The robots have arrived at home! It is not the title of a science fiction movie, but a concrete help for domestic cleaning that is already a reality! iRobot Roomba was one of the first manufacturers in the world of automatic robots designed to clean the house, an annoying and repetitive operation that lends itself well to automation, to home automation, to use the appropriate term.
iRobot Roomba: What it is and how it works?
Roomba’s ” iRobot ” is a complete line of robotic vacuum cleaners, which has been on the market for some years now, with improvements and new features, and let’s see how it works.
The device looks like a small ” flying saucer ” of about 40 centimeters in diameter for less than 10 cm in height, is equipped with wheels and motors to move and a complex array of sensors to perceive the surrounding environment and be able to move alone, without the need for an operator.
Artificial intelligence allows the iRobot to avoid obstacles and stairs from which it may fall, allows it to recognize environments and to understand when a certain room is clean and can move on to the next, also ” hear ” when their batteries are almost empty and go back to the base to recharge.
The reduced height allows it to pass under chairs, furniture, and beds and is programmed to avoid collisions with furniture and walls, as it slows down before touching the obstacle.
Do they really work?
But do these robot vacuum cleaners really work? The answer is: so, let’s see why. Contrary to what the skeptics might think, the part of navigation works quite well: the robot can pass through the house without getting lost, sometimes remains trapped in wires or carpets, but the new models have greatly reduced this problem.
What does not satisfy is, paradoxically, the less futuristic part of the appliance, that is … the vacuum cleaner itself!
For reasons of size and consumption, the cleaning system is not a real vacuum cleaner, but a series of rotating brushes that collect dirt in a small tank. This principle, common to electric brooms, gives good results with crumbs and larger parts of dirt, bad with fine powders and hair instead.
iRobot Roomba models on the market
Here are all the models currently on the market:
Product prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availablility information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of any products.
