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 labor
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 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 Authorized 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 Authorized 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 Authorized Dealers across Europe in early
2013.
