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How does a robotic vacuum work?

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The answer primarily lies in the vacuum’s sensors. Robotic vacuums at least have infrared sensors on the top and bottom, and many models have additional optical and ultrasound sensors.

Some robotic vacuums, such as Roombas, use infrared sensors to navigate around obstacles. They start in the middle of a room and use simple algorithms such as a spiral to propel themselves around a room in random patterns. Other, more expensive, robotic vacuums travel along the wall first while using both sonar and infrared sensors to examine the entire room. Thus, the vacuum microprocessor knows the obstacles in advance and makes a virtual map of the room and begins to clean the interior sections.

As it cleans, the robotic vacuum is constantly sending out infrared signals. When the signals bounce back, the vacuum recognizes how much clear space lies ahead. If the signals do not bounce back, the vacuum will turn around because it assumes a drop-off lies ahead.

When these robotic vacuums sense a piece of furniture in their path (or when they run into an object with their front contact bumper), they often change their angle at random and go in a new direction. Other vacuums have a preset program, which they enter automatically following a collision; the vacuum backs up, rotates, and moves forward, repeating this pattern until it finds a new path.

All this time, the robotic vacuum steers by alternating the power supplied to each wheel. Multiple motors separately control brushes and wheels. Some vacuums have dirt sensors that alert the vacuum to stop and focus on a certain area. With these exceptions, however, a robotic vacuum uses similar cleaning methods to a traditional vacuum cleaner. The vacuum sucks up dirt while the vacuum’s side brush kicks particles dirt into the vacuum’s path, and the agitator, a set of rotating brushes, knocks dirt directly into the dust bin.

When the robotic vacuum finishes its job (based either on a preset timer or because the dirt sensor senses no more dirt), the vacuum uses its infrared sensors to return to its charging base. The vacuum will then remain on the charger until you remove it or send it off on another job.

Next Page: How does a robotic vacuum compare with other vacuums?

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