Honda is to enter the fast-growing European robotic
lawn mower market with the introduction of Honda Miimo, its first
commercial robotic product for domestic use.
Honda
Miimo is the perfect solution for those wanting a beautiful lawn but
would rather not or can't mow it themselves. The ultimate time and
labour saving device, once installed it needs minimal human interaction
when working to ensure a beautifully cut lawn, every day, for the length
of the mowing season.
Honda
Miimo operates a ‘continuous cutting' system, typically mowing just
2-3mm of grass at a time, several times each week. It cuts in a random
pattern, meaning less stress on the grass, more healthy growth and
reduced moss and weeds. Unlike a traditional lawn mower it doesn't need
to collect cuttings, as the clippings it creates are so small that they
are dispersed into the lawn root system, breaking down quickly to act as
a natural fertiliser which improves the health and quality of the
grass.
Honda Miimo navigates
the garden through an intelligent combination of controls, timers and
real-time sensory feedback. It works within a boundary wire, installed
under the ground or in the grass around the perimeter of the garden.
Honda Miimo detects the electronic signal in the wire and stays within
it, ensuring high levels of safety and accuracy. Powered by a high
performance lithium-ion battery, it is self-charging, constantly
monitoring its battery level and returning to its docking station when
it needs to recharge..
Uniquely, Honda Miimo features a fan, built-in to its
blade holder, which creates airflow to effectively ‘suck' the grass
towards the blades. This ensures a superior finish and a more consistent
distribution of clippings back into the root system. Additionally, in a
first in the market, it uses three highly durable blades, which bend
rather than shatter on impact with hard objects, eliminating the danger
of pieces of broken blade being left on the lawn. Cutting height is
adjustable between 20mm and 60mm, to suit the conditions and time of
year.
European sales of
robotic mowers are growing rapidly. With the garden increasingly used as
an ‘outdoor living room', people living busy lives and not wanting the
work of maintaining a lawn; and an ageing population perhaps not able to
do so, robotic mowers are a perfect solution. They also deliver
excellent environmental benefits; not producing CO2, quieter than petrol
models, and with no cuttings to dispose of.
Honda
Miimo operates using one of three modes - ‘random', ‘directional' or
‘mixed', to suit the size and type of garden. Random mode sees it
navigate the lawn without a fixed pattern; whilst in directional mode it
moves back and forth in a more uniform fashion to ensure a faster cut.
Mixed mode allows intervals of random and directional cutting.
Honda
Miimo features three independent 360 degree ‘bump' sensors, which
detect a solid contact between it and any obstacle. If a bump sensor is
activated, it will stop, turn and move away from the point of contact in
a different direction.
Honda Miimo can ascend slopes up to 24 degrees, and
when it encounters patches of thick or long grass it will automatically
reduce wheel speed but maintain blade speed in order to deal with tough
areas effectively.
Both
safety and security are assured by two ‘lift' sensors which are
triggered if Honda Miimo leaves the ground. On activation it shuts down
completely, an alarm sounds, and it cannot be used until the owner
inputs a unique PIN. In line with new regulations this means that it
cannot be picked up whilst the blades are turning, and it is rendered
useless in the event of theft.
At
launch, Honda Miimo will be available in two models, 300 and 500,
offering a maximum perimeter cut of 300m and 500m respectively. Honda
Miimo 500 will mow up to a total lawn size of 3,000 square metres,
around half the size of a typical football pitch, making it suitable for
a wide variety of gardens.
The
introduction of Honda Miimo heralds a whole new model for Honda Lawn
& Garden Authorised Dealers. Uniquely in the market, it will be sold
as a full service package. Upon purchase, the dealer installs the
docking station, which acts as both the charging point and signal
generator. A boundary wire is connected to the docking station, then
routed around the perimeter of the garden to define the mowing area.
Honda Miimo is then programmed to cut to a schedule convenient to the
customer, via its inbuilt timer and calendar. Then, at the end of the
season the Honda Authorised Dealer collects it for winter maintenance,
and, in some countries, winter storage.
Honda has been working in the development of robotics
since 1986, with the predecessors of ASIMO, the world's most advanced
humanoid robot. Honda Miimo is the first commercial robotic product
manufactured by the company for public use - representing its first step
towards providing customers with robotic solutions to improve quality
of life at home.
Honda
Miimo will be manufactured by Honda France Manufacturing in Orlean. It
will be available from Honda Authorised Dealers across Europe in early
2013.
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