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Object Timeline

  • We acquired this object.

-0001

2014

  • We exhibited this object.

  • Work on this object began.

2024

  • You found it!

Hack, Roomba Cam

This is a Hack. It was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and manufactured by Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Diller Scofidio + Renfro as part of Beautiful Users.

It is dated 2014. Its medium is robotic hardware, digital movie file, format: uncompressed .mov file 1920x1000 pixels, 30 fps.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro have transformed the popular Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner into an autonomous surveillance device. Augmented with video recording capabilities, two Roomba spies patrolled the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum’s premises after visitor hours. Building on Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s long investigation of surveillance technologies in architecture, the Roomba Cam comments on utopian visions of household automation.

It is credited Courtesy of the designers.

  • Coat (France)
  • silk embroidery on silk foundation, silk lining.
  • Gift of Mrs. Edward C. Post.
  • 1913-33-1

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Its dimensions are

H x W x D (test): 10.2 x 30.5 cm (4 x 12 in.)

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Beautiful Users.

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/51497611/ |title=Hack, Roomba Cam |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=26 April 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>