For some truly 21st-century housecleaning, why not try a robotic vacuum cleaner that maneuvers all by itself, guided by more than 50 sensory devices that allow it to make 16 decisions per second? The Dyson DC06 Dual Cyclone even has its own visual vocabulary: A mood-indicator light on the 20-pound unit shines blue when the DC06 is merrily cruising through its appointed rounds, green if it is negotiating an obstacle (like your coffee table), and red if it feels "threatened" by alien life forces (like your dog). And the vacuum's 3 onboard computers and 27 printed circuit boards mean that there's no programming necessary and no remote-control gizmo to fuss with. Just press the "go" button and watch as the DC06 (a rather staid tag for a product with so much personality) meticulously cleans your floors. The price? An out-of-this-world $3,500. Visit Dyson on the Web (www.dyson.com).
A version of this article appeared in the November 2000 issue of Fast Company magazine.
