western australia

A talking robo-cleaner scared the kids

@JudyEv (349888)

Rockingham, Australia

March 5, 2023 7:25am CST

Vince’s hairdresser, his wife and their two children came for lunch today. He is from Iraq, not Iran as I mentioned in a previous post. He came out as a seven-year-old, knowing no English but now speaks better English than many of our dinki-di Aussies. He is 32. The children are 2 ½ and about 15 months. We had a nice time together and finished our visit by walking the short distance to the nearby park. The kids loved the various apparatuses there which are very different from what we used to have as children. The funniest part was when they pushed the button on Roberta, our robot vacuum cleaner. She said something in Japanese (she only speaks Japanese), gave a whirr and headed straight for them. They screamed and ran for Mum so I had to pick Roberta up and put her out of the way.

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22 responses

@LadyDuck (472566)

• Switzerland

5 Mar 23

I remember that Val (from New Zealand) had bought a new car that only spoke Japanese. She was more than upset.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

That would be annoying too. Do you remember if she was able to get it adjusted to English?

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@LadyDuck (472566)

• Switzerland

6 Mar 23

@JudyEv - Yes, she said that the car dealer had to order something in the United States to replace the one supplied by the Japanese plant.

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@BarBaraPrz (49129)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

5 Mar 23

That's funny. I wonder what she said and if you can get a translator.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

We should have checked when we bought it as to what language it spoke. lol

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@GardenGerty (162893)

• United States

6 Mar 23

So do you have a translator so that you can understand Roberta? I can imagine little kids like that being startled by a talking vacuum.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

Unfortunately we don't have a translator. We should have checked more carefully I guess but this was very modern at the time and would wash floors as well.

@allknowing (143251)

• India

5 Mar 23

I would be scared too if it came charging at me (lol)

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@allknowing (143251)

• India

6 Mar 23

@JudyEv With technology the way it is today what if it could also bite? (lol)

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

It would have been quite frightening to have it suddenly come to life.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

@allknowing At least that would stop them from playing with it - after the first time.

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@Ronrybs (20241)

• London, England

7 Mar 23

Ah, Roberta the killer robot! Keeps you safe at night

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Mar 23

The first few times she didn't save us any time at all. We were too busy following her around and marvelling at her.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Mar 23

@Ronrybs She chewed up the bath mat once because I didn't put it out of her way.

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@Ronrybs (20241)

• London, England

7 Mar 23

@JudyEv And an exercise device as well! Is there end to this marvels abilities?

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@Hannihar (130204)

• Israel

6 Mar 23

@JudyEv The kids probably never saw something like Roberta before or was so surprised that she spoke Japanese. Too bad she only speaks Japanese. Don't they speak Arabic? That can happen that some speak better English than English speakers themselves.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

@Hannihar He came to Australia with his immediate family at the age of seven. I think he speaks mostly English to the children.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

The mother is Australian and doesn't speak Arabic. The children understand it but don't speak it.

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@Hannihar (130204)

• Israel

6 Mar 23

@JudyEv What language does the father speak to them? Has the family been to Iraq and does he still have family there?

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@shaggin (74062)

• United States

6 Mar 23

That is funny the vacuum only speaks Japanese. How cute it startled them

. How did Roberta get her name? A photo of her and an explanation may make a great post

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@shaggin (74062)

• United States

7 Mar 23

definitely not

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

Thanks for the suggestion. I guess Roberta is a bit like 'Robot'. Maybe it should have been Robert but then a male wouldn't do as good a job, would it? lol

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@rebelann (113578)

• El Paso, Texas

5 Mar 23

Oh those poor wee ones, they'll never trust another robot .......... hmmm, they probably won't make that connection yet, right?

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

They didn't stay frightened for long but I thought it best to put it away.

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@rebelann (113578)

• El Paso, Texas

6 Mar 23

Smart move Judy.

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@FourWalls (73065)

• United States

6 Mar 23

In a month the kids will probably want a ride on it the way dogs and cats do!

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

It was pretty funny to see. They didn't stay scared for long thankfully.

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@jstory07 (142945)

• Roseburg, Oregon

6 Mar 23

The poor kids. That would be scary to children.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

They are only little and for it to suddenly start up like it did!! Haha. It was scary.

@Juliaacv (52799)

• Canada

5 Mar 23

I think that I would have done the same thing.

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@Juliaacv (52799)

• Canada

6 Mar 23

@JudyEv I would imagine that it was the language that frightened them.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

@Juliaacv It was a round black thing sitting on the floor but, once they pushed the button, it suddenly came to life! I'm sorry they were frightened but it was pretty funny. They recovered very quickly.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

It would be scary to have the thing suddenly wake up and head for you. Especially uttering strange words you'd never heard before.

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@rakski (135184)

• Philippines

5 Mar 23

that is so cute!

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@rakski (135184)

• Philippines

6 Mar 23

@JudyEv I am sure they just got frightened a bit

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

It was a shame they were frightened but they were very quickly over it.

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@DianneN (247166)

• United States

7 Mar 23

That's hilárious! Doodles was so afraid of ours, but worked up the courage to attack it one day.

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@DianneN (247166)

• United States

7 Mar 23

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Mar 23

Poor Doodles. What a brave cat he was to attack it.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Mar 23

@DianneN I've seen YouTube clips of cats sitting on these, going here, there and everywhere. They just look so funny as they seem completely expressionless.

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@LindaOHio (185655)

• United States

5 Mar 23

Funny story. It's nice that you had them all for lunch.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

We had a fun time really. They loved the park.

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@snowy22315 (187098)

• United States

5 Mar 23

Good thing you rescued them from that scary robot monster!

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

They ran straight to Mum! But they were very quickly reassured.

@RebeccasFarm (93253)

• United States

5 Mar 23

Oh dear glad the robot did not get them.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

They hid behind Mum but were quickly reassured. I should have let them play with it. It would have kept them quiet for a long time.

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@wolfgirl569 (113923)

• Marion, Ohio

5 Mar 23

Poor kids. You should not keep killer robots near kids

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

I shut her in another room till they'd gone home.

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Vicki, #1 Creek Girl

@1creekgirl (43183)

• United States

5 Mar 23

Bless their hearts! I guess that was sure unexpected.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

Yes, it was totally unexpected which was the scary part.

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@Kandae11 (56097)

•

5 Mar 23

It might not have been so scary for them if the robot spoke in English

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

That's true but as it was, they didn't quite know what was happening.

@Beestring (15131)

• Hong Kong

5 Mar 23

May be not because of the language. Just the machine which talks scared the kids.

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@JudyEv (349888)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Mar 23

It was just sitting there and suddenly it came to life and started talking. No wonder they got a fright.

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