Owen, was cleaning windows on the Llys Rhufain estate, in Caersws, near Newtown, when the incident happened yesterday. Derek Newall, who lives in the village, said Mr Owen had been cleaning windows on the estate when the accident happened at about 4pm. He said he saw the air ambulance arrive. “He was cleaning windows and fell off his ladder,” he said. “I went to the medical centre in Caersws with his father and his wife. An ambulance attended and a decision was made to airlift him to hospital.” A spokesman from the Welsh Ambulance Service said it was called to the scene just before 4pm.

Robo-window cleaners in Dubai: Last month, a great number of press outlets picked up on the fact that clearly the windows of the world's tallest building would be a feat unto itself. Figures were thrown around saying that a team of 36 cleaners would take three months to wash the 2,717-foot tower using 12 state-of-the-art machines that travel along tracks fixed to the building's exterior. However, all that hard work put into designing a window-washing system for the super-skyscraper could be in vain, as Swiss company Serbot AG unveils their new robotic cleaning system specifically designed for windows and façades on high-rise buildings. And where better to show it off, than in Dubai?
The Great Gekko and CleanAnt: The robots, Gekko and CleanAnt, already have the advantage over their human counter parts as they are able to work at wind speeds that would prohibit manual cleaning for safety reasons. Not just that, but Bas Schmit Phiferons, Serbot business development manager, firmly believes in their excellent cleaning performance, constant availability and minimal operating costs which makes them an ideal window-cleaning system. More importantly, they're faster than human cleaners.
Gekko, for example, has a cleaning capacity of up to 400 square metres an hour, which is 15 times faster than manual cleaning. It's rapid cleaning ability gives it, not only potential in the high-rise cleaning industry, but in the maintenance of solar panels and photovoltaic modules.
Removing leaves, pollen, sand and dust from entire fields of solar panels could see solar efficiency improve and eliminate the need for employees to carry out the dangerous task on the steep panels at night. Gekko instead uses vacuum power to attach itself to the surface to be cleaned, whether vertical, horizontal or slanted, and then uses a windshield-wiper type of brush to blast away any kind of dirt on the glass.
Speaking to Construction Week Online, Phiferons was positive about how his product would do in the UAE. "We are bringing this new technology to the UAE, where we have seen a lot of potential, especially with all the skyscrapers and the various architectural designs, which are very hard to clean using conventional methods," he said. He also talked up the 'green credentials' of the robo-cleaners - "No detergent is needed for cleaning, which is an added environmental advantage. The robots can use dry ice, demineralised water or water with enzymes to eat away the oils. They also can filter and recycle the used material to minimise waste." On paper, they sound fantastic... here's hoping they just don't try and take over the world. It's always the way with robots...

Imdaad, the leading integrated Facilities Management solutions providers in the UAE, today announced the launch of its latest major initiative, Imdaad HomePro Maintenance Services, an exclusive service division offering clients comprehensive maintenance programme to help protect and preserve homes. Imdaad HomePro Maintenance Services cover all key areas of protecting and preserving the safety and beauty of the home. The package of services include the maintenance of Façade and Window Cleaning.

Handbags stolen from Thame homes: Police are appealing for information after two houses were burgled in Thame. Between 12.30am on Thursday and 4.30pm on Friday, thieves gained access to a property in Nelson Street and stole a handbag. A handbag was also stolen from a property in Essex Road when it was burgled between 9.15pm on Wednesday and 8.15am on Thursday. Det Con Emma McGrath said: “There are no signs of forced entry to either premise, but we have had reports that there has been a man in the area acting suspiciously and offering window cleaning. “I am appealing to anyone who may have seen this man or any suspicious activity in the area to contact the police.” Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact Det Con McGrath at Didcot police station via 0845 8 505 505, or if you don’t want to talk to the police or give your name, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Janitors’ union sets date for strike vote: After two full weeks of working without a contract, a union representing more than 4,000 Twin Cities janitors decided last week to set a strike authorization vote over unfair labor practices. The vote was scheduled to take place on Saturday, Jan. 30, at the union’s weekly member meeting. At press time, the outcome was not yet known, but the Downtown Journal has been posting web updates regarding this story at downtownjournal.com. SEIU Local 26 — Minnesota’s Property Services Union, which represents security officers and window cleaners in addition to janitors — had arranged for two additional weeks of negotiations at the end of last year, pushing the final deadline for a new contract to Jan. 8. That deadline came and went, with both sides no closer to an agreement. At a member meeting the following day, the union voted to set another two-week deadline “for companies to get serious,” according to SEIU Local 26 President Javier Morillo-Alicea. That deadline expired Jan. 22, and the decision to set a strike authorization vote came at the following day’s member meeting.

More States Requiring 'Green' Cleaning Products in Schools: In an era where the "3 Rs" have now come to stand for "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle," an increasing number of states are requiring schools and government buildings to use environmentally friendly cleaning products. By the end of 2009, 10 states, including Connecticut, Illinois and New York, had already enacted Green Clean Schools Acts requiring or encouraging the use of environmentally sensitive cleaning and maintenance products in schools, according to Green Seal Inc., a nonprofit whose eco-certification is internationally recognized and well-respected. Similar legislation is expected to be considered in 2010 in at least five states, including California and Wisconsin.

Critics say that while the measures are laudable, states should not mandate which products schools and agencies must buy, especially if they increase costs for governments that are struggling financially. In New York, schools that responded to a state survey said their costs went up 10 percent, on average, in the first year they complied with a 2005 cleaning law. But New York's Office of General Services said successful programs reduce levels of cleaning chemicals, mold and dust that cause asthma attacks, a top reason students miss school. Linda Chipperfield, a vice president for Green Seal, said its certified products use less packaging and cannot contain chemicals that cause cancer, kill aquatic life or deplete the ozone layer, among other things.

Quincy Public School Maintenance Director Dennis Peters said while the district wasn't mandated to use green cleaning products until a year ago, it started a year early. "We'll do anything we can to help out the environment," he said. The cost is about the same, Peters said, although the district hasn't switched all its paper products to recyclables yet. "I don't know that they do the same job that products used to, but maybe those were a little harsh," Peters said. "We may have to use a little more elbow grease, but the end result is the same."

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's 'Cemetery Juction': Definitely not 'The Office': “The film itself centers around three young guys growing up in a small town. One of them is dreaming big, he wants to escape the blue-collar life which his dad, played by Ricky, has, working in a factory and window-cleaning on the side.

Skybot: Israels Robot Window Cleaner

Getting robots in to clean high-rise windows: There are some jobs that are strictly for risk-takers; police work, firefighting, Alaskan crab fishing (according to statistics), and, of course, high-rise window washing. While the world is likely to continue needing police officers and firefighters, and trappers will continue to brave the cold waters of Alaska to find the pricey crabs, high-rise window washers could become a thing of the past thanks to Israeli company Skybot. Skybot's robotic window washing system gets high-rise windows cleaned faster and cheaper than human teams, and at much less risk to human life. Washing windows on skyscrapers is harrowing work. Injuries or death from falls, while not common, occur frequently enough; on average, about 70 window washers - mostly non-unionized and using substandard equipment - die each year in the US, while another 130 are injured (the injury and fatality rate among unionized workers is far lower). Scaling the heights The greatest hazard in the care and cleaning of tall buildings is, of course, gravity. There are a number of methods used to clean building exteriors, depending on whether they are made of steel, stone, or other materials, ranging from pressure hosing using cleaning chemicals to old-fashioned soap and water using big brushes. Almost all methods, however, require trained service personnel to scale the heights of buildings, usually using scaffolds suspended from above the building, a platform connected to the ground, or from the booth of a cherry picker. And since window-washers - and hopefully their employers - want the work done in as safe a manner as possible, cleaning must take place during daylight hours, preferably in fair or good weather. If it's too windy or stormy, the work just won't get done - meaning an extra expense for building management, who have to pay staff, and schedule delays in getting important maintenance work done. According to Skybot's Yoram Barmohay, it's far more efficient to use robotics. Skybot's system, "combines the most advanced artificial intelligence technology and plain low-tech common sense," Barmohay tells ISRAEL21c. "The robots allow a fully automatic and consistent cleaning process, much more efficiently and better than any human team can accomplish." The Skybot system consists of a computer which controls the Building Maintenance Unit (BMU), the hanging scaffolds used by workers, to position the robot in the right place to carry out its assignment. Once the robot is positioned, the computer controls the robot's operations, analyzing the results through a variety of sensors. Using mostly distilled water and environmentally friendly detergents, the system applies a mechanized pad to the window and cleans, using innovative adhesion technology developed by Skybot to ensure maximum surface contact. After that, the robot wipes away the excess - and hey presto, your windows are clean. There's no chance of a worker slipping, since there's no worker to slip - and the robot, made of light, anodized aluminum, is connected to the BMU, solidly rooted to the ground, roof, or side of the building. Every day is a workday As the system cleans an area of the building, it can also dry a previously treated area - making Skybot quicker than human alternatives. "Our system can clean a surface of 500 square meters in an hour, compared to 250 square meters a human team can cover on a workday," says Barmohay. And office work stays private. "It's unnerving to see a person looking at your business from the outside when you're on the 45th floor," Barmohay adds. And for Skybot's robots, every day is a workday. "Our system can operate in any weather, in winds up to 45 miles per hour, day or night. And the system works just as well in hot or cold weather," Barmohay says, adding that Skybot can clean in a week what it takes a human team a month to cover. The Rishon LeZion based company was founded in 2000, and the first robot was installed in a Tel Aviv building in early 2002. The technology has been tested in Israel during hot August weather, as well as in several European locations, in the middle of winter. Currently, the system is deployed in the Netherlands, among other places, he says. "With the major construction of skyscrapers over the past 40 years, builders and managers have been searching for a safe, efficient cleaning system, and although some progress has been made, there has never been a system like Skybot's," says Barmohay. "We've had thousands of hours of experience cleaning windows, and at this point, we can clean a small building in perhaps an hour - instead of the day it usually takes." Not to mention the success Skybot has had with behemoth buildings in Israel and Europe. After extensive tests, the company is ready for mass production of the system. Barmohay says a host of investors, as well as the Chief Scientist's Office, have supported the project - and all of them have no doubt that Skybot's system will "clean up" the high-rise window washing business worldwide.

Desperately Seeking Robots

Sweden: Charlotte seeks robot window cleaner.

Robots may already be capable of cleaning and entertaining, but Charlotte Brogren's job is to decide what they will be able to do in the future. As development manager for ABB Robotics, Brogren works hand in hand with technicians and programmers to push the limits of robot technology. "We have strong cooperation with our internal research group, but also with colleges and universities all over the world," she says. When it comes to investment in robot development, Japan and Korea are the major players. "There is a lot happening in Japan of course but we in Sweden are right up there," says Broberg. The 44-year-old mother of three expects robots to play an ever more active role in our daily lives, relieving people of many menial tasks. "Before people used to harvest by hand. We're just moving along the value chain," she says. And Broberg practices what she preaches, with a series of robots keeping her company at home, including one that can play air guitar and stand on its head. But her dream robot is somewhat less glamorous. "Right now I'm looking for one that can clean windows," she says.

Window Cleaning News Round-Up

The impact of higher oil, product prices on US economy deepens. Both major and independent retailers are closing outlets as a result, he continued. "Liz Claiborne is shuttering 54 Sigrid Olsen stores. Ann Taylor is closing 117 of its 921 stores. Talbot's has closed all of its men's and children's clothing stores along with 22 women's stores. Even Target and Starbucks are seeing a slowdown. Each of these chains are served by countless small businesses that provide window washing and custodial services, paper products, deliveries, alterations and many other services."

Earth day is getting nearer (April 22nd). Almost four decades ago, with the help of college students, staff members and activities coordinator Denis Hayes, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson founded the first Earth Day. Earth Day 1970 was a grassroots effort to raise environmental awareness. Since then, Earth Day has evolved and expanded into an international day of awareness and activism.

More window cleaning robots are needed in Michigan. If you have a design, you're a student - then you'll need to construct this window first. The 2008 ASME Student Design Competition is under orders for the Winrobo—an automated window washing robot.

Procter & Gamble is giving its Mr. Clean a new job to tackle: washing cars. The company is moving the iconic brand beyond kitchens and bathrooms and is testing its appeal on car washes. P&G has opened two Mr. Clean Performance Car Washes in Ohio, and plans to open up to seven more in Cincinnati, Dayton, OH, and in Kentucky, according to news reports. The car wash features a waiting area with wireless Internet access, flat-screen TVs and a convenience store area, which sells snack and drinks, including P&G¹s Millstone coffee. Mr. Clean car care products are also sold in the stores. A basic wash costs $7.51 and rises up to $16.90 for a gold shine package, according to the Web site http://www.mrcleancarwash.com/. Visitors can pay $24 for a full-service interior and exterior cleaning, which includes a car wash, window cleaning, vacuuming, polish and fragrance.

More window washers Stuck on Building! Atlanta fire and rescue crews came to the aid of a window washing crew in Buckhead Monday afternoon. The crew was working on the 16th floor of a building at 3350 Peachtree Street, when the motor on the scaffolding blew out. Emergency crews worked to get the scaffolding pulled down. No injuries were reported.