These Inexpensive, RC-Controlled Cleaning Robots Are Awesome

If you’re familiar with the RC scene, you probably know about Kyosho and their wide range of RC vehicles.  Turns out, scale vehicles aren’t the only thing they make with radio controls — they put them in cleaning equipment, too.  That’s exactly what they did with the Sugoi, a pair of simple RC-operated cleaning robots.

Granted, these are far from the technological marvels that robots like the Roomba, the Polaris or the Windoro are.  Incapable of running in autonomous mode, you’ll need to drive them like an actual RC car, unless you’re fine having the darn things run smack into the wall over and over (which, I’ll admit, can be quite entertaining in its own right).

The Sugoi RC cleaning vehicles come in two variants: a dust mop and a trash can.  Yep, a dry mop for gathering dust and a trash can to dump all that dust off later.  While you will need to be present for the cleaning the whole time, it’s still a heck of a lot more convenient than having to mop the floor all by yourself.  Plus, a trash can you can command to come your way when you need it?  No more mess of empty beer cans on the coffee table — just drive that thing to the couch as soon as you need to get rid of stuff, then  drive it back to the corner so it doesn’t get in the way.

Check out the video below of these cool cleaning gadgets in action.

For now, the Kyosho Sugoi RC Cleaning Bots appear to be available only in Japan, where they’re priced at a very reasonable $20-something each.

[Kyosho 1, Kyosho 2 via Technabob]