14 DAY TRIAL // Vacuum cleaners are usually bulky things, with large elephant-like trunks and ends you need to push and pull, to guide all over the floor of your home. Robotic vacuum cleaners, however, don't need your supervision at all. This is what Panasonic just revealed.
The device in the attached gallery bears the name of Rulo and is a vaguely triangular robotic vacuum cleaner. Quite a change from the usual round shape of such things.
Then again, it's not like there exist many automated vacuum cleaners in the world. A case could be made for there not being enough to start a trend.
Still, the shape is not exactly the first you are likely to think of when hearing the words “robotic vacuum cleaner.”
However, there is no denying that having one pointy end will make it easier to reach those corners where dust and grime would otherwise gather. And the Rulo has not one but three.
The Panasonic Rulo vacuum cleaner
Looking at it, you probably wouldn't think that it weighs only 6.6 pounds / 3 kilos, but that's all it needs.
The low weight means that it can safely clean even tatami mats or other fragile types of floor coverings. The Japanese will definitely appreciate that (tatami mats are made of straw more often than not).
There are rotating brushes on top of the three corners, which can reach all the way to the wall, as well as into other surfaces.
The brushes force the dirt into the underbelly, where the main rotating cleaning mechanism is located. The air vacuum pulls all the tiny bits of refuse until there are none left.
You'll still have to mop or otherwise wash the floor from time to time of course, but you won't need to bend, stretch or manually sweep your home again.
Availability and pricing
You might not be too glad to know that this is just a preview, but Panasonic understandably enough wanted to build some hype and attention before releasing its latest invention in the field of home appliances.
The Panasonic Rulo vacuum cleaner will start selling in Japan for 107,780 yen (around $913 / €812) in March 2015. No word yet on when other regions of the world will see it.
