I like my Roomba; the little sage cleanbot is convenient, reliable, and pretty effective. I have often wished for other robotic helpers like a lawnmower, poop-scooping, or essay grading bot, but so far I have been let down. A new Solar Powered Skimming Robot by Solar-Breeze is not a robot I am looking for (alas, I have no pool). For some, it is probably a wish come true.

Skimming a pool can be hard work, it takes hours to keep the leaves, bugs, and debris from floating around your recreation hotspot. There is absolutely nothing worse than sucking in a bug when you come up for air after diving for pennies. The solar robotic skimmer takes all of the hard work out of the equation. It floats around the top of your pool and passively sucks up the gunk while simultaneously releasing chemicals from its slow-release chlorine tablets. On board, the device is powered by NiMH batteries that are kept charged via the twin solar panels on top of the unit. Propulsion is handled by a pair of paddle wheels and side wheels that allow it to clean corners and edges. I like the fact that the Solar-Breeze pool skimmer is both energy and time efficient.

I do not know the going rate on pool cleaners, or how much per hour your time is worth, but the Solar Powered Pool Skimmer will run you $500. If you are in a part of the country that allows you to utilize a pool for most of the year, it seems like this device would be a must have for you.

via Gizmag - product page here.