At 02:24 PM 11/18/97 +0100, Glenn from Sweden wrote:
>It wouldn't work and it wouldn't be cheap. With the existing level of
technology, the perfect robot lawnmower already exists. It's a lightweight
solar powered thing that doesn't actually navigate but just rumbles around
in the garden at random. It turns another way if it hits an obstacle (and
most gardens ARE full of unpredictable obstacles - garden hoses, soccer
balls, garden furniture, buckets, barbecues etc). A radio-wave emitting
cable can be buried to prevent it from entering plantation areas and get
stuck in plants. The lawnmower is a bit slow since it is so tiny, but on the
other hand it is silent and can be always working! Since it's solar powered
it never needs to be recharged or refilled with gasoline.
>
>I think this lawnmower is sold by Husqvarna in Sweden and costs about 1500
USD.
Closer to $5000 US.

I don't know if it has a theft protection system, but it would be easy to
implement a code lock.

There is.  The buried cable transmits a code word.

This lawnmower is reviewed on the web page I posted yesterday.  I saw one in
operation a few years ago at a solar power fair.  It's a neat device.  I'd
have one of they cost $200 US.

Dave, N9LTD

P.S. It's silent, except that it beeps regularly while operating.  It also
has other beep patterns it uses when it gets stuck, etc.  Also, you have to
mow a narrow strip around the outside edge of your yard that the mower
blades can't reach and also in any shady areas, which the mower is
programmed to avoid.  Personally, I'd like to get one just to see how my
cats react to a large green "mouse" bumbling around their territory, going
"Beep beep!".