Could Robot Snowblowers Mean The End Of Winter Shoveling? [VIDEOS]

For many people, shoveling snow is one of winter’s most dreaded tasks. But a new millennium calls for new innovations… enter the automated robotic snowblower.

According to the inventors of the newly released Kobi, the gadget can “autonomously remove the snow in small quantities while it is falling” using a combination of high-end GPS and several sensors.

The Kobi’s creators claim that the device “proactively” removes snow, connecting to the local weather forecast to start removing the white stuff as it falls. When it finishes the first passing, it pauses and waits for more snow to fall while recharging. The gadget also has several sensors to detect its surroundings and “will instantly stop in case of irregularities.”

Users control the Kobi via an app for their smartphones, and the device has WiFi, Bluetooth and mobile data connectivity.

It can also be used to mow lawns and remove leaves, its inventors claim. Learn more here.

The automated, Roomba-like Kobi is different from remote-controlled snowblowers such as the Italian-produced ATR Orbiter which still require a human’s guiding hand.

The Kobi’s price tag stands at $3,999, but all of the company’s “early bird” units for test users are currently sold out. Still, there’s hope that devices such as the Kobi finally start to make automated snow removal – the science fair project of countless school kids – a mass-produced reality.

The dream of an automated, robotic snowblower has been taunting inventors and entrepreneurs for decades. While several prototypes such as the Japanese-built Yuki-taro have emerged, mass production efforts have either fizzled out or are years from hitting the market.

The concept of creating an automatic snowblower has even inspired a yearly battle of the brains in St. Paul, Minnesota: the “Annual Autonomous Snowplow Competition.”

WHY ISN’T THIS ALREADY A THING?

What could possibly go wrong with an automatic robot snowblower? Plenty, according to comments on this Reddit.com thread.

“I see a number of problems,” one commenter wrote. “First, driving is very difficult. In some situations, even with a heavy blower with chains on the tires, [you have to] manhandle [a snowblower] around… Simply letting it drive wouldn't work… Just covering all the area isn't good enough either, the snow may be higher than the auger, requiring multiple passes. It would have to be able to figure this out.”

The commenter continued:

“Snowblowers are very dangerous machines. They can maim and kill. [Would a snowblower] be smart enough to shut down its augers if a dog walker loses the leash and the dog runs at it? What if it's doing the sidewalk and an old lady falls in front of it?”

Other comments on the thread included:

• “Mechanically, it's pretty straightforward to use a gas motor and several batteries. Basically the heavier the better. The autonomous side of it, well, is indeed where innovation needs to happen.”
• “Usually my first thought is, ‘is there already a product that does this?’ In this scenario the closest one I know of is a heated driveway. They work really well and are very safe. Cost to install is higher and there is zero chance of theft or maiming someone.”

Photo: Kobi, YouTube screenshot

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