‘Cleanbots’ changing the cleaning game

Meet the cleaning robots that can clean your floor while you put your feet up and relax.

“Ni hao,” one of them greets us in Chinese as we meet at the elevator of a hotel in Nanjing, China.

We return the greeting.

‘Robo’ is done with cleaning on the ground floor, and wants assistance to press the button to the next floor, but we do not understand the rest of what it is saying.

Later, the robot glides past us in the hotel’s foyer.

It engages in conversation with hotel guests in Chinese from time to time, especially at the elevator.

This is the second hotel where we, a group of Namibian journalists on a recent tour to the Jiangsu province of China, spotted a cleaning robot.
In the country, this kind of cleaning technology is highly advanced and used in some offices and houses.

GROUNDBREAKING

One of the companies manufacturing service robots is Ecovacs Robotics, headquartered in Suzhou, China.

This is the home of the Deebot N10 Plus, another cleaning game changer.

Global Asia has reported that the company had more than 60% of the Chinese market for robots by 2013, while this year, Nikkei Asia had reported that the market capitalisation of Ecovacs Robotics grew to US$6,38 billion, which is “roughly five times” that of the market capitalisation of rivalling United States-based iRobot, the makers of the Roomba.

Ecovacs has introduced groundbreaking products that simplify household chores and enhance daily life.

Other products they manufacture include home appliances such as the Deebot window cleaner.

The Deebot N10 Plus is a remote-controlled robotic mop and broom designed to tackle even the most stubborn dirt and dust.

This ‘cleanbot’ has a tiny disc-like vacuum that comes out of the main bot that moves around the house cleaning the floor. The company’s website says the Deebot N10 features a floating main brush and rubber brush, which ensure thorough cleaning by establishing full contact with the floor surface.

It “powerfully agitates carpets, releasing embedded dirt and seamlessly directing dust into the vacuum stream”.

To prevent leaks and over-wetting floors, the Deebot N10 Plus uses a precise micro-water pump.

According to Ecovacs website, the appliance’s 2,5 litre disposable dust bag holds months worth of dust and debris, providing convenient maintenance.

The Deebot N10 Plus automatically empties its dustbin after each cleaning cycle, the website says.

Equipped with advanced sensors, it can avoid getting jammed and change direction without human intervention, ensuring a smooth cleaning experience.

SQUEEKY CLEAN WINDOWS

Another product from Ecovacs Robotics is the Deebot window cleaner, or the ‘Winbot’.

This robotic device redefines window cleaning by incorporating cutting-edge features, the company’s website says.

With a 60ml water holder and dual direction spray, it minimises the need for frequent cloth changes or refills, streamlining the cleaning process.

“Winbot W1 Pro cleans in a back-and-forth motion for a comprehensive and thorough clean. It intelligently creates a systematic cleaning path that ensures a sparkling clean with full coverage,” reads the website.
This robot is designed to clean high-story buildings safely, eliminating the risk of slipping and falling, it says.

COOKING YOUR FOOD

There is also a cooking robot which automatically texturises the food it prepares. This one can multitask, the site says. While it is busy cleaning or folding laundry, other home appliances are busy making a meal for the user.

The user has to ensure they adjust the right settings though, and that they keep an eye on the robot. Once the robot is done with the cooking, it cleans itself.

NO MORE LAWNMOWING

‘Lawnmower’ is a robotic 360° panoramic camera and a fish-eye camera with a 150° visual angle for an effective visible range of up to 100 metres . . . and it cuts grass.

This machine can get used to diverse landforms in a short period of time and still get the job done.

The lawnmower has a special sensor that detects objects and moves in the opposite direction when mowing the lawn.

TESTING

Ecovacs Robotics operates a state-of-the-art laboratory dedicated to testing its equipment. Multiple tests are conducted to assess battery life, noise levels, cleaning efficiency, flexibility, life expectancy, and the intelligence of its products. The Deebot N10 Plus and Deebot Window Cleaner represent the company’s dedication to creating innovative solutions that simplify household tasks while delivering superior results, the site concludes.