vacuum
While a cranky Roomba can make a terrible mess, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we should never allow robots into our homes–only that we probably ought to be careful about how much we trust them. For example, letting them vacuum your floor seems reasonable, but relying on a vacuum bot to wake you up might not be such a great idea. And giving your vacuum bot a cute anime voice and something resembling a personality? That’s how humans end up extinct!
But apparently Sharp needs to watch more Terminator films, because that is exactly the kind of vacuuming robot they’ve created!
2015 is only a few months away, and while we’re still nowhere near getting the hoverboards from Back to the Future Part II, we do, at the very least, have robots to do our house chores for us! It’s such an exciting new frontier for housework that someone even made a robot vacuum simulator! While you might still have to make your own dinner, at least you can always drop your onion skins on the floor without worry, knowing your little automated vacuum buddy will clean up after you.
It’s like we really are living in the future! Unfortunately, while our robot vacuums may be automated, it turns out that they’re not much smarter than a pile of rocks, as one shocked Japanese Twitter user recently discovered.
When robot vacuum cleaners first hit the scene about a decade ago, they appeared to signal the end of lugging around traditional upright models. However, with a pretty hefty price tag and comparatively limited cleaning ability, they haven’t exactly caught the world on fire.
Seeing this, Sharp has developed a robot vacuum cleaner destined to light a fire under consumers: ladies and gentlemen, meet COCOROBO (also affectionately known as, RX-V100W). So what makes COCOROBO so great? Well, for starters, it’s remote-controlled and able to talk with people.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Drink vending machines disappearing in Japan as number drops to lowest in 30 years
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Long-exposure Japanese fireworks photos show what happens when you hold on to a flash of beauty
This overlooked neighborhood east of Tokyo is awesome in many ways, left us with just one regret
The best Japanese cosplayers from Day 3 of Winter Comiket 2019【Photos】
Official Evangelion emergency rations, with curry and beef bowls, are now on sale【Photos】
Pringles Chocolate, but with a Japanese twist, is the snack hack you should be trying right now
Weekly
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events- Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights- 30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country- Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Monthly
- Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
- Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Long-exposure Japanese fireworks photos show what happens when you hold on to a flash of beauty
This overlooked neighborhood east of Tokyo is awesome in many ways, left us with just one regret
The best Japanese cosplayers from Day 3 of Winter Comiket 2019【Photos】
Official Evangelion emergency rations, with curry and beef bowls, are now on sale【Photos】
Pringles Chocolate, but with a Japanese twist, is the snack hack you should be trying right now
Japanese government says country needs more women’s room toilets to meet modern society’s needs
Let’s eat some official Evangelion emergency rations!【Taste test】
They’re all here! Japanese collector completes set of all 1,244 Game Boy games【Photos】
Travel to a Japanese convenience store at an active volcano
Ginza hotel serves up one of the best breakfasts in Tokyo
Retro Japanese-style hotel room with kotatsu, free ice cream is both amazingly cool AND warm
Hayao Miyazaki gifts autographed Ghibli anime cel to president of France[Photo]
Parasite movie releases free official wallpapers to download as backgrounds for video calls
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
-
