Vacuum cleaner manufacturers seen to be coming up with progressively smarter, more efficient ways to automate cleaning the carpets. iRobot has been busy refining the Roomba and Dyson came up with their own take on it with the DC06. Now, LG’s enters the robotic vacuum cleaner fray with the new Roboking that promises intelligent cleaning using a range of advanced sensors.
Whether or not it’s any good remains to be seen.
A combination of ultrasonic and infrared helps minimize collisions and helps to optimise performance by planning the most efficient route. Supposedly more effective than bumpers or light sensors, these tools allow LG to claim a more advanced cleaning model than any previous robot vacuum cleaner. Of course, as usual with LG, we’re bombarded with wild claims that appear to have little substance behind them.
As you can see it’s not the prettiest of devices. Having said that, neither the Dyson DC06 or Roomba will win any beauty prizes either, the prettiest is the Electrolux Trilobite, but that is just a tad more expensive than a Roomba.
“Everyone is getting busier, with less time to spend on household chores, which has led LG to focus on home appliances automation” said Young-ha Lee, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Appliance Company. “Also, as the global population ages, we’re seeing more people become interested in automatic home appliances. To keep up with consumer needs, LG has focused on developing an intelligent robot vacuum cleaner and has refined ultra-sensitive sensor technology that enables it to operate efficiently and independently.”
As well as these headline advancements the Roboking offers a number of other benefits to improve performance in the home. Its 120W digital BLDC mounted motor makes it allegedly the world’s most powerful robot cleaner and in addition is efficient enough to last up to 10 times longer than regular motors ““ around 2000 hours of use.
At the end of a cleaning run it will return to the docking station automatically to recharge the long-life Li-PB battery, which offers faster charge times and a longer life than Ni-MH models, and to improve its performance when active, side rotating brushes and a separate pick-up brush efficiently cleans up dirt while a delicate floor cloth is available to mop up spills.
Despite the hype behind these robotic cleaners they actually don’t perform too well on test and, that’s not just our opinion. They are good for light cleaning duties in between real cleaning, basically they keep the dust off the floor, but they won’t replace the Sebo anytime soon.
LG has demonstrated its Roboking at IFA 2009, though there’s no news on pricing or availability as yet. Don’t expect it to be cheap or widely available.