Dyson has announced the 360 Eye, a robotic vacuum cleaner that it claims is more powerful than rivals such as Samsung’s Navibot, the iRobot and Hoover’s Robo.com.
The cleaner features the same suction as the company’s popular handheld range, because it uses the same V2 digital motor. Dyson said other companies lose a significant amount of suction in robotic models because they use weaker motors to conserve battery life.
But the most striking feature of the Dyson 360 Eye is its camera technology. It uses a panoramic camera to take – you guessed it – 360-degree video of its surrounding at a rate of 30fps.
This means the 360 Eye can knows exactly where it has cleaned up and where it hasn’t. Dyson says: “Just like you, Dyson 360 Eye robot constantly observes and interprets its surroundings. But unlike you, it sees all around the room at once.
“This unique 360 degree vision system uses complex mathematics, probability theory, geometry and trigonometry to map and navigate a room. So it knows where it is, where it’s been and where it’s yet to clean.”
While it might sound like a belated peripheral for Microsoft’s last-gen console, the 360 Eye actually has more in common with with the Xbox One than you might first think.
Like the revamped Kinect, the 360 Eye can see in the dark – it’s got an infrared sensor meaning it’s capable of vacuuming floors in the dark while avoiding obstacles like walls, doors and chair legs. Another standout features of the 360 Eye include caterpillar tracks instead of wheels at the front, which allow it to clear carpet trims and cables more easily.
iOS and Android apps will also be available, allowing you to schedule your clean, ensuring your house is spotless when you return from a hard day at the office.
Dyson’s 360 Eye will first bring its Sauron-like abilities to Japan in 2015, before it goes on sale elsewhere around the world. Prices and launch dates have yet to be announced.
At IFA 2014, Samsung boldly claimed that its new Powerbot VFR900 cleaning robot is 60 times better at sucking than the competion. Dyson’s now saying that the 360 Eye delviers better suction than any other robot vacuum cleaner. The only way to know for sure will be to get them both in and see which one sucks the most.
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