THE GOODS : Give Your Lawn a RoboCrop
It is the dream of men in sweat-drenched T-shirts everywhere: Just lie in your hammock and contemplate a lawn mower that munches the grass on its own.
You might actually witness this scenario someday because Weed Eater is now marketing a “Robotic Solar Mower.”
Powered by 34 small solar panels on top, the mower seems perfect for the ‘90s--it’s a lawn maintenance system, rather than a machine you haul out of the garage twice a month. The mower constantly grooms the lawn, much like an automatic pool vacuum sweeps and cleans a pool. As you might imagine, hillsides are out, and certain types of trees and grass may affect performance, say the folks at Poulan/Weed Eater in Shreveport, La.
If the yard is suitable for the mower, a solar-powered wire is installed in the ground around the perimeter of the yard, creating a boundary. An on-board computer operates the device, remembering cutting paths and identifying areas of the yard where the grass needs trimming, what moisture conditions are, when to avoid obstacles and when to turn.
Lightweight (12 1/2 pounds), the Robotic Solar Mower is made of durable plastic with a fold-up rear panel and carrying handle. It operates quietly and has a personalized code that activates a loud alarm if someone tries to steal it. And if you don’t know the code, it won’t run.
A limited supply of Robotic Solar Mowers is being sold--at $2,000 each--in a pilot program this summer in selected areas, including California.
Poulan/Weed Eater, and its parent company A.B. Electrolux of Sweden, expect to offer Robotic Solar Mower for widespread North American distribution in 1995. Information: (318) 687-0100.
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Bug the Birds: WingSong Bird Feeder System is not just for the birds--but birders, as well. It is designed for feeding many species and pipes their songs into your house, using technology similar to that of baby monitors and cordless phones. County Line Limited of Cleveland developed the feeder with assistance from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
A built-in wireless transmitter microphone is located under the roof of the feeder, which resembles a Victorian-style house. The bird songs are picked up in your home on a portable receiver-speaker.
The feeder, with a green roof and ivory sides, is made of high-grade resin, the same kind of material used in lawn furniture, so it should hold up in bad weather.
Each WingSong unit, priced at $229, comes with an audiocassette tape of bird songs and color identification charts. The feeder is available at Hammacher-Schlemmer, Sharper Image, Brookstone, Natural Wonders and select Wild Birds Unlimited stores. For additional information, call (800) 692-2656.
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Iceless Icebox: Igloo Products Corp., the largest U.S. producer of ice chests, has a portable cooler that-- get this-- doesn’t use ice. And if you want to keep a casserole warm, it can do that, too.
Igloo came up with a thermoelectric cooler that will keep food and drinks cool to 40 degrees lower than the outside temperature, or, in its other mode, keep food warm at temperatures up to 140 degrees Farenheit.
The cooler/warmer uses a 12-volt battery in cars, RVs or boats and is plugged into a cigarette lighter. (Or you can use it at home, with an optional AC/DC converter.)
The Kool Mate 32 (capacity: 32 quarts), sells for about $89. There is one larger version and three smaller ones. They are available nationwide at Target, Wal-Mart, Service Merchandise and True Value hardware stores, or selected sporting goods stores, marinas and truck stops.
