I was quite intrigued by a recent brief article (8 lines) from New Scientist, "Robotic baby rocker to relieve tired parents." It said that soon parents will be able to use an electromechanical device to rock their babies when they cry. Basically, the Robopax BabySitter is a device that sits on the floor and which supports almost all varieties of baby carriages. When a buggy is on the top of the BabySitter, it starts to balance it at about 66 rocks per minute. The Scottish company behind the Robopax opened its website only a couple of days ago. It hopes to sell 20,000 units per month starting this summer for a price of about £ 80 (around $150 or €115). Would you be interested? Read more.
Below are some images showing the device (Credit: Robopax website)
This is the Robopax BabySitter on the ground.
Here is a buggy sitting on the Robopax BabySitter.
The company adds this BabySitter will work with the vast majority of 3-wheel and 4-wheel baby carriages.
Here is the very brief article from New Scientist -- in its entirety.
As every new parent quickly learns, one of the best ways to stop a baby crying is to rock him or her to sleep. But from May this year, an electromechanical rocker could relieve parents of the task of keeping a restive infant rocking for many hours on end. The Robopax BabySitter from Dream Technology in the UK is essentially a motorised plastic platform that moves back and forth a few centimetres on hidden wheels.
The BabySitter stands on the floor and is broad enough for a pram, buggy (stroller) or baby's car seat to be placed on top. The device then reciprocates at about 66 rocks per minute, roughly in time with a resting heartbeat and the speed at which people instinctively rock their child. The launch commercialises an idea that was well received by parents when it was aired at an innovation exhibition in the UK in 2000.
Here are some more details picked on various pages of the site.
Somebody who should have been born
is gone.
Yes, woman, such logic will lead
to loss without death. Or say what you meant,
you coward . . . this baby that I bleed.
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
First, you're not limited to use it inside your home.
The product is a worldwide first consumer product for the industry, as all other known baby rockers require to be manually operated, whereas the Robopax BabySitter operates via a DC power supply, similar to that used for a laptop computer -- which means that it can be used indoors absolutely anytime, anywhere!
Is it really compatible with most of current buggies?
The Robopax BabySitter’s bed-size at 855mm long by 677 mm wide, has been developed to fit the majority of prams in the marketplace. We believe it works with virtually all four wheeler prams and the majority of three wheelers.
And is it really safe to use this BabySitter?
It has been safety-tested to meet all appropriate EU Electrical and Mechanical Directives. Designed to support a continuous weight-load of 35 kilograms, the BabySitter has been life-cycle tested and subjected to FE analysis at various loads and distributions.
And if I want one, when will it be available?
It is anticipated that 20,000 units will be available per month from the Summer of 2005 from major Department Stores, and directly from the Dream Technology website.
You can already preorder the device for £ 79.90 (about $150 or €115) from the company's online store.
And is it true? And is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window’s hue,
A baby in an ox’s stall?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me?
—Sir John Betjeman (1906–1984)
So what do you think? Would you buy such a 'robotic baby rocker?
Sources: New Scientist magazine, January 8, 2005, Issue 2481, Page 20; Robopax website
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