Fukitorimushi: Panasonic's creepy cleaning robot (video)

Serkan Toto

Dr. Serkan Toto is an independent consultant and advisor focusing on Japan’s web, mobile and social gaming industries. Based in Tokyo, he works together with financial institutions and startups worldwide. Serkan has been the Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com since 2008. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. → Learn More

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

Fukitorimushi

The so-called Fukitorimushi (“wipe-up bug” in Japanese), a cleaning robot of a very special kind, has been around for quite a while now. But what was showcased recently during a tech exhibition in Tokyo was the newest version. And the thing is still creepy as hell.

What you see is basically a robotic pillow that can move around in closed rooms like an inchworm and cleans the floors by making use of the world’s first nano-level superfine polyester fiber it’s mainly made of. The cloth can absorb oil and pick up ultra-fine dust particles.

When the Fukitorimushi finds a dirty spot, it lights up red, starts rubbing the dirt away and moves on. It’s able to find its way back to the charging station by itself, too.

The Fukitorimushi was designed by Panasonic, and Japan-based chemicals company Teijin provided the nano technology. The question is now who would want such a robo pillow move around in the living-room.

Have a look at the video below to see how the thing works:

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