This Robot Vacuum Climbs Stairs While It Cleans
▼ Summary
– The Roborock Saros Rover is a robot vacuum that uses innovative leg-like mechanisms instead of wheels to climb stairs and navigate obstacles while actively cleaning.
– It can independently raise and bend its wheel-legs to traverse steps, hop over small gaps, and pivot tightly, with AI and sensors helping it understand 3D environments.
– Unlike other climbing robot vacuums shown at IFA, the Saros Rover cleans as it climbs and does not require a separate carrier, giving it a distinct advantage.
– Roborock also unveiled other upcoming products, including the Saros 20 vacuums with high suction and adaptive chassis, and its first LiDAR-guided robot lawn mower.
– The company has not announced pricing or a release date for the Saros Rover, but demonstrated a fully functional unit, indicating it is more than just a concept.
The Saros Rover from Roborock redefines home cleaning by introducing a robot vacuum that can climb stairs while it works. This innovative machine, which earned top honors in smart home technology at CES, abandons conventional wheels for a system of mechanical legs. Mimicking human motion, these legs grant the vacuum an unprecedented range of movement. It can lift itself over objects, pivot in tight spaces, hop across small gaps, and, most notably, ascend and descend staircases without interrupting its cleaning cycle. While pricing and a specific launch date remain unannounced, the fully operational unit demonstrated at the show confirms this is a tangible product, not merely a futuristic concept.
Roborock’s presentation included several other upcoming vacuums with significant improvements, such as models featuring adjustable chassis for high-pile carpets, and a new series of robotic lawn mowers. Yet, the star of the showcase was undeniably the agile Saros Rover.
Each of the Rover’s wheel-legs operates independently, capable of raising and bending to handle difficult terrain. This design allows the vacuum to navigate over common household obstacles and tackle stairs of various shapes, including straight, curved, and even sloped steps. During a controlled demonstration, the device climbed a step, turned to clean the surface, and then proceeded to the next. It employs a stable, bracing motion, keeping one leg on the lower step while it cleans the one above. The vacuum can also descend stairs using a fluid, backstroke-like movement and demonstrated remarkable stability by pausing on a steep ramp mid-descent.
The system relies on advanced motion sensors and artificial intelligence to process 3D spatial data, building a detailed understanding of its environment. This intelligence is intended to prevent the vacuum from getting stuck on clutter like cords, even on level floors, while enabling its sophisticated stair navigation.
This capability sets the Saros Rover apart from previous climbing vacuum concepts. Other models shown recently, like the Eufy Marswalker, required a separate docking station to transport them between floors and could not clean during the ascent or descent. Roborock’s approach integrates the climbing mechanism directly into the cleaner itself, representing a more holistic solution.
The company has a history of pushing boundaries, as seen last year with the Saros Z70 model featuring a robotic arm to move objects. That technology, while realized, still felt like an early prototype with limited practical application. The leg mechanism on the new Rover, however, appears far more polished and functional from the outset, suggesting it could make a more immediate impact upon release.
Beyond the groundbreaking Rover, Roborock previewed other notable releases. The Saros 20 and Saros 20 Sonic vacuums boast a record-setting 35,000Pa of suction power. They differ primarily in mopping technology and navigation; the Sonic model uses a vibrating mop pad and a retractable LIDAR tower, while the standard Saros 20 employs the enhanced Starsight navigation system with dual spinning mop pads. Both feature the latest AdaptiLift Chassis, which automatically adjusts the vacuum’s height on thick carpets to maintain optimal airflow and cleaning performance.
Although prices for the Saros 20 models are not yet set, they are expected to command a premium. For a more accessible option, Roborock announced the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow at $849. This mid-range model is notable as the company’s first to include a self-cleaning spinning roller mop, a design that has proven highly effective in other brands.
Rounding out the announcements was a new lineup of robotic lawn mowers. The flagship X1 LiDAR model will be Roborock’s first to utilize LIDAR for precise mapping and navigation of complex yards, with the added ability to handle steep slopes and trim closely to edges to reduce manual work.
Real-world testing will be the ultimate judge of these new products. The potential of the Saros Rover is particularly compelling; a vacuum that can seamlessly clean an entire multi-story home without intervention represents a monumental leap forward for automated home maintenance.
(Source: PC Magazine)
