Lawnmowers

Tending a garden is an enjoyable way to spend a sunny afternoon, but mowing the lawn is too much of a chore. Robot helpers have been on hand for decades, and the latest from Segway taps into AI for dual mapping and positioning chops.

It's a sad and gruesome fact that robotic lawnmowers sometimes run over hedgehogs, maiming and even killing them. That's why scientists have recently developed a rubber hedgehog stand-in, for safety-testing such mowers.

Although robotic lawnmowers have come a long way, many still require users to lay down perimeter wires and clear the lawn of any obstacles. Such is not the case with the Neomow X, though, as it utilizes LiDAR SLAM technology.

There are already several autonomous robots that mow grass, and even a few that clear snow. The modular Yarbo robot, however, can tend to both grass and snow, plus it can blow away dead leaves or other debris.

We've already seen attempts to realize a sci-fi vision of the future and put robot helpers in the home to make our lives easier. Startup Eeve is also developing a personal robot pal, but Willow X's job is to help you keep your garden tidy.

Partially due to labor shortages, autonomous lawnmowers are becoming increasingly popular. The Dexter robotic system offers an alternative to buying a whole new "smart" mower, as it can be added to existing mowers in order to make them autonomous.

​​Honda's Miimo robotic lawn mower has been trimming lawns in Europe for a couple of years, and now it's setting its autonomous mowing sights on yards in the US. Honda will offer two Miimo models, the HRM 310 that can handle lawns up to 0.5 acres, and the HRM 520 that tackles lawns up to 0.75 acres.

​LG has arrived at CES with not one, but four robo-assistants designed to help around the home, indoors and out, and in public places like airports.

Gardens can be a double-edged sword: when they're thriving, so is the work required to keep them in shape. A new autonomous robot helper by the name of Kobi, however, can take the edge off by mowing the lawn, collecting leaves and clearing snow for you.​​

An immaculately manicured lawn is a point of pride for many homeowners, but the days of working up a sweat behind the trusty old two-stroke mower look to be numbered. Gizmag takes a look at some of the options for making sure your lawn is the envy of the neighborhood.

It might not offer the durability of your trusty Husqvarna, but a 3D-printed lawn mower has shown it's up to the task of keeping your lawn in shape. Hans Fouche designed and produced his new machine with a custom-made 3D printer dubbed Cheetah, which he has hopes of eventually bringing to market.

Gas-powered lawnmowers are notorious polluters. Switching to an electric or reel mower is certainly one option, but a team of engineering students from the University of California, Riverside are developing another: an attachment that they claim reduces noxious emissions by over 90 percent.