Robot Vacuums With Lidar Make Cleaning Easier

A robot vacuum can map its environment in order to avoid obstacles and move efficiently. This technology is similar to the one used in self-driving vehicles and aerospace.

Simple robots have bump sensors that prevent them from scuffing up your paint or scratching chair legs, but more sophisticated navigation systems such as Lidar and SLAM are much better at avoiding unexpected. This technology is costly.

Lidar

The most significant improvement in robot vacuums over the past decade has been lidar, or light detection and range. Lidar is sensor that emits laser beams and records the time it takes them to return to the sensor, which converts the data into accurate distance measurements that can be used for mapping. Lidar is an instrument that assists robots navigate and avoid obstacles, especially in dim light environments.

Although many modern robotic vacuums come with some sort of obstacle detection, they still struggle to untangle cords, socks, and other household items that can easily get tangled on the floor. A poor obstacle detection system could seriously hamper the cleaning performance of the robot vacuum and result in a lot of wasted time. You'll need to stop it and manually detangle any object it is stuck on.

The top robotic vacuums that use lidar have powerful object detection capabilities which will ensure that your floors are kept clean and free from knots and other debris. Also, these vacuums are less likely to be stuck on furniture legs or other items that are typical obstructions in narrow spaces and narrow hallways.

Certain robots with lidar have a digital keep-out zones, which allows you to create a virtual border in the map that prevents the robovacs from cleaning certain areas of your apartment or home. This will stop your vacuum from accidentally vacuuming the cat's litter box, or an expensive area rug.

Another benefit of a robot equipped with lidar is the capability to better identify stairs. While the process of getting a robot up stairs is still a challenge -- save for a few pre-production prototypes -- many lidar-equipped models can be able to go up and down the steps without difficulties.

Other sensors to be looking for include infrared sensors that can detect furniture, walls and other objects to aid the robot navigate. 3D ToF sensor that uses reflected infrared to detect and calculate the location of objects and cliff sensors, which warn the vacuum when it is close to the edge.

Gyroscopes

As opposed to lidar, which utilizes lasers to scan your space and map it out, gyroscopes depend on rotation sensors that keep the robot from crashing into objects. They're more popular on low-cost robots and function as quick-spinning wheel which let the vacuum know the position it's in with regards to obstacles. Certain models employ gyroscopes in order to create the home map. This is helpful to ensure that the space is cleaned thoroughly and keeping track of the area.

SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) is another well-known navigation system for robot vacuums. It is available at a range of price points. This method creates a 3D map of your room, permitting the robot to navigate in a logical manner. This is a significant improvement over previous bounce-and-bang robots which would simply move through your space, bounce off everything they came across until the job was complete.

In addition to creating maps, most robots that use SLAM can display them on an app so you can see where your cleaner is at any given time. You can also create no-go zones and other settings based upon the maps. This is particularly useful for homes with lots of furniture as it is difficult to determine what's where without a home map.

While SLAM is efficient in most situations, it's not so good in detecting small obstacles, such as wires and cables that might be caught in the vacuum's rotating brush. This is a major flaw, since many robots tend to get caught in these objects and cause damage to them.

Fortunately, the majority robots that utilize SLAM come with drop detectors and obstacle detection technology. These sensors allow the vac to avoid falling down steps and other significant variations in floor height that can cause serious damage. A lot of robots have sensors for cliffs, which can be useful if you have an animal that can leap over the robot in order to reach its food or water dish. These sensors are situated on the bumpers of the vacuum. They send out a signal if the vacuum is near something that could harm it.

Wall Sensors

The ability of a robot vacuum to navigate around your home is dependent on combination of sensors. A budget model might use bump sensors to sense obstacles and a rotating light to see walls, but the top models are more advanced, with self-navigation, mapping and self-navigation systems that permit saving maps (with some data retaining or sending this information to a company) and digital keep-out zones that prevent robots from accidentally damaging cables or knocking down furniture legs.

Some robots use SLAM or simultaneous localization mapping. They map the room before they begin cleaning, and will refer to this map throughout the entire cleaning. This makes them a lot more efficient, since they know exactly where they've been and can avoid repeating the same parts of the room. It is also possible to view and share these maps within the robot's application, a handy feature if you prefer to set up areas that are not allowed to be entered or clean up by the area.

The other major navigation sensor you'll want to look for is a Gyroscope. Gyroscopes rely on spinning wheels or a rapidly-rotating beam of light to determine the distance between your robot and obstacles within your home. They then use this information to create a virtual map the robot can use as it moves around your space. Robots that don't have this technology could get stuck on cords and carpets, and may move around the floor instead of following the edges.

The best robots are equipped with a variety of obstacles avoidance technologies, including 3D structured lights, 3D Time of Flight (ToF), monocular or bi-cular vision, and LiDAR. The more technologically advanced is, the more precise and efficient your robot's navigation will be. This translates into more thorough, low-maintenance cleaning and the option to set up no-go zones to protect your electronics and other valuables from accidental damage. The newest generation of gyroscopes has become more precise and perform well in dim light. They can also detect changes in ambient lighting to assist the robot in seeing better.

Sensors Optic

A robot vacuum with lidar will generate a 3D map to help you navigate the space more efficiently and avoid hitting obstacles. This is accomplished by sending beams of laser light that bounce off surfaces before returning to the sensor. The sensor measures the time it takes for the laser beam to return. This translates into distance measurements and helps the robot build up a picture about the layout of your room.

Compared to cameras, which are utilized in some robots to map rooms, lidar is much faster and more precise. Based on the model, a robotics device with lidar might have the "no-go" zone feature that lets you set up areas that are restricted to your robot. In our testing, the Neato Botvac D8 or iRobot Braava 450 were the top two models using this technology. They come with an app that allows you to easily create "no-go zones".

iRobot Duo+, another fantastic option, makes use of LiDAR and sensors to create an accurate map of your home that it can use to navigate. The app also gives you control over the mapping process, robot vacuums with lidar so you can refine your home's boundaries when needed.

Other technologies that are used to improve the navigation of robots include 3D structured lights that measure distances by looking for reflective properties of objects and 3D TOF (time-of-flight), which analyzes an area to determine the speed at which light reflections occur and their direction. Some robots utilize monocular or binocular vision to avoid objects.

All of these sensors work to enable robots to overcome obstacles in a variety ways, which is why they're the main reason the reason these machines are extremely convenient to carry around. It is important to think about your needs prior to buying a robot vacuum. Consider how long you'd like to spend prepping your floors before cleaning, how many obstacles are in your home and if you'd like your robot to do more than vacuum. We recommend that you set a budget that includes an option with all the features you need.