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IRobot release new Roomba vacuum cleaner that uses minesweeping technology to clean dirt in your home

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 by: Mike Adams (see all articles by this author) | Key concepts: robot, Roomba and iRobot

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If you enjoy the thought of having a military robot running around your house, go buy a new Roomba. It uses the same technology found in the manufacturer's military robots that are right now helping the U.S. military function as more efficient killing machines in the Middle East.

Althought I own an earlier model Roomba, I've stopped recommending Roomba robots. I do not wish to support the financial interests of a firm that invests in robotic killing machines for the U.S. military. Robots should be built for peaceful purposes: cleaning your house, mowing your lawn, entertaining your guests, and so on. They should not be used as killing machines, nor to aid a wartime aggressor in being a more efficient killing machine. IRobot's claim that Roomba uses technology to seek out and destroy dirt in your home -- just like a minesweeper -- is just too much for me to stomach. I don't need a war in my living room, even if it's only the, "War on Dirt."

This is an issue of robotics ethics, and roboethicists actually deal with these questions on a regular basis. In my view, Japan demonstrates the correct focus for robotics technology: peaceful, helpful, social robots that improve the quality of our lives. The U.S., in contrast, wants to make robots that destroy life. That's what the recent Pentagon-sponsored Robot Race was all about, by the way: handing out a bag of prize money to the company that could build the most efficient battlefield navigation robot. It's only use, of course, is to ultimately kill enemy combatants, which all too often includes innocent civilians. And IRobot, the company that makes Roomba, is marching right along with the U.S. military by providing the technology that could someday make robotic soldiers a reality. Two thumbs down to IRobot.

About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a noted technology pioneer and founded a software company in 1993 that developed the HTML email newsletter software currently powering the NaturalNews subscriptions. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and adult gymnastics. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org

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