After five long years of research, enormous quantities of midnight oil, and many failed experiments, I am now – with the help of my esteemed Guru, a local technical genius – able to launch Robocadabra, a ground - breaking robotic stain remover.
The machine, battery powered and therefore eminently portable, is box shaped approximately 45cm cubed with one side unenclosed. It contains phials of reducing bleach, rinsing agent, and coloured dyes (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) controlled by a mini scanner, a specially designed tiny ink jet printer, and a miniature wet extraction vacuum motor, all fitted snugly into the machine casing. The system was inspired by the technique of digital photograph computer image editing which enables (among many other useful features) the operator to change the colour of a selected area of the image to match the colour of another part of the image by using what is known as a “clone stamp tool”.
The machine is placed over the stain and its surrounding area, open side down. The flick of a switch launches it into automatic action, thus:-
STAGE ONE. The scanner identifies the shape of the stain and creates an image of it in its memory. Through the ink jet printer the bleach is sprayed precisely onto the stain and no further. The carpet stain area quickly becomes virtually colourless.
STAGE TWO. With the ink jet printer as a rinse sprayer and the wet vac for recovery, the area is rendered residue free and pH neutral.
STAGE THREE. The scanner records the exact colour and texture of the area immediately surrounding the bleached section, and translates its findings to the printer which then sprays the precisely mixed inks onto the bleached section and no further, thus creating a seamless repair.
For precision it is important not to move the Robocadabra during the above process. For plain carpets, the whole process is automatic. For patterned carpets, some manual intervention is required.
Patents have been applied for.
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