Our Gadgets, Ourselves

Okay, I can understand a leopard-print case for the iPod, but a French maid's uniform for the Roomba? I guess our gadgets can entertain us on many levels...

The Roomba, for those who vaguely recall its debut about five years ago, is a disc-shaped robotic vacuum cleaner that scuttles across your floor snarfing up cat hair and Oreo crumbs all on its own. You just charge it up and turn it loose, and it sweeps the carpet for you while using dozens of built-in sensors to keep itself out of trouble (like falling down the stairs). A company named iRobot makes the Roomba, as well as the Scooba, a similar model that specializes in washing hardwood, tile and linoleum floors. You can even hack the Roomba.

The company's Web site says than more than two million Roombas have been sold worldwide, so it seems only natural that someone got the idea to dress up the little rolling robot. In fact, myRoomBud, one of the original Roomba wardrobe designers, was started by inventive and enterprising kids, who came up with all sorts of ideas. If you don't want to put it in a maid's uniform, there are plenty of other costumes: cow, tiger, ladybug or "Foo Foo the WereRabbit." The Roomba costumes sell for around $25 USD at RobotShop and Amazon as well as myRoomBud, and that's a lot cheaper than some of those fancy designer iPod cases that practically cost more than the iPod itself.

The whimsical nature of the Roomba-wear reminds me of why a lot of people love gadgets to begin with. They're usually small, you infuse them with your own personality and they keep you from getting bored. But unlike an iPod or mobile phone, the Roomba actually does housework. All it needs now is a pair of wireless speakers linked to the stereo system or computer music library so it can serenade you around the house when it gets done with its chores...