The most advanced data-collecting robot ever sent to Mars was engineered to sing Happy Birthday to itself, and did so on its first birthday in Space.
Sadly, since 2012 its birthdays have gone uncelebrated in order to save battery life. To celebrate its love of robots as the World Leader in Robotic Mowing*, Husqvarna decided this year will be different. Husqvarna has developed a new program for AutomowerÒ robotic lawn mower, enabling it to sing Happy Birthday. “As our robots on earth are so loved and so much part of family life, we thought we´d extend that love all the way into space,” says Linda Lindqvist, Product Manager Robotics at Husqvarna. “From a choir of robots on earth to the loneliest robot in the universe – Happy Birthday!” The update is available to a total of 100,000 Automower® around the world- models 405X, 415X and 435X AWD – and will become available permanently in September for Automower® owners as a modern way to add joy to future birthday celebrations.
This initiative derives from Husqvarna´s long history of engineering and innovation, where robotic lawn mowers have played an important role in the company´s success. With technology based on the Automower® robotic mower´s existing alarm signal, Husqvarna used the integration platform IFTTT to enable the mowers to sing Happy Birthday. Husqvarna has been working with IoT and external third-party solutions for years, for example Google Home, Amazon Alexa and IFTTT. “For us this is a way to pay homage to the great engineering work of NASA, and that of our extensive team of robotic experts, by letting our robotic mowers celebrate a fellow robot…nobody should have to sing Happy Birthday to themselves, right?” noted Björn Mannefred, Robotics Software Manager at Husqvarna.
Automower® owners of the 405X, 415X and 435X AWD models that have the latest firmware installed will be notified about the update through the Husqvarna Automower® Connect app where they have the opportunity to opt in and join the choir pre-event. If they accept and follow the necessary steps, Automower® robotic mower will automatically sing at 12, 3 and 6 pm (local time) on August 5th, as a fitting homage to Curiosity’s 10-year anniversary on Mars. To learn more and get step-by-step instructions to participate, visit www.husqvarna.com/happybirthday
Want to see the Husqvarna´s choir of robotic mower sing Happy Birthday? Please click here. Use #Automower #HappyBirthdayMarsCuriosity or tag @HusqvarnaUSA and @HusqvarnaAutomowerUS to share your Automower® celebrating as it joins the choir on August 5th!
About Husqvarna
Husqvarna, a brand within Husqvarna Group, is a market leader in innovative, high-quality and sustainable products and services for shaping green spaces in parks, forests and gardens. Since 1689, Swedish-born Husqvarna has a strong focus on research and development and is a pioneer in robotic lawn mowers and chainsaws. Today, the product portfolio consists of the next generation of robotic mowers, riders, chainsaws and trimmers for professional as well as private use. Sustainable value creation, product innovation and digitalization remain important for the journey ahead. Husqvarna products are sold in more than 100 countries. Husqvarna Group, which also includes Gardena and Husqvarna Construction, has 13 900 employees around the world and net sales in 2021 amounted to SEK 47bn.
*Based upon value sales (Dollars) Source Euromonitor International Limited; per Robotic Lawn Mowers category definition; Home and Garden 2022ed; retail value sales in RSP, 2021 data
