Honda has introduced the company’s first robotic lawn mower for use in the United States, Miimo. The Miimo robotic lawn mower uses a microcomputer, timer and sensors to provide automated, unattended grass cutting within a defined lawn area. Honda’s battery-powered robotic mower delivers quiet operation, recharges quickly and offers three different programmable cutting patterns with a programmable timer setting for easy, beautiful lawn care.
“Honda Power Equipment’s Miimo lawn mower delivers a beautiful lawn without homeowners having to physically cut their grass,” said Michael Rudolph, Vice President – Honda Power Equipment. “For customers who want to be on the cutting edge of technology, have busy lifestyles and don’t have the time for lawn care, or for customers who don’t enjoy cutting the grass, Miimo is the high-tech approach to achieving a beautiful yard.”
How Does Miimo Do It?
Both Miimo models operate within a boundary wire, installed by Honda Power Equipment dealers underground or on top of the ground around the perimeter of the area to be mowed, and a combination of controls, timers and real-time sensory feedback. Miimo detects the electric field from the wire and stays within the boundary. Boundary wires also protect obstacles such as trees, ponds or flowerbeds.
In addition, Honda Miimo’s quick turn mechanism allows the unit to change direction in a sweeping forward motion rather than having to reverse itself—a feature that reduces overall cut time. The mower’s seasonal timer can be programmed with cutting intervals that match grass growth rates, and day/night modes are customizable to fit consumers’ individual needs.
The Honda Miimo robotic mower is designed with optimal functionality, safety, and security in mind. Both the HRM 310 and the HRM 520 models feature independent 360-degree sensors and a floating cover that detect solid contacts between the unit and any obstacles. If a sensor is activated, the lawn mower is designed to stop (when it touches a human or pet, for example) turn, and move in a different direction from the point of contact. Miimo is equipped with anti-theft protection that will sound an alarm and disengage operation if the mower is lifted from the ground. The unit can only be re-started once the owner enters a unique anti-theft PIN code. Codes can be managed and reset via the easy-to-use control panel.
Miimo offers three main cutting modes; Random, Directional or Mixed, resulting in an even and consistent cut, less stress on the lawn, healthy, clean growth and fewer weeds.
● Random is the most effective for mowing large, open areas of grass. When Miimo detects the boundary wire, Miimo will make a turn at a wide angle
● Directional is the recommended setting for narrow areas. When Miimo detects the boundary wire, it will turn at a narrow angle
● Mixed is a combination of the Random and Directional pattern. Miimo alternates between Random and Directional mowing patterns at regular intervals
