Robot Lawn Mowers: Are They Safe For Children And Pets?

Are Robot Lawn Mowers Safe To Use Around Kids And Pets?

Smart technology is evolving at a rapid pace and we now have robots that can make our lives at home easier and more comfortable. With people getting busier and looking for ways to have an easy lifestyle, it’s not surprising to see devices that will replace your gardener enter the market.

One such device is a robot lawn mower that can mow your lawn for you. Many homeowners are welcoming the latest advancement in technology with open arms for many reasons. This low-maintenance garden equipment will cut down grass with little to no assistance on your part with precision. On top of that, it is battery-operated and does not use fossil fuels. That means it is more energy-efficient than a traditional lawn mower.

But as great as that may sound, the main concern of some homeowners is if it poses a danger to their family and pets. After all, the tiny smart machine uses sharp blades underneath it to keep your garden looking beautiful all the time. So is a robotic mower a threat to your children and pets or a device of the future?

Safety Comparison: Robotic Mowers vs. Traditional Mowers

Comparing a robot lawn mower to a regular lawn mower is the best way to illustrate its safety.

Operating traditional mowers can be dangerous. One wrong move and you can seriously injure yourself or worse, lose your life. On the other hand, even if robot lawn mowers have quick-moving, sharp blades beneath, they are considered very safe. That’s because they are smaller in size and come with numerous built-in safety features.

These include collision sensors to prevent the robot from colliding with obstacles and auto shut-off of blades. They can even let out an alarm to warn your kids or pets to stay away from the machine. These safety features help prevent injuries and accidents for everyone. So there’s no chance of harm even when you leave your robot unattended.

Reasons That Makes Robot Lawn Mowers Remarkably Safe

Here some of the built-in safety features of robotic lawnmowers that help protect your family and pets from any accidental injury:

Automatic shut-off

One of the standard safety features of robot mowers is automatic shut-off. What it does is that when the blades of your unit are exposed by being tilted or picked up, it will shut down automatically. Therefore, it is highly unlikely for your toddler or pet to get hurt when they play with your lawnmower or accidentally flip it over.

Equipped with sensors

These intelligent robots have sensors that feed them information. They then use this information to make decisions. The design of the majority of these sensors, if not all, has safety in mind. Thus, the robot will be able to do its job more efficiently the more it has information about its surroundings.

• Collision, contact, touch, and bump sensors. You can find this in high-end models. Sensors like the ultrasonic sensor help the lawnmower detect obstacles and navigate around them with ease. Most budget-friendly units rely on their touch sensors. On the other hand, some models have collision or bump sensors that signal them once they encounter an obstacle.
• Lift sensor. All robotic lawn mowers have a lift sensor that helps them detect once they are being lifted. When your device detects that it is being lifted from the ground, it will stop everything from running, including its blades, almost instantly.
• Tilt sensor. This is just like the lift sensor. But the difference here is that it can make the robotic mower stop once it detects it exceeds a specific angle, often between 20 to 30 degrees. For instance, when your unit drives up on a ramp or ramp-like obstacle, leaving its blades exposed further, it will most likely stop on its tracks.

Shielded and hidden blades

The sharp blades of robot lawn mowers are shielded and hidden well within the edge of their chassis. Therefore, there is no chance that your children or pets will cut themselves when they get close or touch your unit.

GPS tracker

These smart lawn mowers use a GPS tracker when they work. You have to set the perimeters up yourself throughout your yard using wires. This will inform your machine which areas they need to tackle and which ones to avoid. Moreover, you can set up no-mow zones if there are objects around your yard that your robot needs to avoid such as a fire pit, lawn ornaments, flower beds, and trees.

Alarm system

Some models are equipped with an alarm system as an extra safety feature. This feature comes in handy if you have toddlers or pets that love to run around your backyard while your robot lawn mower is hard at work. The alarm system serves as an anti-theft feature as well.

Emergency button

Most robot mowers come with an emergency stop button within clear sight that will shut off the device with a single push. If you feel like your pet or anyone is at risk, simply head over to your machine and press the button to shut it off right away.

What Can A Robot Lawn Mower Do?

Investing in one of the best robot lawn mowers presents a lot of benefits. The first and obvious reason is not having to spend your entire weekend cutting the grass yourself. Aside from that, these bots do not use fuel. Hence, there are no harmful emissions, making them a better option for the environment

Moreover, their cutting system is designed differently from a regular lawnmower. Robotic mowers trim grass in small pieces, eliminating the need to rake clippings afterward. Likewise, these clippings become fertilizers to the soil.

Although it will take more time for these robots to mow your lawn, the outcome is far better in comparison to using a gas-powered mower. They also operate so quietly that you can even set your unit to work at night. To top it off, you can even schedule your device to cut grass even when you’re not at home via its mobile app.

Final Words

If you’re having second thoughts about getting a robot lawn mower because of safety concerns, you can now put your worries aside. These innovative machines are very safe for young children and pets. This is especially true with newer models that offer a wide array of built-in safety features.

Also, nearly all robotic mowers on the market today have blades hidden and guarded well. So even if your dog or cat accidentally comes in contact with your bot, they have little to no chance of getting hurt. And if by chance the blades of your device become exposed, it will immediately shut off automatically, stopping the blades.

But keep in mind that no matter how safe a gadget is, accidents can happen when you least expect it. Therefore, it is still best not to leave your kids or pets unattended while your mower is doing its job.