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How to Add a Camera to a Roomba

The Roomba is an automated vacuum cleaner system made by the iRobot company that cleans carpet and hardwood floors automatically. It is designed as a low-profile disc with a sweeper bin and infrared sensors, which allows it to travel under furniture and around obstacles while avoiding pitfalls such as staircases. Second-generation and newer models have a remote control feature so you can direct your Roomba. The remote control and low profile make the Roomba a good candidate for a remote-controlled base to a mobile camera tripod.

Things You'll Need

Roomba
Roomba remote control
Compact digital camera
Camera remote
Mid-weight suction cup camera mount

Instructions

- 1
  Charge your digital camera and Roomba fully; a Roomba battery should charge for at least 16 hours before initial use. Also ensure that the Roomba and digital camera remote controls have fresh batteries.
- 2
  Turn the Roomba off and place it on a flat work surface once it has charged.
- 3
  Select a mid-weight suction-cup-mounted camera rig, such as the kind manufactured by Filmtools or Delkin. These rigs are designed for mounting cameras to surfaces such as a car door or window for film production.
- 4
  Place the suction cup flush against a flat portion of the Roomba, well away from buttons and controls.
- 5
  Pump the pump cup of the mount until the red indicator marker disappears, which indicates that the correct amount of suction has been achieved to hold the camera in place.
- 6
  Attach the mount to the camera by twisting the mount screw into the camera's female socket. Turn the camera and Roomba on.
- 7
  Direct the Roomba using a remote control. When your camera is in range to take a photograph, trigger the shutter using your camera remote.

Photography