Robot Vacuums With Lidar Make Cleaning Easier

A robot vacuum can analyze its surroundings to avoid obstacles and move efficiently. This technology is similar to that used in self-driving and aerospace automobiles.

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

Lidar

The most significant improvement in robot vacuums over the last decade has been lidar or light detection and ranging. Lidar is a sensor that sends laser beams out and records the time it takes for them to return. The data can then be used to map accurately. Lidar makes it easier for robots to navigate and avoid objects, especially in low-light environments.

Even though most modern robotic vacuums are equipped with some kind of obstacle detection, some still have trouble with charging cords, socks and other everyday household items that are easily tangled up on the floor. The problem is that a poor obstacle detection system can hinder the cleaning performance of a robot vacuum and cause a lot of wasted time where you need to stop the robovac manually and untangle the item it got stuck on.

The best robot vacuum with lidar and camera vacuums with lidar technology have powerful object detection capabilities that will ensure that your floors are clean and free from knots and other debris. These vacuums are also less likely to get stuck on furniture legs or other obstacles that are common in hallways and narrow spaces.

Some robots with lidar also have digital keep-out zones which allow you to create an imaginary boundary on the map to stop the robovac from cleaning certain areas of your apartment or home. This will stop your vacuum from accidentally vacuuming the cat litter box or a costly area rug.

Another benefit of a model with lidar is the ability to recognize stairs. While getting a robot to climb steps isn't easy -- save for the few prototypes in pre-production- many lidar-equipped models can be able to go up and down the steps with no problems.

Other sensors that you may be looking for in a robot vacuum cleaner with lidar equipped with lidar include infrared sensors which are used to detect walls and other furniture and assist in its navigation through the surrounding; 3D ToF sensors, which use reflections of infrared light to identify objects and calculate their position and height; and cliff sensors which notify the vac if it gets too close the edge of a staircase, to prevent it from falling off.

Gyroscopes

Gyroscopes are more prevalent on robots with lower budgets and function as wheels that spin quickly to let the robot know the position it's in with regards to obstacles. They are more prevalent in robots that are budget-friendly and function as a fast-spinning wheels that let the vacuum know where it is in relation to obstacles. Certain models employ gyroscopes in order to create an 'home map. This is helpful to clean more thoroughly and ensuring the proper use of the area.

SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) is another well-known navigation system for robot vacuums. It is available at different price points. This method is used to create a 3D image of your space in order to create a precise map and navigate through it in a sensible manner. This is a major improvement over the older bounce-and-bang robots, which would simply plow your space, banging on whatever they encountered until they had completed their task.

The majority of robots that utilize SLAM can display maps in an app and you will be able to see where your cleaners are. You can also create no-go zones and other settings based on maps. This is especially helpful for homes with lots of furniture as it isn't easy to figure out the location of everything without a map of your home.

SLAM is effective in most situations but it's not as good in identifying smaller objects, like cables or wires that could be taken into the brush that rotates in the vacuum. This is a serious flaw because many robots tend to suck up these items and cause damage to them.

Fortunately, the majority of robots that incorporate SLAM have obstacle detection technology, which includes drop detectors. These sensors assist the vac avoid falling down stairs or other large differences in floor levels that can cause serious damage. Some robots also have cliff sensors, robot vacuums with lidar which could be useful if you have animals that leap over the robot to get its food or water dish. These sensors are placed on the bumpers of the vacuum and emit a signal when the vacuum is in close proximity to something that could harm it.

Wall Sensors

The ability of a robot vacuum to navigate your home is dependent on a combination sensors. The cheapest models can use bump sensors and rotating lights to detect obstacles, whereas models with higher-end features have self-navigating systems, mapping that save maps (some retain or forward this data to the company) and digital keep-out zones that stop robots from accidentally hitting furniture legs or pinging cables.

Some robots use SLAM or simultaneous localization mapping. They map the room prior to when they start cleaning and then refer to the map during the entire run. This makes them more efficient as they won't have to repeat sections of the room and also know precisely where they've been. You can also typically view and share these maps within the robot's app, which is a handy feature if you prefer to create no-go zones or to clean by area.

Another important navigation sensor 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 any obstacles within your home, using the information to create a virtual map that the robot can use as it moves around your space. Without this technology, robots can get hung up on things like cords and rugs and tend to zig-zag along the floor rather than following the edges of rooms.

The most efficient robots are equipped with many different obstacles avoidance techniques, which can include 3D structured light, 3D ToF (time of flight), monocular or binocular vision-based and LiDAR. The more technologically advanced, the more precise and efficient your robot's navigation will be. This means that your robot can clean more thoroughly and robot vacuums with lidar require less effort, and you can also set up zones where it is not permitted to go to safeguard electronics and other valuable items. The newest generation of gyroscopes, which are more precise and operate well in dim lighting, can even detect a change in ambient lighting in your home to help the robot see more effectively.

Optical Sensors

A robot vacuum equipped with lidar can create a 3D map of your surroundings to navigate more efficiently and avoid bumping into obstacles. It accomplishes this by releasing beams of laser light that bounce off surfaces and then returns to the sensor. The sensor measures the time taken for the laser beam to return. This is translated into distance measurements, and lets the robot draw up a picture about the layout of your room.

Lidar is more efficient and precise than cameras, which some robots employ to map rooms. Depending on the model, a robot equipped with lidar could have an "no-go" zone feature that lets you create areas that are restricted to your robot. In our tests we found the top models that use this technology to be the Neato Botvac D8 and iRobot Braava 450, both of which have easy-to-setup "no-go" zones within the app.

iRobot Duo+, another great option, uses sensors and LiDAR to create an accurate map of your home that can be used for navigation. The app also gives you control over the mapping process so that you can refine your home's boundaries if necessary.

Other technologies that are used to improve the navigation of robots include 3D structured lights that measure distances by the detection of 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. Certain robots employ binocular or monocular vision to avoid obstacles.

All of these sensors are used together to help the robots avoid obstacles in different ways. This is the reason these machines are so convenient. It's important to consider your requirements prior to purchasing an automatic vacuum. Consider how long you'd like to spend prepping your floors before cleaning, how many obstacles are there in your home, and whether you want the robot to do more than just vacuum. We suggest you establish your budget to include a model with all the features you desire.