They say the minute a robot can do a job is the minute a person is no longer required to do that job. Employees might not want to hear that unless it is to perform an unpleasant task like cleaning the restroom. iRobot (www.irobot.com) partnered with The Clorox Co. to develop the Scooba Robotic

Floor Washer to deliver "a new level of cleanliness" to floors. The robot simultaneously vacuums, scrubs and dries hard floors, all at the touch of a button, and unlike a conventional mop and bucket, the robot only uses fresh water and cleaning solution from a clean tank. Scooba will be available in fall 2005. Meanwhile, a new walk-behind scrubber from Advance (800-850-5559) provides another alternative to mopping. With its compact size, the Micromatic M17 Automatic Scrubber bridges the gap between a mop and bucket, and larger automatic scrubbers for cleaning smaller areas. It features Smart Solutions technology, a low water-usage system that takes the guesswork out of water control. The lightweight Micromatic M17 offers six gallons (76L) of capacity in both the solution and recovery tanks, and is equipped with a built-in transport wheel for easy maneuverability.