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Wii Hack Makes Light Work of Mowing the Grass

pcworld.com — When Mary Poppins talked about turning chores into games it's a good bet she didn't expect Casmobot. University researchers mod a Wii-mote so it can be used to control an industrial lawn mower.

Who dugg this? Made popular Apr 4, 2009

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28 Comments

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  • Sornos, on 04/04/2009, -0/+25This is no more a Wii hack than the military robot being controlled by an 360 controller is a Xbox 360 hack.
  • 666300, on 04/04/2009, -0/+13Sounds dangerous.
  • anaclagon, on 04/03/2009, -0/+10http://www.casmobot.dk/
  • CalcProgrammer1, on 04/04/2009, -2/+10Wii hacks should involve...the Wii? Or at least hacking...Wiimote on PC was a hack way back in the day, but these days software for it is common and implemented, thus it is hardly still a hack. Wii hacks these days almost need to involve the console (if it were a homebrew-enabled Wii powering the robot via a USB Arduino and some custom code, maybe some Linux, that'd definitely be a Wii Hack) and having the console do stuff it wasn't designed for. Re-use of the Wiimote itself is a bit old for a hack.
  • yerdaddy, on 04/04/2009, -0/+7Save the gym membership fee and push the goddam mower once a week.
  • BossKey, on 04/04/2009, -0/+5But will it "mow the lawn..." ?

    http://digg.com/health/A_Girl_s_Gotta_Trim_the_Hed ...
  • noahgelman, on 04/04/2009, -0/+4Couldnt u have just down that with a normal remote control? I guess doing it with a Wiimote is more special or something
  • stephakneex, on 04/04/2009, -1/+5lazy much?
  • Langford, on 04/04/2009, -0/+3Remote control vehicles are good clean fun and all, but I kinda question the wisdom of remotely controlling something with a set of spinning metal blades.
  • tits0Rgtfo, on 04/04/2009, -0/+3Meh Bluetooth range is 32ft. Why not just hack a model airplane controller, least then if I wanted I could charge to mow the neighbors lawn.
  • Hodor, on 04/10/2009, -0/+2Wii-diculous
  • NecroSexy, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2These comments bear the stench of hypocrisy. People behind a computer antagonizing efficiency!
  • toastgodsupreme, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2Lawnmower Man is not pleased.

    (was anyone else happily shocked when they realized he was the pilot on lost?)
  • snareguy17, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2Does this mowing of the grass have to do with anything from the Schick "shave your vagina" program?
  • openaddy, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2And people complain that the Wii is only for the Casuals. "Imagine: Lawnmowerz" says you're wrong.
  • insidiousraven, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2Mary Poppins ate her children in the book
  • TheTjalian, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2"The Wii and its motion sensitive remote controller, dubbed the "Wii-mote," have won the hearts of millions of consumers since they first went on sale in 2007"

    Uhh, wasn't it released in 2006 in Europe, US and Japan?
  • dafragsta, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2Next thing you know, the guy who invented this thing is going to shrink his kids and then the neighborhood kid will come by to mow the lawn for the novelty of the RC mower while they are lost in the middle of the yard. Oh, the shenanigans!
  • spudsstuff, on 04/04/2009, -0/+2This is brilliant. Hack of the year!
  • dbinder, on 04/04/2009, -0/+1Hank H. does not approve.
  • dominowrecker, on 04/04/2009, -1/+2hmm can hardly control the games with that motion control crap. To me controlling something with spinning metal blades like that would be pretty damn dangerous.
  • FireX, on 04/15/2009, -0/+0I vote for the next "hack" to control an "industrial" strength snow plow. Then I would never have to leave the house!

    I can just imagine my old neighboor's face if I offered him to cut his lawn with an industrial strength lawnmower controlled by a Wiimote. Hell, I'd charge him a premium.
  • mikemehak, on 04/04/2009, -1/+1does it really matter if they call it wii hack?

    Why do people get so upset about this. As if they invented the device or coined the original term.

    Does it really matter if they called it a lawnmower hack or even a blender hack?

    It's still more productive than what you are doing... commenting on a message board.
  • FireX, on 04/15/2009, -0/+0"It's still more productive than what you are doing... commenting on a message board."


    I beg to differ. I am exercising my right to free speech via a democratic medium.
  • axlemax, on 05/03/2009, -0/+0me thinks you might be on to a brilliant new REAL LIFE game... Mario Mowing - fun for the whole family!
  • dddss, on 07/17/2009, -0/+0http://www.wiigamedownloads.com/wii-hack.html
  • axlemax, on 05/03/2009, -0/+0likely **while** mowing the lawn, no doubt...

    commenting is many things, being productive would be hard to argue. Important, maybe, but still kinda lazy. Which I'm okay with, actually.
  • ajsmth, on 04/04/2009, -5/+2But can it play Crisis?

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