December 2011 ARCHIVED From The Begining

Detective Del Spooner: You know Gigi, those robots don't do anybody any good. 
Granny: Of all the people on God's earth, you should know better. Sometimes the stuff that comes out of your mouth!  - I Robot (2004)



     My new Neato XV-ll arrived on Christmas Eve 2011 in a beautiful red and black box
( http://www.robotvacuumcleaner.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/neato-in-box-DSCN9026.jpg )    along with 3 extra filters, a wall charger and a manual.   It was a gift from my computer minded brother who lives about a mile away from the Neato headquarters in Mountain View, CA.  I took the robot vacuum out of the box, plugged in the induction wall charger and positioned the Neato against it.    When the Neato is "full" (a glowing indicator turns green), I pushed twice on the large red button on top and the LCD window told me it was going to clean my house.  I thought "excellent".   Getting started is so simple. www.robotshop.com/PDF/neato-xv-11-quick-start.pdf 
This next link illustrated how the suction system works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0LPUkRVMzo&feature=related

     I have a small two story house with around 800 ft2 on the first floor.  It is fascinating to watch the Neato methodically clean.  First it enters a room and revolves around until its laser has mapped the space.   Then it starts cleaning the perimeter and when finished, does the rest of the room in a grid pattern.   The Neato took about an hour to finish and then returned to its charging station where it plugged itself back in.  I had vacuumed the day before and was surprised at how much dirt was in the Neato's easy to empty dirt collector.   I had it clean the house two more times that day for the fun of watching it work.  Each time the dirt collector was half full.  The Neato cleans places I usually don't,  like under the desk, couch and chairs.   My house was not as clean as I thought it was - after the 2nd day I stopped sneezing.  So be prepared for this green plastic dirt eater to call into question your house cleaning abilities.  My house really does feel cleaner.

     At first, I expected the Neato to do a superficial cleaning.  But, I am happy to report the NeatoXV-ll does a serious job.  It has a beater bar like a regular upright, good suction and it cleans under and around things with a minimal amount of running into them.  I was astounded.  The first thing I did was program the machine to clean every morning.  I decided to keep this up until it stopped finding so much dirt and then scale back to every other day.

     It's not perfect though.  You have to do the Neato version of child proofing your house.    The floor needs to be cleared of obstacles.  This included putting up electrical cords, small items or actually any loose objects from the floor,   Theoretically, the Neato will go around clothes, dishes, books or other objects in it's way, but if they are too short to scan or push on the front bumper, it will try and climb over them.  This never has a good result.  Also, while it can negotiate regular chairs, my office chair with a five prong roller base confused it.  Just watch the first few times the Neato cleans and see what objects or spaces it can't handle and then remove them.  In the case of the office chair, I put painters tape around the prongs and now it circle around with no problem.  Lastly, it leaves a little ring of debris right up against the wall so you need to occasionally sweep the dust from the edges of your room.

     Everyone tends to humanize their machines.  The Neato almost forces this.  It looks confused when it is.  Cries for help when it is in trouble and wiggles it's "butt"to make a good contact with the wall charger.

    Here are some short Neato XV-11 reviews  from several sources.  

1. Amazon.com

Three-quarters of the more than 140 owner reviews at Amazon.com are mostly or entirely positive for the Neato Robotics vacuum. Many owners have also owned the Roomba, so quite a few reviews include a comparison between the two. Owners discuss differences in navigation and cleaning ability as well as battery life. Some prefer the Neato version, while others would stick with the cheaper Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner.

Review: Neato XV-11 All Floor Robotic Vacuum System, Contributors to Amazon.com

2. Good Housekeeping

While this review involves some hands-on testing, editors don't compare the Neato vacuum to other models. They say that the vacuum does a nice job on bare floors and low-pile carpets, missing just a few areas. They add that although they had "a lot of fun with it," it's no substitute for regular vacuuming.

Review: Neato: The Newest Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Carolyn Forte, Oct. 4, 2010

3. BotJunkie.com

In this head-to-head comparison of the Roomba and Neato vacuum cleaners, the author doesn't quite come down on one side or the other. Both do a good job with hard floors, but the Roomba does a better job on carpet and with cat hair. The Neato vacuum is more efficient, taking only a third as long as the iRobot vac, and the Neato XV-11 is a little better at getting into corners. Neither vacuum can totally replace regular vacuuming with a hose and attachments, the author concludes.

Review: IRobot Roomba 560 vs. Neato XV-11, Evan Ackerman, June 4, 2010

4. Engadget.com

This is another head-to-head between the XV-11 and the iRobot Roomba vacuum. The Neato vacuum is said to be slightly more powerful, but mainly, editors seem enthralled with watching it scan a room and plot an efficient course compared to the iRobot's wandering route. Like other reviewers, the author says you'll still need to vacuum with a more powerful upright now and then. But overall, the XV-11 is more advanced.

Review: Neato XV-11 Robotic Vacuum Review, Tim Stevens, Aug. 24, 2010

5. Geek.com

Like other reviews, this one notes that the Neato vacuum seems easier to clean than the Roomba. The author only used it on hardwood floors, so not much of the review is spent on either robotic vacuum's cleaning ability.

Review: Review: Neato XV-11 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Sal Cangeloso, Dec. 16, 2010

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January 2012

The Doctor: I hate robots. Did I say?
Roman Groom: Yeah, and he's not too fond of you. What's wrong with robots?
The Doctor: It's not the robots, it's the people. Dressing them up and giving them silly voices. You're reducing them.
Roman Groom: Yeah. Friend of mine, she made her domestic robot look like a dog.
The Doctor: Ah, well, dogs. That's different.
                                                                          -Dr Who - The Water of Mars 2009

     When the Neato XV-11 works, it is amazing - exactly what I hoped it would be.  I programmed it to vacuum the downstairs at 5:30 am,  7 days am week.  And for a week it was great.  Then the bad things started. At first, it would occasionally stop, the LCD screen reporting it's - "left wheel was stuck in debris".  I would turn it over and nothing was ever stuck in the wheel.  I did notice that the left wheel turned harder than the right, but was not sure if that was normal.  If anyone has the same problem, it isn't normal.  Both wheels should have the same resistance.

     The next week the left wheel got stuck more often.  Eventually I had to walk behind it and whenever the Neato hesitated, nudge it on the side with my foot or it would stop.   I gave up when I had to do this 54 times in a 12 X 20 kitchen.  I called Neato Robotics Customer Service.  Now, some of the web pages I read call Neato Robotics Customer Service "horrible."  Not my experience.  I thought they were great.  They picked up right away.  I described my problem and the extremely nice woman, who seemed to know a lot about the product (if I find her name I will include it), said Neato Robotics would send out a new unit.  No hassle at all.   Four days later, the replacement Neato was delivered.  The new Neato had a prepaid Fed Ex sticker to return the old one.

     The deal is, you have 30 days to return the old unit and they hold a credit card number to use if you don't.  I put the old unit in the new box and dropped it off at Fed Ex.   Everything was free, this is available for the full year of the warranty.  When they give you a replacement, the 1 year warranty starts over.  A two year extension on the warranty is available for $99.  If I have trouble with the replacement unit, I am thinking of buying the extended warranty.  I hope this isn't the case, but Neato durability may be a notch below it's technology.  The replacement unit was new.   I was told if the broken unit had several months on it, the replacement Neatos are refurbished.

    Hope springs eternal and once again I set the Neato to clean the house every morning at 5:30am.  All I can say now, is that for the last three days of January, all is well.

February 2012

(Kryten Is a Domestic Robot)  

Lister: How can you just lie back and accept it?
Kryten: Oh, it's not the end for me, sir, it's just the beginning. I have served my human masters, now I can look forward to my reward in silicon heaven.
Lister: [Stunned pause] Silicon WHAT?
Kryten: Surely you've heard of silicon heaven?
Lister: Has it got anything to do with being stuck opposite Brigitte Nielsen in a packed lift?
Kryten: No, sir. It's the electronic afterlife. It's the gathering place for the souls of all electronic equipment. Robots, toasters, calculators. It's our final resting place.
Lister: I don't mean to say anything out of place here, Kryten, but that is completely whacko Jacko. There is no such thing as 'Silicon Heaven'.
Kryten: Then where do all the calculators go?
Lister: They don't go anywhere. They just die.
Kryten: Surely you believe that God is in all things? Aren't you a pantheist?
Lister: Yeah, but I just don't think it applies to kitchen utensils. I'm not a FRYING pantheist. Machines do not have souls. Computers and calculators do not have an afterlife. You don't get hairdryers with tiny little wings, sitting on clouds and playing harps.
Kryten: But of course you do. For is it not written in the Electronic Bible, "The Iron shall lie down with the Lamp".          -"Red Dwarf: The Last Day (#3.6)" (1989) 

     The first three days of February were very nice.  I did what I had to do and every morning my Neato XV-11 did its' job.  Then came the RPS error.  This refers to the laser Room Positioning System.  And this Neato replacement never worked again.  Without the laser to guide it, the Neato is a paralyzed creature in a dark space.  On February 6, I called Neato Robotics Customer Service.  Again, they were extremely helpful and promised to ship me Neato number #3.

     One snafu here is that I dropped Neato #1 at the Fed Ex office on February 4, 2012 and this morning (February 7, 2012) a truck dropped off a box with a Neato XV-11 in it.  I was really impressed at how fast they had sent the replacement, but then I opened the box only to find Fed Ex had returned Neato #1 back to me.  No progress had be made.  The Fed Ex woman had put the return prepaid Fed Ex label on the box, but not crossed out the previous label and so it was delivered back to me.  I was reminded of those movies where evil is destroyed only to reappear.  So tomorrow I will make the thirty mile round trip to try and return this thing again before the next one comes.

2-13-2012

I repackaged and sent (FedEx) Neato XV-11 #1 back again.  I just was notified that Neato #3 was on it's way.

To recap: Neato #1 developed a stuck left wheel after about two weeks and Neato #2 had its laser malfunction after two days.  This negative trend has been modified by how well the Neato worked (when not broken) and the fast, painless Neato Robotics Customer Service.  It has been about three business days since I ordered a warranty replacement.

2-14-2012 Arrival of Neato #3

Today Fed Ex dropped off Neato #3.  My first Neato came in a pretty cool Red and Black cube box.  Neato #2 came in a much smaller box and Neato #3 is back in the Red and Black cube.  My, completely without any proof, suspicion is that the Neatos in the cube are new and that the smaller, rectangular box contains refurbished units.  This is just a guess.

Anyways, the new unit is opened and plugged in.  I will update this entry in three hours when I send it out on its' maiden voyage to eat dirt.

2-14-2012 Arrival of Neato #3 - The Test

     I programmed Neato #3 to turn on at 5 pm and then forgot about it.  I was sitting in the living room when it went by efficiently doing it's job.  I put down my project, got a cup of coffee and sat down to watch.  The Neato did its' methodical work of picking up debris and inhaling dust bunnies with a ruthless intensity.  In ten minutes it went into another room and I went back to my project, all the time waiting to hear the Neato's little chirp of distress - signaling its' inability to navigate, that its' right or left wheel was"stuck in debris"or an RPS (room positioning system) error - meaning it is lost.  But none of these things happened.  Neato #3 seemed to have evolved.  I swear it moves a little quickr, navigates around things a little better and when it was finished, docks faster.  Also, it makes some diagonal moves I don't remember seeing before and seems to have clean using smarter grid patterns. Neato #3 came with the latest software update (2.6) and I believe this is what I am seeing.

     Neat #3 did a perfect job and did it quickly.   So I scheduled it to clean the downstairs again in two hours, trying to tempt fate.  Now, I know two cleanings, an excellent robot vacuum does not make, but once again it did an excellent job.  Just like they call a hundred lawyers at the bottom of the sea, this is a  good start.

    I am going to schedule Neato #3 to clean at 5:30 am every day for the next two weeks to see how it holds up.  For now, I am impressed.

2-17-2012 A Weeks Work

     Neato #3 is still doing a great job.  In three days has cleaned my downstairs about 10 times and, except for getting stuck and running out of power once, did it flawlessly,    I would say Neato #3 is an upgrade from Neato #2.   It has the 2.6 software revision and has smoother docking and slightly improved speed and cleaning routes.  Also, this Neato has a better suction than the last one.  It did the entire first floor of my house in about 45 minutes this morning - the fastest time yet.  I did not have to rescue it.  And, it picked up a lot of dirt.

     I went over to Fed Ex last night and sent off Neato #2.  I did a last minute swap of the roller brush from Neato #2.  These beater bars are aluminum cylinders with strips of what I think is surgical latex attached.  The brush on Neato #3 already had tears in the latex.  This roller system works well at collecting dirt but is fragile.   Anything sharp can damage it.  In my case, Neato #3 found a Christmas ornament hanger under the chair and that was all it took.

2-22-2012 Neato #3 Still Lives

I am happy to report that I have nothing to report.  It has been a little more than a week since Neato #3 arrived.  I have probably run it 15 times.  Its' wheel and front bumper got stuck once and it was trapped under a chair once.  In my limited experience, that is a perfect score.  For anyone interested, I am including video links that 1) illustrate how the Neato's Room Positioning System maps out a room  2) a dissected Neato.

If this "good behavior" keeps up, next week may be pictures of my first dog or words of power from TV celebrities.  Here is a sample of the latter:

                                                         SNOOKI of Jersey Shore QUOTES

• The glasses are pretty much all crystalled out, all bling-bling, but when you put them on you can’t really see.. so I don’t think you can't drive with them.. because you’ll get a ticket.
• I can't see........... do you have any pickles??
• My first thought was: I don’t wanna clean this up. My second thought was: I just f*cked up dinner. My third thought was: What the f*ck am I gonna eat?
• Caller: Can I speak to Angelina please? ... Snooki: NO, she died.
  
  What does this have to do with the Neato XV-11?                                                                Nothing . . . really.   It is just meaningless filler,                                                                            A bit of a waste of time.  I know and I 'm sorry.

Here is a video of disassembling a Neato XV-11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8G72NAppKY

This video is of an infra-red image of the continuous laser scan of the Neato RPS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8gDB08rnGE

This video simulates the grid pattern that the Neato RPS creates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCVfZeTIYZk&feature=related

March 2012 --A Robot On Good Behavior or "To Serve Man"

                  
Quotes from Bender - the Robot Star of Futurama

• "Who are you, and why should I care?"

• "What kind of party is this? There's no booze and only one hooker."

• "I was thinking Benderbrau if it's an ale, Botweiser if it's a lager. "

• "Ahhh, what an awful dream. Ones and zeroes everywhere... and I thought I saw a two."

• "What do you mean 'we,' flesh-tube?"

• "I guess a robot would have to be crazy to wanna' be a folk-singer…"

I have had Neato #3 for three weeks now and its' good behavior continues.  Unlike Bender, the robot quoted above, my new Neato gives the impression of an entity wishing "To Serve Man".  It has been a force for good and I have nothing to report except Neato #3 is doing a great job.  It rarely gets stuck or loses its way or fails to make it home for dinner (plug itself in).   I wish it could play cards or cook but it can't or doesn't want to.

I will confirm with Neato Robotics my understanding that the warranty starts over every time they send out a replacement.  Until something happens to break the monotony of consistently good reports, here is a video link of a cat using a Neato for a carnival ride.

Kitty rides the Neato--  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PQ61wofTRY

► 0:44► 0:44

Her is another pretty good YouTube Neato review.  This site also rates the other major robot vacuums and has some entertaining vintage vacuum footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmxXcnuA19s

3-20-2012 NEWS * XV-15 & XV-21 plus Upgrades for the XV-11

Everyone has heard there is a XV-15 Neato and now there is a just announced XV-21.  Least we  XV-11 owners feel we are headed towards the dust bin of history, I have a few facts that should cheer us up.  The Neato XV-11 equipment design and 2.6 operating system are still current.  The mechanical, structural and software systems are identical.

The XV-15 is white, but everything else is the same.  It has been re designated to market in Europe.  The XV-21 is has a different color (misty white and purple), but the internal systems are also identical to the XV-11.  But there have been changes. The latex blade beater bar has been replaced with one that uses  bristles and the filter has been upgraded.  Neato Robotics is referring to the XV-21 as their "Pet Owners and Allergy Suffers" model.

 And the good news is that the XV-21 beater bar and filter will fit your XV-11.  The new roller simply swaps for the latex blade one and the new filter snaps into the XV-11 filter holder.  I have been told that both are available for $60 or $30 for either one.  The below is a link that gives more detail on the Neato XV-21 and the conversion parts.   http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/neato-xv-21-bot-20120312/

Other than that Neato #3 has been working great.  I only have two more day to pick up the extended warranty and so am worried that this good behavior may be a trick.

Robby the Robot- The Gold Standard of Domestic 'Bots

   Для тех из вас, в России "привет".

He was a feature player in the 1956 sci-fi movie-Forbidden Planet and later a version was created to star in the TV show -  Lost in Space which proves Robby will do anything for money.  He represented what we hoped future robots would be.  Robby did all of the work, domestic, construction, material creation, was a friend and danger alarm.  He already obeyed the robot rules of what  Issac Asimov would later call-The Three Laws of Robotics.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

This following has nothing to do with your Neato Robotics XV-11 vacuum, except to say,  like Robby the Robot, if you are attacked by an invisible creature from the ID, it won't help you either.  However, it will do a nice job of cleaning up the mess.  

Robby was developed by a designer who had also created laundry machines made out of clear plastic.  This explains the origin of the clear bubble head that allowed us to watch the simulated robot brain at work.   Robby could even repair himself.  I don't believe anyone will have as good luck with our Neato's.  According to an un-named company source, the Neato (if you get a good one) should last about 3 years. Neato Update My Neato #3 is still doing fine.    It has started giving me a "bumper stuck" message.  Occasionally, this will happen in the middle of the room.  I am thinking the bumper slide has collected some debris and is giving too much resistance for the return spring.   So far the problem is minor. I did buy the 2 year extended warranty, but am attempting to get clarification  if that the 2 year date counts from the start date any replacement that may come as a result of the Neato one year warranty or stays at the original purchase date. I will let everyone know in the next post.

4-26-2012 Fix for Neato XV-11 "bumper is stuck"

Update on the "Bumper Is Stuck" message.   This problem was starting to happen a lot.   So, I followed my original diagnosis that debris was collecting in the bumper slide channel giving the return spring too much resistance.  My remedy was to loosen the two screws on each side on the front bumper and use my compressor to blow debris from the short slide channel.  Then (and this may not be necessary) I squirted a tiny bit of silicon lubricant in channel and tightened the screws (not a lot).   It has been a week now and the Neato #3 has run everyday without a single problem.  Empirically, this seems to be the solution.   I went from 6 to 10 "bumper is stuck" to zero.  Caution-do not dissemble the bumper or put more than a very small bit of lubricant in as doing so could void the Neato warranty (just guessing here).