If you like keeping up on robot news, Japanese video-sharing site Zoome has brought related videos and news links together on the new "Robo Channel", a specialty portal for user-submitted videos of robots doing everything and anything. The site promises to offer plenty of videos on the goings-on at ROBO Japan 2008 (October 11-13).

Robo Channel (Japanese): http://circle.zoome.jp/robo/
ROBO Japan 2008 (Japanese): http://www.robo-japan.jp/

Kitty is moving up in the world of floor-cleaning devices! Previously, she appeared in a special edition of the RoboMop, a low-cost, low-tech cleaning "robot" (essentially a randomly-rolling ball topped by a floor-dusting "hat"). Now she's hitting the big time, gracing none other than the famed Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner. Based on the standard Roomba 530, the "Hello Kitty model" is offered by American manufacturer iRobot and Japanese distributor Sales On Demand Corp. The first Roomba to sport a character theme, the model shows Kitty holding an apple against a red background. 500 units go on sale September 30. JPY84,500.
More info (Japanese):
http://www.irobot-jp.com/kitty/index.html
Hello Kitty RoboMop (English):
http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/03/robomop

Robo Japan 2008 promises to be one of the more interesting gadget trade shows you can visit this year. Industrial robots will be in abundance, but the show organizers are placing emphasis on robot assistants for health care and the home. Meet the latest 'bots at Pacifico Yokohama on October 11-13. (Don't miss the 14th ROBO-ONE event on the first two days, featuring gladiatorial matches between two-legged walking robots.)
http://www.robo-japan.jp/index_e.html (English)
http://www.robo-one.com/ (Japanese)

Name: RoboMop x Hello Kitty
Category: "robotic" floor cleaner
Price: ¥5880
Release date in Japan: April 1, 2008 (March 1 at Tokyu Hands)

"Robot" is stretching things; a Roomba it's not. Nor is it a Japanese invention. Norwegian Torbjørn Aasen was inspired by a battery-powered rolling toy ball to create a really simple duster for hard floors: place a bowler-like "hat" over the ball with a dust-catching pad under the "brim", let the ball run crazily all over, and presto, clean(er) floor. There's no fancy brain in the patented RoboMop; the ball reverses or changes direction randomly upon hitting an obstacle, theoretically covering key spots throughout the room during a 30-to-90-minute run. But what it lacks in Roomba-like cleaning strategy it makes up for in a toy-like price: currently under $10 on Amazon.com in the US (sold as RoboMaid), versus a couple hundred bucks or more for various Roomba models.

What's new in Japan? The RoboMop x Hello Kitty "special collaboration" model sold by importer Daisaku Shoji. The sassy red "hat" and ball, sporting Kitty-chan designs in black, will zoom around a largish (12-jo) room in 30 minutes, for a power cost of under 1 yen. With a height of less than 9 cm, it'll sweep under any furniture with a little clearance. But while Daisaku Shoji touts the cleaner for tile, wood, or linoleum floors, there's no mention in the web page of performance on tatami mats. And the company sells a dull grey RoboMop for only ¥4980, so you pay ¥900 extra for Kitty. (I say it's worth it, to see her finally get a job.)

More info: http://www.robomop.jp/robomop_kitty.html (Japanese)

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6VGlRccyBg (Japanese)