SHOPPERS WELCOME ROBOTS INTO THEIR HOMES
- Robotics expert sees tipping point approaching as domestic devices become more useful
Robot lovers up and down the country are gathering at Newcastle’s Maker Faire this week to examine the latest developments in robot technology. To coincide with the event, consumer review website Reevoo.com has analysed shopper feedback on the latest range of robots already finding their way into UK homes.
Robots that do the housework are the early favourites according to shoppers and the top-rated Roomba Robot, scoring 9.6/10 with reviewers, will handle all floor-based domestic vacuuming, distinguishing between carpets and hard floors and taking itself back to its charging dock when it’s running low on power.
Owner / reviewers report:
“I programme it to start cleaning at 6am every morning and when i come downstairs my floors…are spotless, dust and hair and crumb free!”
“It’s like having a new pet who happens to clean the floor.”
Second on the list of top bots was the very realistic Pleo the Robotic Dinosaur. Pleo comes as a newly hatched dinosaur and the sophisticated software enables his “personality” to develop as owners after him, making each one unique.
Professor Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hertfordshire said: “The key to robots like the Roomba to become more common in people’s houses is in proving to consumers that they are genuinely useful and better than any other system for getting the job done.” She added: “As robots become more intelligent and are more able to handle life-like scenarios such as using stairs and cleaning higher than at floor level, they will take off just like mobile phones and DVD players did a few years ago”
Jo Reale, robotics expert at Reevoo said “It’s great to see robots finally becoming mainstream. Who wouldn’t want a robot that can clean your house or a pet that you don’t need to clean up after? As recently as five years ago, most of the robots commercially available were toys which, at best, could wiggle and repeat phrases. Today we’re seeing the divide between these and the new age of robots which are extremely lifelike and develop before your eyes or those that actually make our lives easier.”
THE TOP FIVE ROBOTS – THE SHOPPERS’ VERDICT (AS RATED BY REEVOO.COM)
1. Domotec Roomba 560 Robot Vacuum Cleaner 9.6/10
“Like having a new pet who happens to clean the floor.”
“Takes itself off to recharge.”
2. Pleo the robot dinosaur 8.2/10
“Needs to be treated as a pet rather than a toy as his personality will develop.”
“It really does pose the question, will robotic life forms ever be acceptable to humans.”
“Almost lifelike.”
“Software updated regularly to increase capabilities.”
3. Simpsons Homersapien Robot 8/10
“A good all-round robot. Great fun.”
4. Meccano Speed Play Interactive Robot 7.5/10
“More fun building than playing with.”
“It only dances.”
5. Teksta V2 Robotic Puppy 6.8/10
“Makes the kids laugh, wags its tail wonderfully has a character of its own, a really individual and unique toy.”
-ENDS-
About Reevoo.com
Reevoo.com harnesses the power of genuine customer opinion to help shoppers decide what to buy – and to buy with confidence. Independent and impartial, Reevoo.com collects hundreds of thousands of authentic post-purchase reviews from European shoppers every month.
All reviews, favourable and critical, are published on Reevoo’s website, www.reevoo.com, and on retail partner websites adjacent to the products.
In addition to reviews, Reevoo.com offers shoppers comprehensive product information and price comparison data to make finding and buying the right product as simple and convenient as possible.
More than sixty leading retail brands including Tesco Direct, Vodafone, Currys and Ann Summers already use the Reevoo.com service, sharing more than half a million reviews on more than 40,000 products.
Reevoo.com has offices in London and Paris, was founded in 2005 and is backed by Eden Ventures and Banexi Venture Partners.
More information
Jo Reale
020 7654 0341
joreale@reevoo.com