Have pillow fights with Panasonic's Fukitorimushi cleaning bot
Resting your head on this thing probably wouldn't be too comfortable.
(Credit: Panasonic)Can anyone explain why Panasonic's Fukitorimushi cleaning bot resembles a hunchbacked pillow that looks like it needs cleaning itself? Fukitorimushi, literally meaning "wipe-up bug" and unveiled at the recent Tokyo Fiber Senseware expo in Milan, Italy, is rather aptly named. In a nod to the walking gel we just told you about, its locomotion is accomplished when it flexes and stretches its body like an inchworm. Just imagine a couple of these covered slug-bots flexing across the rooms when a neighbor happens to drop by.
The designers want the Fukitorimushi to worm its way into your heart. Can it?
(Credit: Panasonic)Beneath the covers, the Fukitorimushi behaves much like a Roomba or Scooba. Its "feelers" of blue-white light search out the floor for dirt and, like a good vacuum, will diligently eliminate the grime. When low on battery power, the device will return to its base dock to recharge. The Nanofront cloth also has a practical application. Its polyester filament fibers are capable of absorbing oil and ultrafine dust particles, and aid in the machine's movements.
But the way the Japanese see it, the act of regularly replacing the nanocloth covering the Fukitorimushi engenders a pet-like affection for the vacuum. Thanks, but no thanks.
(Source: Crave Asia via Pink Tentacles)
