Related Sponsors

Introduction to Robotic Vacuums

Home » Gadgets » Robotic Vacuums » Introduction to Robotic Vacuums

The television cartoon The Jetsons featured the lovable robot housekeeper Rosie. Today, however, you don’t need to watch robots on television; you can purchase your own and have a robotic vacuum clean your house at the push of a button.

Robotic vacuums use a variety of sensors to navigate around a room and suck up the dirt. Unlike the Jetsons’ Rosie, they are also small; most models are a round disc four to six inches tall and just over a foot in diameter.

While each of the several models on the market is slightly different, they all contain some version of the below components:

• Battery (usually nickel metal hydride)
• Charger/home base
• Remote Control
• Scheduler (allows the vacuum to clean while you are away)
• Pop-up handle or other carrying device
• Wall mount
• Virtual wall (prohibits the vacuum for entering certain areas)
• Dust Bin

Robotic vacuums, however, are a rapidly expanding market, having only appeared within the last decade. The first major manufacturer, iRobot, only began selling the Roomba in 2002. Each year, however, more companies are offering new and more advanced models. In this sense, robotic vacuums remain a thing of the future.

Next Page: How does a robotic vacuum work?

Related Robotic Vacuums Articles