This is the i-Shovel, a prototype of an autonomous snow shovel. It is meant to be left outside, waiting for snowfall. When it detects one inch of snow, it goes to work shoveling the driveway. I would have loved this as a kid!
Follow the link for more info.
Posted by John Park |
Jan 26, 2009 05:00 PM
Robotics |
Permalink
| Comments (5)
| Email This |
| Digg this!
Oldest comments listed first.
Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!
Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.
$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)
Check out more videos from MAKE.
 |
MAKE on Facebook Visit our Facebook page and become a fan of MAKE! |
 |
MAKE on Twitter Follow our MAKE tweets! |
 |
MAKE on Flickr Join our MAKE Flickr Pool! |
Gareth Branwyn
Editor-in-Chief
Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
| Web | Twitter
Becky Stern
Associate Editor
| AIM | Twitter
Marc de Vinck
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
John Park
Contributing Writer
| Twitter
Sean Ragan
Contributing Writer
| Twitter
Matt Mets
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
Dale Dougherty
Editor & Publisher
| Twitter
Shawn Connally
Managing Editor
| Twitter
Goli Mohammadi
Associate Managing Editor
Kip Kay
Weekend Projects
| AIM | Twitter
Collin Cunningham
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
Adam Flaherty
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
John Baichtal
Contributing Writer
| AIM | Twitter
More contributors: Mark Frauenfelder (Editor-in-Chief, MAKE magazine), Kipp Bradford (Technical Consultant/Writer), Chris Connors (Education), Diana Eng (Guest Author), Peter Horvath (Intern), Brian Jepson (O'Reilly Media), Robert Bruce Thompson (Science Room)
Why advertise on MAKE?
Read what folks are saying about us!
Click here to advertise on MAKE!
Behind the Scenes at MAKE and CRAFT
In January, many of the remote MAKE/CRAFT team members (myself included) convened at the Maker Media headquarters at O'Reilly Media in Sebastopol, California. Take a look behind the scenes of your favorite DIY publications as Goli Mohammadi gives us...
More...
Help | Write for MAKE | Contact Us | Subscribe | Advertise with Us | Privacy Policy| About MAKE | FAQ
© 2010 O'Reilly Media, Inc.
All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing on makezine.com are the property of their respective owners.
RSS
I'm so sick and tired of clearing my driveway this winter - if the price isn't too extortionate, I may invest in one when it's released, and hope that my neighbors don't swipe it. :-) I definitely don't have the chops for a re-make myself...
Reply to this comment
Kirk, maybe you could add defensive countermeasures to keep the swiping neighbors away :)
Reply to this comment
I've thought an automated snowblower would be great, not like a gas blower, but sort of like a wider version of an electric snowshovel (safer with regard to ingesting small pets or kids). Sort of like a roomba or one of those electric automated lawnmowers.
Have a short entry mouth only a few inches off the ground, a couple of safety bars, and have it fire up and start cleaning frequently to avoid buildup that would require a larger blower.
Trick would be mapping out the driveway so that it could:
A. know where to work
B. know where to blow the snow
C. know where the end of the driveway is
D. know how to dodge incoming vehicles (prox sensors?)
D.
Reply to this comment
Darkith, the i-Shovel guy put a metal tape around his drive to define the perimeter. He also said that there was a greater efficiency in pushing rather than throwing snow, which is a consideration for battery life. But I think you've got a good point about starting as soon as there's accumulation, rather than waiting for large buildup. Are you thinking about building one?
Reply to this comment
have you seen the Snow-E-Shovel?
The Snow-E-Shovel is a lightweight automated snow removal tool that offers ease of use and faster, more effective results. This new product offers more flexibility and maneuverability than other existing tools because of the lightweight design and blade adjustability. The Snow-E-Shovel is a new motorized snow shovel that can transform into a Mini Tiller. It comes in three different models, one is an electric power motor, second model is a manual start gas powered engine, and the third is an electric start gas engine. This new product is much faster than any snow blower, or snow thrower and it is supreme to any manual snow shovel out in the market.
You can visit our website for more pictures and for an informational video.
Reply to this comment