Earlier quoted context omitted.
It says something when it's easier to land a ten story rocket booster than fold laundry...
That probably isn't true; it's just that the laundry thing is still a way down Musk's priority list :)
CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
251–260 of 474 posts
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#252Earlier quoted context omitted.
I know the guy behind FoldiMate a little bit. I've met him at trade shows. One thing I have to point out is that he has pursued this dream for years. Lack of interest, team, funding ... nothing has stopped this guy. It's a really hard problem and he keeps at it. I can't say I'm rushing out to buy one myself, but there's a human story here too, and I think that's been lost in the coverage.
> but there's a human story here too, and I think that's been lost in the coverage There's a human story behind every product.
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#253Earlier quoted context omitted.
> FoldiMate Is this a joke? A machine that, when you take a piece of laundry and after de-tangling each piece (fixing inside-out/sleeves/etc) and then orienting it properly, insert it into the machine in a specific way, will fold laundry in "a few" minutes. All this for the low price of $1,000 USD and they claim to deliver in two years (which we all know will slip). If this machine let me dump a dry bucket of laundry…
I know the guy behind FoldiMate a little bit. I've met him at trade shows. One thing I have to point out is that he has pursued this dream for years. Lack of interest, team, funding ... nothing has stopped this guy. It's a really hard problem and he keeps at it. I can't say I'm rushing out to buy one myself, but there's a human story here too, and I think that's been lost in the coverage.
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#254Here's what I want robots to do: 1) Wash my dishes, dry them and put them away completely automatically. 2) Wash and dry my clothes, fold them and put them away completely automatically. These two things would save me hours of work per week. FoldiMate simply isn't even close to being good enough, but I'd be willing to spend about that much for a robot that could do #2. I can vacuum my floor by myself and greet people…
You can also just get two washing machines. Load all the dirties into one then run it and as you use them load them into the other. Bam. Clean dishes and no putting them away.
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#255[1]: https://bwithers.files.wordpress.com/2006/12/rand_home_compu...
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#256Earlier quoted context omitted.
I know the guy behind FoldiMate a little bit. I've met him at trade shows. One thing I have to point out is that he has pursued this dream for years. Lack of interest, team, funding ... nothing has stopped this guy. It's a really hard problem and he keeps at it. I can't say I'm rushing out to buy one myself, but there's a human story here too, and I think that's been lost in the coverage.
That's great, unfortunately he seems to have lost perspective and is developing a product no one will want at a price no one will pay.
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#257Earlier quoted context omitted.
I know the guy behind FoldiMate a little bit. I've met him at trade shows. One thing I have to point out is that he has pursued this dream for years. Lack of interest, team, funding ... nothing has stopped this guy. It's a really hard problem and he keeps at it. I can't say I'm rushing out to buy one myself, but there's a human story here too, and I think that's been lost in the coverage.
So he's insane?
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#258Earlier quoted context omitted.
I get a real kick out of getting home after the vacuuming robot has been doing my housework while I'm out :-) I'd love a similarly simple way to press a button and have my laundry done - I've seen combined washer/dryers, but I'd love something that sorted and folded everything for me... (Interestingly, I live alone, and do not have any motivation to buy a dishwasher.)
I live alone and have a “half width” dishwasher. It’s amazing at saving me time but also clutter. No dirty dishes on the bench top. The thing is on every night. Research has also shown it uses far less water and energy than hand washing. By far the best investment I ever made for house cleaning though is a cordless Dyson vacuum. It’s mounted on the wall and I end up vacuuming (5 mins max) every day so it hardly feels…
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#259Love the Simone Giertz shout-out. And yes, as a father of 3 who spends half his weekend on laundry, I would pay a lot for a really functional laundribot.
Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work
#260Here's what I want robots to do: 1) Wash my dishes, dry them and put them away completely automatically. 2) Wash and dry my clothes, fold them and put them away completely automatically. These two things would save me hours of work per week. FoldiMate simply isn't even close to being good enough, but I'd be willing to spend about that much for a robot that could do #2. I can vacuum my floor by myself and greet people…
However, I would have a hard time giving up #1 to a machine. I do a great deal of my creative thinking, scheduling, et al during my time hand-washing dishes. I liken it to creative thinking during a shower, I can't imagine it being replaced by a 'bot. I realize YMMV but we all find solace in varying small corners. For me, it's the dishes, for others' it might be a long drive or vacuuming, etc.
I'm a huge proponent of automation, and the advancements that tech will provide in the future, however as an artist I still need the time to procrastinate (ie: THINK). I don't know that I could do this in the solace of a vacuum. I pay $10/mo to listen to white noise on Spotify while I write treatments for various commercial projects.