CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work • Hacker News Board

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#371

Post by Theodores » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:15 PM UTC

danr4 wrote: post #345

dogma1138 wrote: post #339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It takes less than 5 min to take out the dishes from a full dishwasher even a large one. I don’t care how many downvotes this get but how lazy can one person be. Also I found even a better way and that is not to use the dishwasher at all besides after a dinner party or a large cooking session during the weekend. I live with my partner and it doesn’t take more than 10min to do the dishes at the end of each day without…

From research I've done lately, I found that new dishwashers are more environment friendly than washing dishes manually (taking into account water + electricity). So it's not only time saving it's also greener.

This is like saying that getting a Tesla is greener than walking (once laundry is taken into consideration).

Which is true, if I was to walk from Land's End to John O Groats then I would need a lot of food for that plus the overnight stays in guest houses would not be that green as the sheets would be changed daily rather weekly-ish.

A friend of mine is not capable of washing dishes unless there is a scorching hot tap at full beam running straight to the plughole for rinsing purposes, no hand basin is used and the plug is nowhere to be seen. No draining board support is allowed to spoil the kitchen aesthetic and anything washed has to be dried with those paper towels you just use once and throw in the bin.

Fortunately for people like my friend there are dishwashing machines. Since they do have a machine and it has to be put on anyway, there is therefore no harm in my friend using a different cup everytime he wants a cup of tea. Therefore there will be a good dozen mugs and glasses in there by the time the machine goes on.

Undoubtedly the dishwasher definitely makes sense and is more economical now!!!

Meanwhile I just make do with the same cup that I wash each time I need it, a quick rinse, usually without chemicals. Come main meal time I also manage to wash as I cook so there is only the plates and a couple of pans to wash at the end. Of course you could put the dishwasher on for that or wonder what happens if you have a vast Mormon family, but it does not have to be the case that the dishwasher is greener.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#372

Post by IshKebab » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:18 PM UTC

monkeynotes wrote: post #369

bane wrote: post #5

Here'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…

I want a robot to do my job so I can have time to be at home with my family, travel, make more meaningful memories, and have the time and energy to fold my own laundry. I am far more interested in automating the parts of the day that really enslave me so that I am free to spend my time exactly as I wish. I spend maybe 1hr a week folding laundry, tops, but I spend 40hrs a week at a desk doing something I am at best so…

Yeah if a robot can do your job you aren't going to have a job at all for long.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#373

Post by castle-bravo » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:21 PM UTC

Merad wrote: post #152

bane wrote: post #5

Here'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…

> I can vacuum my floor by myself If you're in the HN demographic that likes to live in small urban apartments then you may not see value in automated vacuuming, but believe me they are filling a need for many people. My 68 year old mom decided to get one last year, prompted by discussions with several of her friends. She loves it so much that she's become something of a Roomba evangelical - last I checked she's talk…

I've lived in a tiny urban apartment for so long that just imagining 1200 square feet makes me agoraphobic.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#374

Post by monkeynotes » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:21 PM UTC

IshKebab wrote: post #372

monkeynotes wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want a robot to do my job so I can have time to be at home with my family, travel, make more meaningful memories, and have the time and energy to fold my own laundry. I am far more interested in automating the parts of the day that really enslave me so that I am free to spend my time exactly as I wish. I spend maybe 1hr a week folding laundry, tops, but I spend 40hrs a week at a desk doing something I am at best so…

Yeah if a robot can do your job you aren't going to have a job at all for long.

I don't want the job, I want the output of the job. If I can have something else do the work and produce the output for me then I'll take that and spend my time doing things I care about.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#375

Post by Merad » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:30 PM UTC

dabernathy89 wrote: post #366

Merad wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can vacuum my floor by myself If you're in the HN demographic that likes to live in small urban apartments then you may not see value in automated vacuuming, but believe me they are filling a need for many people. My 68 year old mom decided to get one last year, prompted by discussions with several of her friends. She loves it so much that she's become something of a Roomba evangelical - last I checked she's talk…

I'm still on the fence about whether I like our Roomba. A few things: - we can't run it on a schedule, b/c it requires prep (moving cat food/toys, floor mats, etc) - it's much slower than hand vacuuming, especially with our lightweight Dirt Devil (which is great for hardwood / tile but not for carpet) - it's not all that thorough. it naturally leaves some stuff behind because it pushes some dirt / dust around while s…

> we can't run it on a schedule, b/c it requires prep (moving cat food/toys, floor mats, etc)

If you have one of the models (I think it's the higher end ones) that supports the "lighthouse" that can do a circle, consider getting one. I have one of those by the cat's bowl, and I schedule the Roomba to start right before I leave for work so I'm reminded to go around picking up toys, etc. The cat usually sleeps most of the morning, so she normally leaves them alone long enough for the Roomba to finish.

> it's not all that thorough. it naturally leaves some stuff behind because it pushes some dirt / dust around while scooting around the floor

FWIW in my house (about 80% carpet) it does great. I was a little nervous last fall when I pulled out the upright vacuum for the first time after 3-4 months of letting the Roomba handle things, but what I got was much less than a normal week pre-Roomba.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#376

Post by dabernathy89 » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:35 PM UTC

Merad wrote: post #375

dabernathy89 wrote: post #366

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm still on the fence about whether I like our Roomba. A few things: - we can't run it on a schedule, b/c it requires prep (moving cat food/toys, floor mats, etc) - it's much slower than hand vacuuming, especially with our lightweight Dirt Devil (which is great for hardwood / tile but not for carpet) - it's not all that thorough. it naturally leaves some stuff behind because it pushes some dirt / dust around while s…

> we can't run it on a schedule, b/c it requires prep (moving cat food/toys, floor mats, etc) If you have one of the models (I think it's the higher end ones) that supports the "lighthouse" that can do a circle, consider getting one. I have one of those by the cat's bowl, and I schedule the Roomba to start right before I leave for work so I'm reminded to go around picking up toys, etc. The cat usually sleeps most of…

I'll look into the lighthouse! And yes - I've been really happy with how it does on carpet. Most of our apartment is faux-hardwood, where it doesn't do quite as well.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#377

Post by andrewaylett » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:45 PM UTC

flukus wrote: post #115

S_A_P wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have a family of 7 and get back to me on that one. Edit: not trying to be snarky but a use case for a single person or small family breaks down quickly when you have young kids and have special diets(that require an entirely different set of dishes) then you can see where automation is useful.

With a family of 7 you're likely to have at least 1 or 2 kids old enough to be your robot for pocket money.

It's hard enough getting them to fill/empty the dishwhasher, let alone wash things until they're clean without breaking them.

Plus even our ten-year-old dishwasher is more energy efficient than hand-washing. It's more than paid for itself by now.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#378

Post by rsynnott » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:56 PM UTC

BigJono wrote: post #197

dsnuh wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like the solution to these problems might be to use something like rapid 3D printing technology to create and recycle the dishes or clothing. The dish machine would print using a biodegradable material that could either be recycled back into the machine for reprinting or composted if it is unable to be cleaned. For clothing I imagine a knitting machine that prints 3D garments on demand using fibers and can als…

We could always just move the goalposts a bit. I don't need my clothes folded, I'd be over the moon with a robot that can wash and dry my clothes, then spread them loosely and haphazardly over a "clothes shelf" or something, just spread out enough that I can pick what I need out of the pile without rummaging.

> I'd be over the moon with a robot that can wash and dry my clothes, then spread them loosely and haphazardly over a "clothes shelf" or something

So, what you want is, er, a washer-dryer which performs the additional task of tipping the clothes on the floor when it's done? Washer-dryers exist; they're very common in some European countries. The clothes ejection feature sounds like a minor addition.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#379

Post by rsynnott » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 2:57 PM UTC

jeisc wrote: post #217

bane wrote: post #5

Here'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…

I want to put my dirty clothes in the hamper in the morning; and when I get home at night, they folded and pressed and placed in their proper place. In that way I could have so few garments which would reduce consumerism.

This would almost inevitably be extremely wasteful; it's very inefficient to run any conceivable washing machine with almost nothing in it.

Re: CES Was Full of Useless Robots and Machines That Don’t Work

#380

Post by daveguy » Mon, Jan 15, 2018, 3:01 PM UTC

sixdimensional wrote: post #118

bane wrote: post #5

Here'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…

Actually, I'm not a product designer or engineer, but I feel like I have an idea for #1, and I'm interested in doing it, even for myself. Maybe it's something like "dishwasher v2.0", I 'm not sure. I basically want a standard set of plates, bowls, cups and silverware, which is designed to work with an automated washing box that has slots (or maybe holders) for each to be deposited inside. The idea is, you use the ite…

The heatworks tetra countertop dishwasher looks like they have exactly what you're looking for. Not surprisingly (but only in hindsight) they are an on-demand hot water heater company.

https://myheatworks.com/blogs/news/heatworks-announced-conne...