Electrolux Trilobite
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The Electrolux Trilobite is a domestic robot vacuum cleaner manufactured by the Swedish corporation Electrolux. It takes its name from the extinct arthropod, which scoured the ocean floor. The original prototype cleaner was first seen on the BBC television programme, "Tomorrow's World", in 1996; when it was demonstrated by presenter Philippa Forrester.
It has the ability to map rooms rather than cleaning them randomly, and the use of ultrasonic sensors, which detect obstacles and walls at a distance and thereby reduce the number of collisions.
The Trilobite contains a vacuum cleaner capable of working on deep-pile carpet, and ultrasonic (and, on the Mark 2 model, infrared) sensors. It recharges itself on a charging base, which it automatically finds when has completed its cleaning task or its power runs low.
Unlike robots such as the Roomba, the Trilobite is capable of mapping rooms and determining where it has cleaned. It uses ultrasonic sensors which allow it to come within 1" of objects without colliding with them. This makes the Trilobite appropriate for rooms containing delicate or valuable furniture. This object detection is fairly reliable, but sometimes fails if the robot approaches an object with a sharp corner. In this case, the ultrasonic beam is not reflected, and the Trilobite will gently bump into the object.
Because the Trilobite stops a short distance from walls and other objects, it has been criticized for leaving small areas that are not fully cleaned.
Magnetic strips are used to block off areas that the Trilobite should not enter, and infrared sensors (on the Mark 2 model) protect it from falling down stairs or off ledges.
One crucial advantage over less expensive robotic vacuums such as the early-generation Roomba models is the Trilobite's removable roller brush and replaceable air filters. In the early-generation Roomba, fine dust particles are known to cause mechanical failure after sustained daily use. However, the later-generation Roomba also contains removable brushes, and a replaceable dust pan air filter. The Trilobite, however, also contains a removable air filter for the motor. This has the benefit of both minimizing odor and reducing long-term dust buildup in any internal machinery. Like the later-generation Roomba, the Trilobite's removable roller brush can be cleaned of any hair or particle buildup, which prevents the possibility of snaring the roller and burning out the motor. The later generation Roomba also has a second bristle-brush that can be time-consuming to clean. The Trilobite's agitator brush is composed of an aluminum cylinder, with six silicone-rubber blade inserts; though the Roomba can actually clean some low-profile carpeted surfaces to slightly better standard.
The Trilobite, as the 3rd-gen Roomba (using the onboard buzzer), indicates when the collection cassette is full, preventing accumulated dirt from being redeposited onto the floor.
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