Betsie Lawnbott

A conversation at the breakfast table this morning:
Me: Maybe Betsie should have a big flashing light on top that is lit when she’s On.
D: No, she should just run away from people she doesn’t recognize, so when she sees your dad coming she can just run away!

My dad’s leg is fine. A 1-inch gash on his shin, but he didn’t need stitches or anything that bad. It was definitely a case of human error/stupidity, and being unfamiliar with the operation of a tool.

Admittedly, I don’t always press the stop button before picking Betsie up, but I always carry her with the blade facing away from my body. She shuts off when lifted. Dad says he picked her up and started walking in one motion. The blade motor shut off after hitting his leg.

I received email from two people at Koyodo America, KA Home Robotics, concerned about my dad’s accident. They said he is the first injury they’ve come across in the US with a lawnbott, and are hoping to learn from it. A great attitude for a company!

“Fans” of this blog can always post a comment, or use the email address (just added) on the User Info page.

No Comments »

This is my dad’s shin. It’s all bandaged up because Betsie bit him.
He’s not very good around gadgets. He saw her out mowing, it was dewy,
it was starting to drizzle and he decided she should be put back in her
“dog house.” He didn’t know she had a wet grass sensor, a rain sensor.

Anyway, just because a lawnbott shuts off when you lift it up, don’t
think you can’t get hit by the blade. Always STOP the lawnbott first.
Or at the Very Least, pick her up with the blades facing Away from your
body.

No Comments »

Betsie is doing great now. My parents are visiting our new house, and mom has the flu or something, so my dad went out meeting the neighbors. He borrowed one’s lawn mower and cut down the last of the tall grass out front. Still didn’t get it as short as Betsie likes, but she’s working on it. 48% last night.

Need to get the cam working!

No Comments »

The previous owners didn’t mow the lawn before they moved, so we now
have a month’s worth of grass to chop down. It’s very green though!

In the pic I am trying to find the edge of the driveway so I know where
to put in stakes for betsie’s wire.

No Comments »

Betsie keeps getting stuck on the 3 trees at the side of my front yard.

Need to wire them out, but I don’t care enough now because I’m moving. Plus, I’m out of wire and stakes.

No Comments »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdIpuG-BlGQ
About the same as the first one, no sound, but a little less bouncy.

1 Comment »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeKyPyj9PP8
http://betsielawnbott.livejournal.com

This makes me dizzy…. and it looked a lot better before compressing. I didn’t get the camera fastened down very well, it’s a bumpy ride!

Still working on a live feed – stay tuned…

2 Comments »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_axkZq9LNI

No Comments »

For the sake of fun, geekiness and security, I am going to set up Betsie Cam(s) at some point in the future. 🙂

Oh a internet interface for her would be cool too. Send her out mowing, steer her around, etc. That would take a lot of hacking though. So probably just a cam.

1 Comment »

After an afternoon and night of partying, Betsie was sitting on the neighbor’s side of our front yard this morning.

I guess whoever took her got bored and brought her back.

I had dug out the renter’s insurance and was about to call when their phones opened at 8, but decided to look around the property one the lsat time. And there she was!

Again, I was sort of expecting it.

So now we have new mowing hours, mostly after dark. At least until we move.

3 Comments »