Robot mower – A new entrant with the wireless beacons 10/2015
Some people just aren’t mowing their lawns this year, but for lots of homeowners, it’s a regular chore. And if some neighborhood kids are used to getting $20 to do it for you, well, they may soon be out of a paycheck.
Roomba-maker iRobot is one step closer to bringing its robotic lawn mower to market. The Federal Communications Commission granted a waiver to the company because of the way the device operates. The FCC typically doesn’t allow unlicensed “fixed outdoor infrastructure” to transmit low-power radio signals.
Back in April, iRobot filed for the waiver, which it needed because the mower will use wireless beacons that will act as boundaries and communicate with the robot, ensuring the device doesn’t wander into the street or start cutting your neighbor’s lawn.
The beacon technology is what would set the iRobot RLM apart from other robotic lawn-care devices. Right now, mowers like the RS 630 from Robomow can cut the grass based on schedules, but users are required to place wires around their yard to create boundaries for the robot.
Source of the materials: http://www.digitaltrends.com/