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The best robot vacuum for 2024

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Whether you have kids tracking in dirt on a daily basis or a few fur-shedding pets (or both), a robot vacuum can help make it easier to keep your floors clean. Vacuuming doesn’t have to be a daily chore for which you alone are responsible — these smart machines have gotten even better in recent years, to the point where some of them can even mop your hard floors in addition to sucking up debris. Yes, they are on the expensive side of the smart home gadget spectrum, but there are more midrange and affordable options today than ever before. But if you’re unclear where to start in your search for the best robot vacuum, we’re here to help. We’ve tested dozens of these machines over the years to find our top picks mentioned below, and lay out some advice that will hopefully help you decide which robo-vac is right for you.

Editor’s Note (3/14/24): We’re constantly testing new robot vacuums and updating this guide accordingly when we find new favorites. One model that’s on our radar is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum cleaner, which has been announced and will be available soon. Although it’s been available in other markets for some time, the 360 Vis Nav has yet to launch in the US — when it does, we’ll be eager to test it out and see if it’s worthy of a spot on our list.

What to look for in a robot vacuum

Wi-Fi connectivity

As we explained in our budget guide, Wi-Fi connectivity is a key feature for most robot vacuums. Some of the affordable devices aren’t Wi-Fi connected, though, so it’s best to double check before you buy cheap. Wi-Fi lets a robot vacuum cleaner do things like communicate with a mobile app, which then allows you to control the device from your phone.

Vacuum suction

Suction power is another important factor to consider. Unfortunately, there isn’t a standard power scale that all robo-vacs adhere to, so it’s difficult to compare among a bunch of devices. Some companies provide Pascal (Pa) levels and generally the higher the Pa, the stronger the vacuum cleaner will be. But other companies don’t rely on Pa and simply say their robots have X-times more suction than other robots.

Floor type

Ultimately, we recommend thinking first about the floors in your home: Do you have carpet throughout, or tile and hardwood floors, or a mix? Robots with stronger suction power will do a better job cleaning carpets as they can get into the nooks and crannies more easily. Some machines have “max” modes as well, which ups the suction power but also typically eats at battery life faster than the “normal” cleaning mode.

Mapping features and object detection

Past a certain price threshold, you’ll find advanced perks like home mapping features, improved object detection and automatic dustbin disposal. Home mapping is exactly what it sounds like: The vacuum uses sensors to map your home’s layout as it cleans, allowing you to send it to particular rooms or areas. Most robo-vacs have object detection, but some will be better than others at actually avoiding things like chair legs and children’s toys. Higher-end models like iRobot’s j7 series even go so far as to promise obstacle avoidance to steer clear of things like pet poop that can potentially ruin your machine.

Robot vacuums with mopping capabilities

We’re also now starting to see more robot vacuums with mopping capabilities. Machines with this feature have a water reservoir either built into the robot’s chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in for the dustbin when you want to mop your floors. It makes the robo-vac more useful if you have hard floors in your home that you like to keep squeaky clean, but it does require more work on your part. Filling and emptying the reservoir remains a human’s job.

Auto-empty station

Finally, for peak convenience, consider a robot vacuum that comes with a self-cleaning base. These are basically garbage bins attached to the machine’s docking station. At the end of each job, the robo-vac automatically empties its small dustbin into the large clean base – that means you won’t have to empty the dustbin yourself and you’ll only have to tend to the base once every few weeks. Just keep in mind that most self-emptying bins require proprietary garbage bags – another long-term expense you’ll have to factor in. Also, any vac-and-mop robot with a water tank will not dump its dirty water into the clean base, so you’ll still have to clean up that yourself.

Shark

Wi-Fi connectivity: Yes | Floor type: All floor types | Features: Obstacle avoidance, home mapping, LiDAR navigation, Alexa/Google Assistant voice control | Mopping capabilities: No | Self-empty: Yes

Shark’s RV2502AE AI robot vacuum with self-emptying base ticks all of the boxes that a mid-range machine should. It offers reliable cleaning performance, its mobile app is easy to use and it produces accurate home maps. On top of that, its base is bagless, which means you won’t have to spend money on extra bags every few months.

Setting up the Shark is as simple as taking it and its base out of the box, plugging the base in and downloading the companion mobile app to finish things up. The machine connects to Wi-Fi, allowing you to control it via the app when you’re not at home, or using Google Assistant and Alexa voice control. The first journey the Shark makes is an “Explore Run,” during which it produces a map of your home that you can then edit from the mobile app.

The Shark produced a pretty accurate floorplan of my two-bedroom apartment, and I was happy to see a “re-explore” option that I could use if the map wasn’t up to my standards. With a completed map, you’re then asked to label rooms in your home. That way, you can send the Shark to only the bedroom for more direct cleaning jobs, select “no-go” zones and more.

The first few times I ran the Shark robot, I had it clean my whole apartment. I was impressed by how quiet it was – or rather, how much quieter it was compared to other robo-vacs I’ve tried. You’ll have to turn up the volume on your TV if it’s cleaning in the same room, but it’ll be hard to hear when it’s sucking up debris down the hallway. It also did a decent job maneuvering its way around the cat toys I left out on the floor. The device’s object detection feature claims it can avoid things as small as four inches, but I found that it was much better at sensing and moving around the three-foot-long cat tunnel on my floor than the many tiny mouse toys.

But even if Mr. Mouse caught the edge of the Shark’s wheels now and then, the robo-vac took it all in stride. One thing I look for when testing robot vacuums is how much attention they need from me during cleanings. The best ones are hands-free and require no extra attention at all – once they start a job, they’re smart enough to putter around your home, move around objects and return to their base when they’re finished. With Shark’s robo-vac, I never had to tend to it when it was cleaning. Now, I did my due diligence and picked up pieces of clothing and charging cables off the ground before running the Shark (ditto for every other robot vacuum I tested), so those things were never in the way. Most companion apps will actually remind you to do this before starting a cleaning job.

This Shark machine comes with an auto-empty station, so it will empty its dustbin after every cleaning run – and also during a job if its bin gets full before it’s done. In the latter situation, the Shark will go back to cleaning automatically after it’s freed up its bin. That’s a great feature, but I found the best thing about the base to be its bagless design. Shark’s device is unlike most other robot vacuum clean bases because you don’t have to keep buying proprietary garbage bags to outfit the interior of the base. When you want to empty the base, part of it snaps off and opens to eject debris, and it easily locks back in place when you return it. Not only is this quite convenient, but it also brings the lifetime cost of ownership down since you won’t be buying special bags every few months.

Its worth noting that Shark has a couple of models that are similar to the RV2502AE that just have a different color scheme, a 30- versus 60-day self-cleaning base capacity and other minor differences. The biggest feature that would impact how you use the machine is the clean base capacity: we recommend springing for the 60-day models if you want to interact as little as possible with your robo-vac.

Pros

  • Strong suction
  • Included bagless self-emptying base
  • Easy to use mobile app

$445 at Amazon

iRobot

Wi-Fi connectivity: Yes | Floor type: All floor types | Features: Advanced obstacle avoidance, home mapping, Alexa/Google Assistant voice control | Mopping capabilities: No | Self-empty: No

Not much has changed since Amazon bought iRobot a little while back – the Roomba j7 remains a great option if you want the latest obstacle avoidance technology from the company in an attractive package. The $600 j7 doesn’t come with a clean base, but you can get the same vacuum with one for $200 extra.

The biggest selling point of the Roomba j7 series is its upgraded AI-driven computer vision which helps it detect and move around objects. This includes pet poop – a robot vacuum’s arch nemesis – and iRobot even promises pet owners that it will replace their j7 machine if it runs into pet poop within the first year of ownership.

That’s one feature I was happy I never got to test while reviewing this Roomba, as my cat kept all of her activity to her litter box. Otherwise, the Roomba j7 did a good job sucking up dirt and debris around my apartment and it didn’t make too much noise while doing so. All of the robo-vacs I tested at this mid-range level had roughly the same level of suction, so there wasn’t a big difference between them when it came to cleaning power.

Like other robot vacuums, you can set cleaning schedules in the iRobot mobile app so you never have to start a cleaning job on the fly. The app also has a “favorites” section, which lets you create profiles that you’ll use all the time like “clean the living room and the entryway.” And if you prefer to use voice commands, the robot supports Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant.

The Roomba j7 has Imprint Smart Mapping, but unlike the Shark, it took more than one runthrough of my home for it to create a complete map. iRobot’s app distinguishes between a regular cleaning job and a “mapping run,” so make sure you’re choosing the latter the first few times you run the machine.

I tested the j7+, which means I was treated to the roaring sounds of the machine emptying its dustbin into its base. The emptying process isn’t as simple as an automatically opening flat that shakes dirt from one garbage can to another – the base actually sucks the dirt from vacuum. This was the case for all of the machines I tried that came with self-emptying bases; they’re all quite loud, but the Roomba j7+ was the loudest of them all. The whooshing sounds last for only five to 10 seconds, but it was shocking the first time it happened. Just keep that in mind if you ever decide to run your self emptying robot vacuum at night when others are sleeping.

Pros

  • Strong suction
  • Advanced obstacle avoidance
  • Easy to use mobile app
Cons

  • Expensive
  • Cannot clean while creating initial home map

$544 at Amazon

eufy

Wi-Fi connectivity: Yes | Floor type: All floor types | Features: Obstacle avoidance, home mapping, laser navigation | Mopping capabilities: Yes | Self-empty: No

You may be unfamiliar with Anker’s robot vacuums, but they’re often more affordable alternatives to the iRobots and Sharks of the world. The Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid isn’t a budget machine by any means, but it’s a solid robot vacuum that offers a few key features that many competitors don’t have. Plus, you can often find it on sale for $549 or even $449.

Unlike our other midrange picks, the X8 Hybrid doesn’t come with a self-emptying bin, nor is there one you can purchase separately. It’s just a standalone robo-vac, but the “hybrid” indicates that it’s also a robot mop. It has both a dustbin for collecting debris and a 250-milliliter water tank that you can fill whenever you want to run a mopping cycle. Plenty of other robot vacuums have this feature, and it could be even more useful than a self-cleaning bin if you have lots of tile or hardwood floors throughout your home.

Besides that, I was impressed with how easy it was to set up the X8 Hybrid, how accurate its mapping capabilities were and how many extra features it supports. It has four cleaning modes – auto, room, zone and spot – and four suction levels starting with Pure at the low end and topping out at Max. These features give you a lot of control over where the machine cleans and how powerfully it will do so. The X8 Hybrid was in Pure mode the first time I ran it, and I was surprised by not only how quiet it was but also how thoroughly it cleaned considering it was on the lowest suction setting.

There’s also a “tap and go” feature that lets you pinpoint any spot on your home map in the EufyHome app, sending the robot there to clean. Manual controls are also available, which isn’t something you see on a ton of robo-vacs. This option lets you control the machine almost like a slow and slightly clumsy RC car, giving you more control over where it cleans.

It may not have the name recognition that iRobot or Shark do, but the Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid is a solid choice nonetheless, especially if you don’t care to add a clean base into the mix. It’s an even more tempting choice if you can snag it at a lower price when it’s discounted.

Pros

  • Vacuum and mopping capabilities
  • In-app manual direction controls

$280 at Amazon

Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Wi-Fi connectivity: Yes | Floor type: All floor types | Features: Obstacle avoidance, home mapping, Alexa/Google Assistant voice control | Mopping capabilities: Yes | Self-empty: Yes

Read our full review of the Roomba Combo j9+

The Roomba Combo j9+ has everything we want in a combination robotic vacuum and mop. It offers incredibly powerful suction, deep floor scrubbing and a slew of smarts to avoid obstacles (including cat and dog poop!). It’s a better vacuum than its predecessor, the Roomba Combo j7+, and it also features a new Clean Base that can automatically refill its liquid tank. More than any Roomba before it, the Combo j9+ can make your floors sparkly clean with very little intervention on your part.

While it’s expensive, the Roomba Combo j9+ certainly beats paying for a professional cleaning service. It’s also an excellent accessory for busy parents who just want to keep their floors looking tidy. It’s one of the best robotic vacuums and mops for pet owners, especially for its ability to avoid pet waste. In fact, if the j9+ ends up making a poopy mess due to cat or dog droppings, iRobot will send you a replacement unit for free. (That offer only works for the first year, and it only applies to solid waste from cats and dogs, but it’s still a helpful guarantee for pet owners afraid of the havoc that a robo-vac might wreak.)

The Roomba Combo j9+ features home mapping and can accurately map your home far faster than any previous Roomba, and you can also use the iRobot app to specify room borders. You can also create cleaning routines and label objects to help it clean exactly where you’d like. The j9+ works with smart assistants from Amazon and Google as well, so you can just shout out cleaning requests to your smart speaker. While it’s not a completely magical cleaning robot – you’ll still need to clear up your floors to help it run well – it’s certainly the closest we’ve seen yet to the ideal robotic vacuum and mop. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter

Pros

  • Excellent vacuuming performance
  • Mops on its own
  • Great obstacle (and poop) detection
  • Clean base is well designed
  • Solid battery life
Cons

  • Expensive
  • Mopping pad isn’t great for sticky messes

$999 at Amazon

Shark

Wi-Fi connectivity: Yes | Floor type: All floor types | Features: Obstacle avoidance, home mapping, LiDAR navigation, Alexa/Google Assistant voice control | Mopping capabilities: Yes | Self-empty: Yes

The main reason why Shark’s machine is our runner-up pick is its more manual nature. It comes with two dustbins, one for vacuuming only and one for vacuuming and mopping that has a water reservoir and a detachable mop pad. You have to switch to the appropriate dustbin when you want to mop your floors, and after each job, the dustbin will not automatically empty into the clean base since it has the reservoir in it. You’ll have to manually empty it instead, but you would have to do that anyway to clean and refill the water tank in preparation for the next job.

Despite being a more hands-on machine, Shark’s robotic vac and mop was a pleasure to review. Setting it up was as quick and simple as one of the company’s standard robot vacuums, and its first run will create a map of your home, which you can then label with room names, edit with no-go zones and carpeted areas and more. You can even choose to have the robot do a dry run first before doing any actual mopping, so you can make sure it doesn’t enter into the carpeted areas you’ve indicated in your home map. In my testing, the robot accurately stayed away from these zones that I set and I actually like having that little bit of extra control over where the machine goes. But of course, that’s just another thing you have to do manually that iRobot’s vac and mop takes care of using built-in tech.

The Shark’s water–and-solution based cleaning abilities are basic but much better than having to schlep out an old-school mop and bucket yourself. My mix of hardwood and tile floors appeared noticeably cleaner after the Shark passed over them with its mopping pad. I know I’ll have to whip out my floor steamer every once in a while to really get a deep clean, but the Shark’s capabilities are more than enough for biweekly runs – and it’s hard to beat the convenience of not having to do it yourself.

Shark’s machine has a few other things going for it, too: the auto-empty station is bagless, which means you won’t have to shell out more money over time for extra bags like you will have to with iRobot machines; its mobile app remains easy to use and one that newbies will be able to pick up quickly; and, maybe most importantly, this device comes in at $700. That’s still a good chunk of change, but it’s a far-cry cheaper than the Roomba j7+ Combo.

Pros

  • Vacuum and mopping capabilities
  • Included bagless self-emptying base
  • Easy to use mobile app
Cons

  • Must manually switch dustbins when you want to mop

$520 at Amazon

Roborock

Wi-Fi connectivity: Yes | Floor type: All floor types | Features: Obstacle avoidance, home mapping, LiDAR navigation, Alexa/Google Assistant/Siri voice control | Mopping capabilities: Yes | Self-empty: Yes

Roborock’s high-end S7+ deserves a mention for its cleaning power and number of advanced features. First, the S7+ is a vac-and-mop combo, and its mopping pad automatically lifts itself out of the way when the machine reaches the carpet. That means you can have it clean your whole home, vacuuming and mopping in the right spots, without you giving it any extra attention (besides filling its 300ml water tank at the start).

The expensive machine has a longer setup process because its self-emptying base comes in two pieces. You must attach the bottom of the base, where the robo-vac charges, to the garbage-bin upper portion using a few screws and a tool that attaches to the bottom of the base. Roborock provides everything you need to do this in the box, so while it takes a bit more time, it’s still an easy process.

What wasn’t so easy for me at first was connecting the S7+ to the Roborock app. The vacuum had trouble connecting to my home’s Wi-Fi network, but I was able to connect it to the Mi Home app, which is Xiaomi’s main smart home companion app (Xiaomi is an investor in Roborock). There aren’t a ton of differences between the two apps when it comes to robo-vac controls, but the S7+ is designed to work with Roborock’s program. After troubleshooting with a Roborock representative, I was able to fix the problem by factory resetting the vacuum and that allowed me to connect it to the Roborock app properly.

That said, the Roborock app isn’t nearly as polished as those from iRobot, Shark and others. The main page shows your home’s map along with the battery level, cleaning time, cleaning area in feet, and buttons that let you quickly start a cleaning job and empty the dustbin. You’re also able to select specific rooms or zones to clean, but the rest of the control options live in the menu accessible by the three-dot icon at the top-right corner of the app. Things are a little buried, and that might make the S7+ harder for robot-vacuum newbies to use.

When it comes to cleaning performance, the Roborock S7+ did a great job sucking up dirt around my home. In addition to the usual features like cleaning schedules, zone targeting and others, the vacuum also has things like child lock, which will disable the physical buttons on the machine; different auto-emptying settings to choose from; “pin and go,” which lets you tap on your home map to send the robot to a specific location; and manual direction controls so you can move the machine like a toy car. This isn’t the robot vacuum to get if you want the most polished experience – and you may very well want that if you’re dropping $1,000 on one – but it remains a powerful vac-and-mop machine with a handful of extra perks.

Pros

  • Vacuum and mopping capabilities
  • Senses floor type to automatically mop certain surfaces
Cons

  • Expensive
  • Clunky mobile app

$950 at Amazon

Photo by Valentina Palladino / Engadget

iRobot’s $279 Roomba 694 is a good affordable robot vaccum option for most people thanks to its good cleaning power and easy-to-use mobile app. We won’t get too deep into it here since we have a whole guide to cheap robot vacuums with additional recommendations. But suffice to say, the 694 gives you all the essentials you’d expect from a robot vacuum, along with all of the convenience that comes with iRobot’s mobile app.

Pros

  • Good suction
  • Easy to use mobile app
  • Affordable

$180 at Walmart

Are robot vacuums worth it?

We tackled this question when we reviewed budget robot vacuums and the answer is yes, especially if vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores. Robots take the hard work out of cleaning your floors – just turn the thing on and watch it go. Any robot vacuum cleaner worth buying is semi-autonomous in that it will suck up dirt around your home until its battery is low and then make its way back to its charging dock. Unlike a regular vacuum, you should only have to interact with it to turn it on, empty its dustbin and untangle it if it were to get stuck somewhere.

That’s not to say robot vacuums are perfect. They’re almost always less powerful and less flexible than traditional vacuums. Since most robo-vacs are much smaller than traditional models, they often don’t have the same level of suction you’ll get in an upright machine. Plus, their dustbins are smaller, so they will need to be emptied more frequently. While Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuums give you the flexibility to start a cleaning job from anywhere using an app, targeting a small area of your home can be more complicated. Some robo-vacs have spot-cleaning features that focus the machine’s attention on a specific area, which almost – but not quite – mimics the spot-cleaning you’d be able to do yourself with a regular or cordless vacuum.

Robot vacuum maintenance tips

First and foremost, always empty your robot vacuum’s dustbin after every cleaning job. If you have a model with a self-emptying base, there’s less work for you to do yourself. If not, simply detach and empty the dustbin as soon as the robot is done cleaning. It’s also a good idea to take a dry cloth to the inside of the dustbin every once in a while to remove any small dust and dirt particles clinging to its insides.

In addition, you’ll want to regularly examine the machine’s brushes to see if any hair has wrapped around them, or if any large debris is preventing them from working properly. Some brushes are better than others at not succumbing to tangled hair, but it’s a good idea to check your robot’s brushes regardless — both their main brush and any smaller, corner brushes they have. These parts are often easy to pop off of the machine (because they do require replacements eventually) so we recommend removing each brush entirely, getting rid of any tangled hair or other debris attached to them and reinstalling them afterwards.

Robot vacuums also have filters that need replacing every couple of months. Check your machine’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website to see how long they recommend going in between filter replacements. Most of the time, these filters cannot be washed, so you will need to buy new ones either directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers like Amazon or Walmart.

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The ideal robot vacuum and mop

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I miss having clean floors. I’ve been using a variety of Roombas over the years to help out with vacuuming, but ever since my wife and I had our second child in 2022, mopping has become an afterthought. And really, vacuuming can only clean your floor so much. I missed the shimmer of a mopped hardwood floor and the smell of Murphy Oil cleaner lingering in the air. Instead, I’ve been living with even more toys, crumbs and an assortment of bodily waste (which three cats contribute to) on my flooring and carpets. Don’t judge me (or any parent!), I’m tired.

When Engadget’s own Daniel Cooper extolled the virtues of iRobot’s first combination robot vacuum and mop, I was intrigued. I’d already grown to love my Roombas, especially after they gained the ability to dump their own waste into their charging docks. But for them to mop as well? That just sounded like an impossible dream. So when iRobot announced its second combination flagship, the Roomba Combo j9+, I leapt at the chance to test it. (Sorry, Dan.)

iRobot

The Roomba Combo j9+ is the ideal robotic vacuum and mop. It can easily suck up dirt while also wiping down your floors, and now it’s smart enough to refill its own water tank.

Pros

  • Excellent vacuuming performance
  • Mops well on its own
  • Great obstacle (and poop) detection
  • Clean base is well designed
  • Solid battery life
Cons

  • Expensive
  • Mopping pad isn’t great for sticky messes

$999 at Amazon

I’ve tested iRobot’s Braava Jet m6 mopping robot, which was announced in 2019 and was notable for being able to work alongside the Roomba s9+. But it would have cost me $499 and required clunky setup and maintenance. Plus, it was yet another device that needed to live somewhere in my home. It was ultimately easier for me to just run the Roomba and mop by hand whenever I needed to.

Roomba Combo j9+ with Clean Base
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The Roomba Combo j9+ (and the j7+ before it) promises a far smoother experience: It can simultaneously vacuum and mop without much additional effort on your part. All you need to do is add some water and cleaning solution to its large reservoir (stored neatly in the redesigned Clean Base) and attach a mop pad. The company developed a unique mop arm that can automatically move up and down when needed, which helps to avoid leaving your carpets wet with residue.

Maintenance is fairly simple too: Wash the mop pads after a few runs, add more water when necessary, and make sure the Roomba’s bristles aren’t getting tangled with hair. Once the Clean Base is full, swapping its custom waste bags takes only a few seconds.

While we liked the Roomba Combo j7+ well enough, the new model solves some of the issues we encountered. It can automatically refill its water tank from the Clean Base, whereas the j7+ required you to manually add liquid to the robot. The Combo j9+ also offers stronger vacuum suctioning, which allows it to pick up smaller debris and complete jobs with fewer cleaning passes. Its new Clean Base also looks like a piece of furniture, with a wood top that you can use like a regular table. Its door swings open from the front and offers space for additional waste bags, accessories and a large reservoir for cleaning liquid.

Roomba Combo j9+ trash bag
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

iRobot claims the j9+ Clean Base allows for 30 days of hands-free mopping and 60-days of hands-free vacuuming, figures that seem exceedingly ambitious for most users. In my testing, I needed to look at the Roomba’s bristles at least once a week to deal with extraneous hair and random toys. And I definitely had to change the mop pad after two or three runs — after all, there’s no such thing as clean floors with a dirty mop.

Like the Roomba j7+ and s9 before it, as well as just about every Roomba ever made, you’ll want to clear your floors of small debris and potential hazards before starting a run. As a Roomba user since 2005, I’ve grown to accept that they’re not magical cleaning devices. You will need to put in a bit of work to help them run best. But the key is it’s still easier than manually vacuuming and sweeping your floors and it’s significantly cheaper than a cleaning service.

Thanks to iRobot’s OS 7, along with its camera and wide array of sensors, the Roomba Combo j9+ is far better at automatically mapping your home than previous models. After two runs, it tagged my kitchen, dining area and living room correctly, though I had to hop into the iRobot app to differentiate between my living room and family room. The mapping might seem unnecessary if you’re using a Roomba for the first time (you can also disable it entirely), but it is the heart of the vacuum’s routines. Instead of cleaning your entire home, you can program it to just clean the kitchen and dining room. If you connect your app to Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant, you can also use voice commands to direct your robot to specific locations.

After getting in hot water over its earlier plans to sell home mapping data, iRobot made an about face, gave up on that idea and started emphasizing privacy. The company says your mapping data is stored in the iRobot Cloud for processing (something you can also disable), which is a “secure” environment with “strict access controls, data encryption at rest and in transit, and periodic audits to ensure access is only given to those who require it.”

In 2020, MIT Technology Review reported that development versions of the Roomba J7 captured images of a woman sitting on a toilet and a child playing on the floor, which made their way to a library used by the labeling service Scale AI. iRobot said that the people using those devices had agreed to have their data captured — they weren’t regular consumers. One downside of using any cloud-connected device, especially one that aims to learn about your home, is that it’ll require sharing some data. It’s up to you to determine if that’s a worthwhile tradeoff for more convenience.

Roomba Combo j9+ mop pad
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

When it comes to cleaning, the Roomba Combo j9+ practically mesmerized me as it balanced vacuuming and mopping duties. At the start of every mopping job, the robot emerged from the Clean Base, turned around and studiously refilled its liquid tank. It’s like watching R2D2 go to the bathroom in reverse. Since it was starting every job on my wood floor, the Roomba then lowered its mopping pad from its top (it has a ‘lil mop hat!) and spun up its vacuum. Then, it proceeded to move forward, sucking up dirt while the scrubbing pad cleaned right behind, a virtuoso show of autonomous cleaning acrobatics.

If you don’t need a full cleaning, you could also use the iRobot app to have the j9+ just vacuum or mop (useful if you’ve just gone to town on your floors with a manual vac). The iRobot app lets you control the number of cleaning passes per job (one, two or “room-size”, which tackles large rooms once and smaller spaces two to three times), as well as the amount of water for every mopping job (eco, standard or ultra). You can also choose between low, medium and high suction options (which get progressively louder, as you’d expect).

Roomba Combo j9+
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The iRobot app also lets you turn the Roomba’s obstacle detection on and off, though you’ll likely never want to disable it. In my testing, the Roomba Combo j9+ managed to avoid shoes, toys and other objects in its path. It also quietly came to a halt whenever my kids or cats stepped in front of it. iRobot’s promise to avoid pet poop (the aptly named Pet Owner Official Promise) also applies to the j9+. If the company’s poop-optimized computer vision algorithms somehow miss a dog or cat mess in your home, iRobot says it will send you a new Roomba at no charge within the first year of purchase. The company will only send out one replacement, though, and the guarantee doesn’t apply to non-solid waste (including diarrhea) or poop from another animal.

Before you ask, yes, I tested this. I placed a bit of cat poop in front of the j9+ and watched with worry as it approached the stinker. Thankfully, it stopped about six inches away and immediately backed off, as if it was terrified of the horrors it was about to inflict on itself. My floors were grateful, as was I.

Roomba Combo j9+ poop avoiding

The Roomba Combo j9+ performed admirably as a mop. It wasn’t always perfect, and I could occasionally make out streaks, but it still looked a lot better than when relying on mere vacuuming. After my first cleaning session, my floors beamed in the sunlight with a glow I hadn’t seen in months. And best of all, it required very little effort on my part, aside from a bit of tidying up. Even my notoriously picky mom noticed my floors sparkled more when they visited right after the Roomba worked its magic.

According to iRobot, the j9+ features twice the scrubbing performance of the j7+. While I couldn’t test the difference directly, I can confirm it’s a stubborn little bot when it comes to tough situations like dried litter paw prints and caked-in dirt. It managed to fully clean up those messes, but I’d be wary of letting it tackle anything worse, at least not without changing the mopping pad right afterwards. The j9+ may be able to avoid streaking poop around your house, but having your floors painted with a muddy mop can also be awful.

Roomba Combo j9+
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

A rogue j9+ could do plenty of damage around your home, since its battery life has also been improved. It typically cleared my first floor in around two hours without needing a charging break. At one point, it ran for two and a half hours without a sweat. That should make this Roomba pretty capable even if you have a large home. A full floor cleaning took between 30 minutes and an hour longer than the j7+, but that makes sense since it’s also mopping and being more diligent about vacuuming.

At $1,400, the Roomba Combo J9+ is too expensive for most people looking to buy their first robovac. Even when iRobot is running a sale (we’ve seen it drop the price down to $999), the Combo j9+ is pretty pricey, but that cut does make the j9+ more palatable for longtime Roomba owners who’ve learned how to fit the bot into their cleaning routines. iRobot isn’t completely out of line with its pricing: The competing Roborock S7 Max Ultra offers similar vacuum and mopping features and typically sells for $1,299 (it’s also on sale for $999 at the moment).

There’s still no robot vacuum equivalent to the Jetson’s Rosie the Robot, but the Roomba Combo j9+ is the closest we’ve got so far. iRobot has built upon its excellent robot vacuum platform to deliver something that can finally mop your floors without a sweat. And while it may seem a tad exorbitant, the cost may be worth it for parents who, like me, forgot what truly clean floors looked like.

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The best robot vacuums on a budget for 2024

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If you’re not a fan of vacuuming, a robot vacuum can make your life much easier — or, at the very least, give you back some time in your day. While it’s not wrong to assume that many robot vacuums land on the high end of the price spectrum, a growing market with many new players entering over the past few years means there are more budget-friendly machines available now than ever before. Gone are the days where it was necessary to spend at least $500 to get one of these robot-vacs home; now, you can find plenty of decent models for $300 or less. After testing dozens of robot vacuums at various price points, we’ve narrowed down our top picks for the best robot vacuums to buy when you’re on a budget.

Are robot vacuums worth it?

Since I’ve tested dozens of robot vacuums, I’m often asked if these gadgets are “worth it” and I’d say the answer is yes. The biggest thing they offer is convenience: just turn on a robot vacuum and walk away. The machine will take care of the rest. If vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores, or you just want to spend less time keeping your home tidy, semi-autonomous robotic vacuum is a great investment.

There are plenty of other good things about them, but before we dive in let’s consider the biggest trade-offs: less power, less capacity and less flexibility. Those first two go hand in hand; robot vacuum cleaners are much smaller than upright vacuums, which leads to less powerful suction. They also hold less dirt because their built-in bins are a fraction of the size of a standard vacuum canister or bag. And while robo-vacs are cord-free, that means they are slaves to their batteries and will require docking at a charging base.

When it comes to flexibility, robot vacuums do things differently than standard ones. You can control some with your smartphone, set cleaning schedules and more, but robo-vacs are primarily tasked with cleaning floors. On the flip side, their upright counterparts can come with various attachments that let you clean couches, stairs, light fixtures and other hard-to-reach places.

What to look for in a budget robot vacuum

When looking for the best cheap robot vacuum, one of the first things you should consider is the types of floors you have in your home. Do you have mostly carpet, tile, laminate, hardwood? Carpets demand vacuums with more suction power that can pick up debris pushed down into nooks and crannies. Unfortunately, there isn’t a universal metric by which suction is measured. Some companies provide Pascal (Pa) levels and generally the higher the Pa, the stronger. But other companies don’t rely on Pa levels and simply say their robots have X-times more suction power than other robot vacuums.

So how can you ensure you’re getting the best cheap robot vacuum to clean your floor type? Read the product description. Look for details about its ability to clean hard floors and carpets, and see if it has a “max” mode you can use to increase suction. If you are given a Pa measurement, look for around 2000Pa if you have mostly carpeted floors.

Size is also important for two reasons: clearance and dirt storage. Check the specs for the robot’s height to see if it can get underneath the furniture you have in your home. Most robo-vacs won’t be able to clean under a couch (unless it’s a very tall, very strange couch), but some can get under entryway tables, nightstands and the like. As for dirt storage, look out for the milliliter capacity of the robot’s dustbin — the bigger the capacity, the more dirt the vacuum cleaner can collect before you have to empty it.

You should also double check the Wi-Fi capabilities of the robo-vac you’re eyeing. While you may think that’s a given on all smart home devices, it’s not. Some of the most affordable models don’t have the option to connect to your home Wi-Fi network. If you choose a robot vac like this, you won’t be able to direct it with a smartphone app or with voice controls. Another feature that’s typically reserved for Wi-Fi-connected robots is scheduling because most of them use a mobile app to set cleaning schedules.

But Wi-Fi-incapable vacuums usually come with remote controls that have all the basic functions that companion mobile apps do, including start, stop and return to dock. And if you’re concerned about the possibility of hacking, a robot vac with no access to your Wi-Fi network is the best option.

Obstacle detection and cliff sensors are other key features to look out for. The former helps the robot vacuum navigate around furniture while it cleans, rather than mindlessly pushing its way into it. Meanwhile, cliff sensors prevent robot vacuums from tumbling down the stairs, making them the best vacuum for multi-level homes.

How we test

When we consider which robot vacuums to test, we look at each machine’s specs and feature list, as well as online reviews to get a general idea of its capabilities. With each robot vacuum we review, we set it up as per the instructions and use it for as long as possible — at minimum, we’ll use each for one week, running cleaning cycles daily. We make sure to try out any physical buttons the machine has on it, and any app-power features like scheduling, smart mapping and more.

Since we test robot vacuums in our own homes, there are obstacles already in the machine’s way like tables, chairs and other furniture — this helps us understand how capable the machine is at avoiding obstacles, and we’ll intentionally throw smaller items in their way like shoes, pet toys and more. With robot vacuums that include clean bases, we assess how loud the machine is while emptying contents into the base and roughly how long it takes for us to fill up the bag (or bagless) base with debris.

Best budget robot vacuum overall: iRobot Roomba 694

iRobot

Max mode: No | Wi-Fi capabilities: Yes | Object detection: Yes

Both iRobot and Shark impressed with their affordable robo-vacs. But we think iRobot’s Roomba 694 will be the best cheap robot vacuum cleaner for most people thanks to its good cleaning power and easy-to-use mobile app. The Roomba 694 replaced the Roomba 675 last year but, aside from an updated exterior, it has the same build quality and is fundamentally the same vacuum. It looks much sleeker now with its new all-black design, giving it an aesthetic similar to some of the more expensive Roomba models. It has three physical buttons on it — start, dock and spot — and it connects to Wi-Fi so you can control it via the iRobot app. Unfortunately, your $274 gets you the vacuum and its necessary parts only so you’ll have to pay up immediately when you need a replacement filter or brushes.

Setting up this powerful robot vacuum is straightforward: Open the companion app and follow the instructions. Once it’s connected to your home Wi-Fi network, you’re able to use the app to control the vacuum whenever you don’t feel like using the physical buttons. However, the spot-clean function is only available as a button, which is a bit of a bummer.

iRobot’s app is one of the biggest selling points for any Roomba. It’s so easy to use that even someone with no prior experience will be able to quickly master the robot’s basic functions. iRobot’s app puts most pertinent controls on the homepage, so you rarely (if ever) need to navigate through its menu to do things like set a cleaning schedule.

We recommend setting cleaning schedules to really get the most out of the device. After all, these are semi-autonomous robots, so why not make it so you rarely have to interact with them? Doing so will ensure the Roomba runs through your home on a regular basis, so you’re always left with clean floors. The Roomba 694 in particular did a good job sucking up dirt and debris on my carpets as well as the tile flooring in my kitchen and bathrooms. The only thing I try to do before a cleaning job is get charging cables off of the floor – the Roomba will stop if it sucks something like that up and it’s relatively easy to extract a cable from the machine’s brushes, but I’d rather not have to do so if I can avoid it.

When it comes to battery life, the Roomba 694 ran for around 45 minutes before needing to dock and recharge. iRobot says run times will vary based on floor surfaces, but the 694 is estimated to have a 90-minute battery life when cleaning hardwood floors. While 45 minutes may be enough time for the robot to scuttle around most rooms in my apartment, those with larger homes may have to wait for it to recharge in order to clean everywhere.

iRobot has made a name for itself in the autonomous vacuum market for good reason. Its machines are polished, dead simple to use and the accompanying app is excellent. That ease of use (and the reputation of the iRobot name) comes with a slightly higher asking price, which many will be willing to pay. But there are plenty of solid options now that didn’t exist even just three years ago.

Pros

  • Simple yet attractive design
  • Good suction power for its size
  • Easy to use mobile app
Cons

  • Cannot fit under low furniture

$180 at Walmart

Shark

Max mode: Yes | Wi-Fi capabilities: Yes | Object detection: Yes | Cliff sensors: Yes

The Shark RV765 is the updated version of the RV761 that we previously recommended. Like the Roomba 694, the Shark RV765 has a slightly different design and a longer run time than the RV761, but otherwise they’re the same vacuum. You can still find the RV761, but it’s a little difficult to do so now that the latest model is available. Although we haven’t tested the RV765, we feel comfortable recommending it since we found the previous version to be a great affordable robot vacuum.

One thing that the RV765 fixes about the previous version is the latter’s ugly bowling-shirt design. The new model nixes that and opts for a sleeker, all-black look with three buttons for docking, cleaning and max mode. You could rely just on the buttons, but it also connects to Wi-Fi so you can use the Shark Clean app. As for the longer run time, that’s just a bonus. The RV761 ran for about 90 minutes before needing to recharge, which was plenty of time for it to clean my two-bedroom apartment. The additional 30 minutes of battery life on the RV765 should allow it to clean larger spaces more efficiently.

Some other things we liked about the RV761 include its spot-clean feature; adjustable wheels, which raise and lower automatically depending on the “terrain” and the obstacles in its path; and its intuitive companion app that allows you to start and stop cleaning jobs, set schedules and more.

Pros

  • Sleek design
  • Improved battery life
  • Handy “spot clean” feature
  • Easy to use mobile app
Cons

  • Can be difficult to find across many retailers

$260 at Target

eufy

Max mode: Yes | Wi-Fi capabilities: No | Object detection: Yes

Anker’s $250 Eufy RoboVac 11S was one of the cheapest vacuums I tested but it also proved to be one of the most versatile. First thing to note: This robot vacuum doesn’t have Wi-Fi, but it does come with a remote that gives you most of the functions and smart features you’d find in an app (including a schedule feature). Eufy also includes additional brushes and filters in the box.

The “S” in this robot’s name stands for slim, and it’s roughly half an inch thinner than all of the other vacuums I tested. Not only does this make the 11S Max lighter, but it was the only one that could clean under my entryway table. This model has a physical on-off toggle on its underside plus one button on its top that you can press to start a cleaning. It always begins in auto mode, which optimizes the cleaning process as it putters around your home, but you can use the remote to select a specific cleaning mode like spot and edge clean.

The 11S Max has three power modes — Standard, BoostIQ and Max — and I kept mine on BoostIQ most of the time. It provided enough suction to adequately clean my carpeted floors, missing only a few crumbs or pieces of debris in corners or tight spaces around furniture. The cleaning session lasted for roughly one hour and 15 minutes when in BoostIQ mode and it has remarkable obstacle avoidance. Sure, it bumped into walls and some large pieces of furniture, but it was the only budget vac I tried that consistently avoided my cat’s play tunnel that lives in the middle of our living room floor.

As far as noise levels go, you can definitely hear the difference between BoostIQ and Max, but none of the three settings is offensively loud. In fact, I could barely hear the 11S Max when it was on the opposite end of my apartment running in BoostIQ mode. Thankfully, error alert beeps were loud enough to let me know when something went awry, like the machine accidentally getting tripped up by a rogue charging cable (which only happened a couple of times and neither robot nor cable were harmed in the process).

Overall, the Eufy RoboVac 11S Max impressed me with its smarts, despite its lack of Wi-Fi. The lack of wireless connectivity is arguably the worst thing about the robot and that’s saying a lot. At this point, though, the 11S Max is a few years old, so you could grab the RoboVac G20 if you want something comparable but a bit newer. We recommend getting the $280 G20 Hybrid if you’re just looking for a Eufy machine with some of the latest technology, but don’t want to spend a ton. It has 2500Pa of suction power, dynamic navigation and Wi-Fi connectivity with support for Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.

Pros

  • Slim design lets it get under low furniture
  • Good suction power for its size
  • Long battery life
  • Super affordable

$140 at Amazon

TP-Link

Max mode: Yes | Wi-Fi capabilities: Yes | Object detection: Yes | Cliff sensors: Yes

TP-Link came out with the Tapo RV10 Plus vac-and-mop combo earlier this year, and while its standard price is $400, we think it’s worth a mention. It vacuums and mops, which is remarkable in itself since you don’t see many combo devices in this price range, it has a comprehensive yet fairly easy-to-use companion app and it comes with a self-emptying base. Top all of that off with the fact that you can often find this machine on sale for $300 or less and you have a robot vacuum that gives you a ton for your money.

Compared to the other cheap robot vacuums on this list, TP-Link’s did a similarly good job sucking up debris and mopping hardwood and tile floors. It also has a decent battery life as well: after one hour of cleaning, it was only down to 55 percent, so you should be able to get roughly 2-hour cleaning sessions out of this model regularly. The self-emptying base holds up to 70 days worth of debris, but note that it does use a propriety garbage bag that you’ll have to refill.

TP-Link’s companion app provides an impressive amount of control over your robot-vac, too. You can easily change the suction power level, the watering level when you’re mopping and cleaning run times. A dedicated “maintenance” page lets you know how long before you’ll have to replace parts like the main and side brushes, and extra settings like spot clean, child lock and emptying settings let you make this vacuum truly your own. Plus, the companion app is also the home for other TP-Link IoT devices, so you could build onto your ecosystem with more of the brand’s gadgets and control them all from one app.

Pros

  • Affordable for a robo-vac with a self-emptying base
  • Good suction power
  • Can mop floors with its pad and water reservoir
Cons

  • Base uses proprietary garbage bags

$354 at Amazon

Robot vacuum maintenance tips

First and foremost, always empty your robot vacuum’s dustbin after every cleaning job. Simply detach and empty the dustbin as soon as the robot is done cleaning, and then reattach it so it’s ready to go for the next time. It’s also a good idea to take a dry cloth to the inside of the dustbin every once in a while to remove any small dust and dirt particles clinging to its insides.

In addition, you’ll want to regularly examine the machine’s brushes to see if any hair has wrapped around them, or if any large debris is preventing them from working properly. Some brushes are better than others at not succumbing to tangled hair, but it’s a good idea to check your robot’s brushes regardless — both their main brush and any smaller, corner brushes they have. These parts are often easy to pop off of the machine (because they do require replacements eventually) so we recommend removing each brush entirely, getting rid of any tangled hair or other debris attached to them and reinstalling them afterwards.

Robot vacuums also have filters that need replacing every couple of months. Check your machine’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website to see how long they recommend going in between filter replacements. Most of the time, these filters cannot be washed, so you will need to buy new ones either directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers like Amazon or Walmart.

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World’s largest laptop vendor quietly releases robot with six legs — Lenovo Daystar Bot GS is IP-rated and reminds us of Boston Dynamics’ andro-dogs

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There can’t be many people who haven’t seen at least one video of Boston Dynamics’ robot dog Spot performing tricks like going up and down stairs, spinning, dancing, jumping, and carrying objects. The robot isn’t just for fun however. It can be used for a variety of work tasks, such as inspecting industrial sites and carrying out hazardous duties.

Spot isn’t the only industrial robot animal in town now, though. It has competition from an unexpected source – Lenovo.

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H1 Humanoid Robot sets new world record for running

H1 Humanoid Robot sets new world record for running

The H1 humanoid robot has achieved a new world record by reaching a maximum speed of 3.3 meters per second, which is comparable to human running speeds. The robot, which is also capable of performing complex dance moves, demonstrates advanced dynamic coordination and power landing capabilities. The H1 robot, standing at approximately 180 cm tall and weighing 47 kg, is equipped with a depth camera and a 3D LiDAR for navigation.

A Chinese startup has created the H1 humanoid robot, a machine that can run at a speed of 3.3 meters per second. That’s a new record! This robot isn’t just quick; it moves with a grace and power that’s almost human. It’s getting closer to running just like we do. Xingxing Wang, the Founder of Unitree Robotics, independently developed his first robot, a simple bipedal robot, in the winter break of the first year of university in early 2010.

360 3D lidar depth perception robot

The H1 is quite the sight. It stands tall at 180 cm and weighs 47 kg. It’s built in a way that lets you add arms and other parts to it. This makes the H1 perfect for many jobs. Think about factories, emergencies, or even keeping watch. It’s expected to reach speeds of up to 5 meters per second soon. That’s going to make a big difference in work that covers large areas or in dangerous places.

This robot knows where it’s going, thanks to its top-notch sensors. It has a depth camera and 3D LiDAR. These help it move through tough terrain without trouble. High precision and knowing what’s happening around it are key for the H1. Plus, you can control it with your smartphone, which makes it easy to use.

H1 Humanoid Robot runs at 3.3 meters per second

Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of developing humanoid robots and current technologies in the field :

The H1 costs about as much as a fancy car, $90,000. But it could save money and help businesses do more. Speed isn’t its only skill. The H1 can climb stairs, jump, and even dance. It’s got moves that show off its amazing coordination.

The company doesn’t just make humanoid robots. They have robotic dogs too. Each one is made for a different job. The strong B2 model can run fast, jump high, and carry loads. The Go2 model is for everyday people and schools. This shows that the startup wants to reach all kinds of customers.

With the H1 and its robotic dog friends, we’re at a turning point in robotics. They’re ready to do all sorts of things. They have new and exciting features, and they’re priced to sell. These robots are setting the stage for a time when they’ll be a big part of work life. They’ll make things faster and safer in many industries. For full specifications or details on the amazing H1 humanoid robot developed by Unitree jump over to the official website.

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OpenAI developing fully autonomous robot

OpenAI developing fully autonomous robot

In a bold move that’s capturing the attention of tech industry, OpenAI has teamed up with Figure, a leader in humanoid robot manufacturing. The companies goal is to push the boundaries of what’s possible in robotics by enhancing the intelligence of these machines and creating a fully autonomous robot  powered by artificial intelligence (AI). This collaboration is poised to make significant strides in the way humanoid robots understand and use language, as well as how they reason and solve problems.

OpenAI is known for its cutting-edge work in artificial intelligence, and its recent advancements, such as GPT-4, have been making waves in the tech world. Figure, on the other hand, has been making its mark in the robotics industry, as seen through its partnership with automotive giant BMW. Together, they’re setting out to make a major impact on the market for humanoid robots.

Figure 01 robot specifications

The promise of this partnership is to create robots that can communicate with a level of nuance and sophistication that mirrors human interaction. The integration of OpenAI’s AI research with Figure’s robotic technology is expected to result in robots that can understand complex instructions and engage in advanced reasoning. This is particularly important as the demand grows for robots that can perform a wide range of tasks, from providing customer service to tackling complex problems in various industries.

OpenAI AGI Autonomous Robot

The partnership has been met with enthusiasm from the industry, with many anticipating that OpenAI’s AI models will significantly enhance the capabilities of Figure’s robots. This synergy is expected to lead to major advancements in what humanoid robots can do, potentially affecting the broader robotics and AI markets. TheAIGRID investigates in more detail what these new investments being made by OpenAI in humanoid robotics will mean for the development of AI powered robots and our future.

Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of humanoid robots and artificial intelligence :

OpenAI & Figure Robotics

The competition in the humanoid robotics field is fierce. Big names like Tesla are also in the race with their own humanoid robot, Optimus. However, the collaboration between OpenAI and Figure could place them at the forefront of the industry, especially in the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) for humanoid robots.

“With the first humanoid by our side in the workforce, we’ll have the ability to create and produce so much more, address drastic labor shortages, and reduce the number of workers in unsafe jobs. We’ve designed our world for the human form. Hands allow us to open doors and use tools; arms and legs allow us to move efficiently, climb stairs, lift boxes, and more. Figure 01 brings together the dexterity of the human form and cutting edge AI to go beyond single-function robots and lend support across manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and retail.” – Figure AI

AGI robots

Looking to the future, the development of AGI in humanoid robots is a topic of much debate and anticipation. The partnership between OpenAI and Figure is seen as a crucial step toward creating AI systems that could one day give robots a level of intelligence and autonomy that rivals human abilities. As this collaboration progresses, those following the industry are eagerly awaiting updates that could reshape the world of robotics and AI. The potential for innovative AI systems to emerge from this partnership is substantial, with implications that could extend far beyond the current market.

The alliance between OpenAI and Figure marks a significant moment in the evolution of AI and robotics. Their joint efforts are expected to result in humanoid robots with exceptional language and reasoning abilities. With the competition heating up, this partnership could very well dictate the pace for the future of the humanoid robotics market. The tech community is watching closely for further developments that will surely influence the industry on a grand scale.

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AI powered desktop mini robot and companion

Doly AI powered desktop mini robot and companion

Meet Doly, an innovative AI-powered desktop robot that’s redefining the way we interact with technology. This small yet sophisticated companion is built on the reliable Raspberry Pi platform, showcasing the impressive capabilities of open-source hardware and software. Doly is designed to connect with you on a personal level, learning from your interactions to assist with daily tasks and serving as a valuable resource for STEM education.

Desktop companion

Imagine having a companion that not only assists you but also grows with you. Doly is more than a mere gadget; it’s a being with a developing personality. It can display a range of emotions and customize its behavior based on your preferences. Thanks to its advanced voice recognition, which utilizes Natural Language Understanding, Doly can obey your spoken instructions. It can remind you of important events, play your favorite tunes, and keep you updated on the weather—all without you lifting a finger.

Early bird discounts are now available for the futuristic project from roughly $251 or £213 (depending on current exchange rates), offering a considerable discount of approximately 30% off the fixed retail price, while the Kickstarter crowd funding is under way.

Doly AI robot features

Doly’s capabilities extend beyond voice commands. It’s equipped with an 8 MP camera that enables it to recognize faces and take pictures while prioritizing your privacy by processing data on the device itself. But Doly’s sensory interaction isn’t limited to sight. It also has motion and touch sensors, allowing it to react to changes in its environment and your touch, making its presence feel even more realistic.

AI powered robot

One of Doly’s most impressive features is its independence. It’s engineered to navigate around obstacles, avoid falling off surfaces, and find its charging dock without any help. This level of autonomy ensures that Doly is always ready to assist you.

For those passionate about STEM, Doly is a goldmine. It offers an engaging way to explore the worlds of robotics, artificial intelligence, and programming. Regardless of your expertise, Doly provides a tailored learning experience. Its open-source design means you can tweak its functions and look to your heart’s content. You could 3D print new components or modify its software to make Doly uniquely yours.

If the Doly campaign successfully raises its required pledge goal and manufacturing progresses smoothly, worldwide shipping is expected to take place sometime around August 2024. To learn more about the Doly AI powered robot project appraise the promotional video below.

Open Hardware and Open Design

In an era where data privacy is paramount, Doly stands out by keeping all your personal information secure through local data processing. Moreover, as an open-source project, Doly thrives on community input. Users and developers contribute to its ongoing enhancement, ensuring that it continually evolves.

Doly is not just a robot; it’s a dynamic entity that matures alongside you. It’s a source of knowledge that enlightens, and a platform that protects your privacy. Whether you’re diving into the intricacies of AI and robotics or simply looking for a smart desk companion, Doly offers a perfect blend of personality, interactivity, and educational value.

For a complete list of all available campaign pledges, stretch goals, extra media and detailed specs for the AI powered robot, jump over to the official Doly crowd funding campaign page by investigating the link below.

Source : Kickstarter

Disclaimer: Participating in Kickstarter campaigns involves inherent risks. While many projects successfully meet their goals, others may fail to deliver due to numerous challenges. Always conduct thorough research and exercise caution when pledging your hard-earned money.

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YUKA 3D Vision robot lawnmower

YUKA 3D Vision robot lawnmower

The YUKA 3D Vision Robot Lawn Sweeper is a sophisticated machine that promises to take the work out of yard maintenance. This robot lawnmower, created by Mammotion, is designed to keep small to medium-sized lawns looking pristine without any effort on your part. It’s a product that builds on the success of the company’s LUBA AWD Series and represents the latest in home lawn care technology.

The YUKA mower operates using a high-tech 3D Vision and Enhanced RTK System. This system ensures the mower knows exactly where it is on your lawn, allowing it to navigate with precision. It’s smart enough to avoid obstacles by itself, thanks to its 3D visual deep learning algorithms. You won’t need to set up any wires around your lawn to keep it in place; instead, you can set virtual boundaries that the mower will respect. With its dual cutting blades, the YUKA can cover an area of 200-270 square meters every hour. It also has a special cutting deck that floats to adjust to the terrain, which means it cuts the grass at a consistent height, leaving your lawn looking neat and well cared for.

Early bird incentives are now available for the groundbreaking project from roughly $1299 or £1029 (depending on current exchange rates). Safety hasn’t been overlooked in the design of the YUKA mower. It has a bumper that helps prevent collisions, and it can manage different parts of your lawn in different ways, thanks to its Intelligent Multi-Zone Management system.

YUKA 3D Vision robot lawnmower features

You can set areas where you don’t want it to go and choose different mowing patterns for different parts of your lawn. The mower knows when to go back to its charging station to recharge, and it can even tell when it’s raining, stopping its work to protect itself and your lawn. The cutting deck is made to avoid getting clogged, and you can adjust the height of the cut to suit your lawn’s needs.

Robot lawnmower

This mower is powerful, too. It has a strong motor that can handle slopes as steep as 45%, so it’s good for all kinds of landscapes. It’s built to work all year round, so your lawn stays in great shape no matter the season. When autumn comes and leaves start to fall, the mower’s leaf-clearing function kicks in. It has an auto-lifting sweeper that keeps your yard tidy.

Security is also a key feature of the YUKA mower. It has an anti-theft system that locks the mower in place and allows you to track it if it’s moved. There’s also a Garden Patrol Monitoring feature that keeps an eye on your yard, giving you extra peace of mind. For added convenience, you can control the mower with voice commands through Alexa or Google Home. The Mammotion App makes it easy to schedule and manage your mowing tasks.

Assuming that the YUKA 3D Vision funding campaign successfully raises its required pledge goal and fullfilment progresses smoothly, worldwide shipping is expected to take place sometime around June 2024. To learn more about the YUKA 3D Vision robot lawnmower project peek the promotional video below.

The YUKA 3D Vision Robot Lawn Sweeper is a smart, wire-free solution for keeping your lawn in top condition. It combines advanced navigation technology, customizable settings, and the ability to work on its own. This means you can have a beautifully maintained lawn without having to do the work yourself.

YUKA 3D Vision robot lawnmower cutting length

It’s perfect for people with busy lives, those who prefer to relax on the weekends, or anyone who wants a low-maintenance yard. The YUKA mower is a reflection of the strides being made in home lawn care, offering a blend of convenience, efficiency, and technological innovation. For a complete list of all available early bird specials, stretch goals, extra media and operational specifications for the robot lawnmower, jump over to the official YUKA 3D Vision robot lawnmower crowd funding campaign page by proceeding to the link below.

Source : Kickstarter

Disclaimer: Participating in crowdfunding campaigns on sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo involves inherent risks. While many projects successfully meet their goals, others may fail to deliver due to numerous challenges. Always conduct thorough research and exercise caution when pledging your hard-earned money as you might lose it all if the project fails.

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New AI powered Samsung Ballie Robot appears at CES (Video)

Samsung Ballie

We first saw the Samsung Ballie Robot at CES back in 2020, and now at CES 2024, Samsung has unveiled an updated Ballie robot and this one comes with some upgrades over the original version.

The new Samsung Ballie robot is powered by AI and ti comes with a built-in projector, the device is designed to be a robotic assistant for your home, have a look at the video of it in. action below.

Ballie acts as a personal home assistant, autonomously driving around the home to complete various tasks. By connecting to and managing home appliances, Ballie can provide a helping hand to users in many situations — continually learning from users’ patterns and habits to provide smarter, more personalized services. Ballie provides peace of mind by sending video updates of pets or loved ones to users’ devices when they’re away from home. What’s more, Ballie can set the mood for any home activity whether users are exercising, working or relaxing. From projecting workout videos on the wall or floor in an optimal size to playing music and answering phone calls, Ballie makes life at home more productive and enjoyable.

The Samsung Ballie Robot certainly looks very interesting from the video, as yet there are no details on when this new AI powered robot companion will go on sale or how much it will cost.

Source Samsung

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Don’t Fear the Robot: Taming ChatGPT and Making It Work for You

ChatGPT

The rise of large language models like ChatGPT has ignited a firestorm of both fascination and fear. We marvel at their ability to generate human-quality text, translate languages in real-time, and even write poetry. But alongside the awe comes a gnawing anxiety about the potential for these AI behemoths to usurp our jobs, stifle creativity, and even manipulate us.

Before we lose ourselves in dystopian fantasies, however, it’s crucial to remember that technology, like any tool, is ultimately wielded by human hands. ChatGPT, for all its sophistication, remains a powerful instrument waiting to be orchestrated. And just like any orchestra, the quality of the performance depends entirely on the skill and intent of the conductor.

So, how do we, the mere mortals of the digital age, tame this linguistic leviathan and make it work for us? Here’s a roadmap to harnessing the power of ChatGPT without succumbing to its potential pitfalls:

1. Know Your AI Tool

Before you unleash ChatGPT on your creative endeavors, take some time to understand its strengths and weaknesses. It’s a master of mimicry, capable of replicating existing writing styles with uncanny accuracy. But don’t expect it to conjure groundbreaking ideas or spark profound originality. Think of it as a highly skilled wordsmith, not a visionary novelist.

2. Prime the Pump

ChatGPT thrives on prompts – the initial instructions that guide its output. The more specific and thoughtful your prompts, the higher the quality of the results. Instead of asking for “a poem about love,” try “a sonnet depicting the bittersweet memories of a lost love.” The more detail you provide, the better ChatGPT can tailor its response to your vision.

3. Edit with a Keen Eye

Remember, ChatGPT is still a machine, albeit a very eloquent one. Its output will inevitably contain errors, factual inaccuracies, and even occasional nonsensical passages. Approach its creations with a discerning eye, ready to wield your red pen with surgical precision. This collaborative editing process is where the true magic happens, as you blend your human touch with the model’s computational power.

4. Embrace the Remix

Don’t let ChatGPT replace your own creativity. Instead, think of it as a playful collaborator, a brainstorming partner that can spark new ideas and offer unexpected twists on your own concepts. Use its suggestions as jumping-off points, not finished products. Take its generated paragraphs, poems, or scripts and mold them into something uniquely your own.

5. Fact-Check, Fact-Check, Fact-Check

ChatGPT, like any language model, is only as reliable as the data it’s trained on. Remember, the internet is a vast and messy place, and misinformation runs rampant. Always double-check any factual claims generated by the model, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like science, history, or current events.

6. Use it Ethically

With great power comes great responsibility. As powerful as ChatGPT is, it can also be misused. Don’t let it become a tool for plagiarism, misinformation, or manipulation. Use it for creative expression, education, and open-minded exploration, and remember that every keystroke you input shapes the outcome.

Summary

Beyond these practical tips, it’s important to remember that the relationship between humans and AI is still evolving. ChatGPT is just one step in a long journey of technological advancement, and our fear or fascination with it is a reflection of our own anxieties about the future. Instead of fearing the robot, let’s embrace the opportunity to learn from it, collaborate with it, and push the boundaries of what language can achieve together.

So, the next time you find yourself staring at the blinking cursor on your screen, don’t be intimidated by the possibilities that ChatGPT presents. Take a deep breath, summon your inner conductor, and start composing your digital symphony. With a little practice and a lot of human ingenuity, you’ll be surprised at the beauty and harmony you can create with this powerful linguistic machine. After all, the future of language is not a battle between humans and machines, but a duet where both voices blend to create something truly remarkable.

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