Robot Vacuums With Lidar Make Cleaning Easier
A robot vacuum will map its environment in order to avoid obstacles and move efficiently. This technology is similar to that utilized in self-driving vehicles as well as aerospace.
Simple robots are equipped with bump sensors to prevent them from scratching your chair legs or scuffing paint. But more sophisticated navigation systems, such as Lidar and SLAM are better in avoiding unexpected events. However, this type of technology can increase the cost.
Lidar
Lidar, also known as light detection range is the most significant improvement in robot vacuums in the last decade. Lidar is a sensor that emits laser beams and tracks the time it takes to return them. The information can be used to create maps that are precise. Lidar makes it much easier for robots to avoid and navigate around objects particularly in low-light environments.
Even though most modern robotic vacs come with some kind of obstacle detection, some still struggle with charging cords, socks and other household items that can easily become tangled up on the floor. A weak obstacle detection system can affect the cleaning efficiency of a robot vacuum and cause a lot of wasted time. You'll need to stop it and manually untangle whatever object is tangled.
The top robot vacuums with lidar offer powerful object detection capabilities that ensure that your floors are spotless and free of tangles and other debris. You'll also find that these vacs are less likely to be stuck on furniture legs and other items that are typical obstacles in tight hallways and spaces that are narrow.
Some robots with lidar also feature digital keep-out zones, which allow you to create a virtual boundary on the map to prevent your robot from cleaning certain areas of your house or apartment. This is great for preventing your vacuum from accidentally cleaning up the costly area rug or the cat litter box.
Another benefit of a robot with lidar is the ability to identify stairs better. While it isn't easy to get a robot to climb stairs is still a challenge -- save for a few pre-production prototypes -- many lidar-equipped models are able to make it up and down the steps with no problems.
Other sensors you might need to look for in a robotics system with lidar include infrared sensors which are used to detect walls and other furniture and aid in navigating the surroundings; 3D ToF sensors, which use reflected infrared light to detect objects and calculate their position and height; and cliff sensors that alert the vac when it gets too close the edge of a staircase, to prevent it from falling off.
Gyroscopes
Gyroscopes are a common feature on robots that are budget-friendly and work as wheels that spin quickly to let the robot know where it's located in relation to obstacles. They're more common on budget robots and typically work as quick-spinning wheels that inform the vac the position it's in with regards to obstacles. Certain models can also use Gyroscopes to make a basic home map, which is helpful for keeping the track of your home and for cleaning up more thoroughly.
SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) is another well-known navigation system for robot vacuums. It is available at a range of price points. This method creates a 3-D map of your space, permitting the robot to navigate in a rational manner. This is a significant improvement over previous bounce-and-bang robots which would simply move through your room, bouncing off anything they encountered until the job was done.
Most robots that use SLAM are able to display maps in an application and you will be able to see the location of your cleaners. You can also set no-go zones as well as other settings based on maps. This is particularly helpful for homes with lots of furniture as it isn't easy to figure out where everything is without a home map.
SLAM is effective for the majority of situations, however, it's not so effective at detecting smaller objects, like cables or wires that could be taken into the rotating brush of the vacuum. This is a major flaw as many robots are prone to take on these objects and cause damage to them.
Fortunately, most robots that use SLAM include obstacle detection technology, such as drop detectors. These sensors keep the vacuum from falling down stairs, or any other huge variations in flooring levels, which can cause serious damage. A lot of robots have cliff sensors, which can be useful if you have an animal that can leap over the robot in order to reach its water or food dish. These sensors are located on the bumpers of the vacuum. They will send out a signal if the vacuum is located near a thing that could cause harm to it.
Wall Sensors
The ability of a robotic vacuum to navigate around your home is dependent on combination of sensors. A budget model might utilize bump sensors to detect obstacles and a light that rotates to see walls, but higher-end models are far more sophisticated, including mapping, self-navigation systems that allow map saving (with some data retaining or sending the data to a company) and digital keep-out zones to prevent robots from accidentally damaging cables or knocking down furniture legs.
Some robots use SLAM or simultaneous localization mapping. In essence, they map the room before they begin cleaning and then refer back to that map throughout the run. This helps them be more efficient since they can avoid repeating sections of the room, and they know exactly where they have been. You can also typically access and share these maps in your robot's app, an excellent feature if you prefer to set up no-go zones or to clean by area.
Another important navigation sensor to look for is a gyroscope. Gyroscopes use spinning wheels or a rapidly-rotating beam of light to determine the distance between your robot and obstacles that may be in your home. They use the information to create a virtual map that the robot can use as it moves around your home. Without this technology, robots can get caught up in things like cords and rugs and tend to zig-zag along the floor instead of following the edges of rooms.
The most efficient robots are equipped with various obstacles avoidance technologies, which could include 3D structured light, 3D ToF (time of flight), monocular or binocular vision-based as well as LiDAR. The more advanced the technology is, the more precise and intuitive your robot's navigation will be. This means that your robot will be able to clean more thoroughly and with less maintenance and you can set up zones where it is not allowed to enter to protect electronics and other valuable items. The newest generation of gyroscopes is more precise and are able to work in low light. They can also detect changes in lighting to assist the robot in seeing better.
Sensors Optic
A robot vacuum equipped with lidar will create an interactive 3D map that helps you navigate the space more efficiently and avoid hitting obstacles. It does this by releasing an laser beam that bounces off surfaces and then returns to the sensor. The sensor then measures the amount of time it takes for the beam to return, which is translated into distance measurements, allowing the robot to build up a picture of your room's arrangement.
Lidar is more efficient and precise than cameras, which some robots use to map rooms. Based on the model, a robotics device with lidar may include a "no-go" zone feature that allows you to create areas that are restricted to your robot. In our testing, the Neato Botvac D8 or iRobot Braava 450 were the top two models that use this technology. They come with an application that lets you easily set up "no-go zones".
iRobot Duo+, another fantastic option, makes use of sensors and LiDAR to create an accurate map of your home that it can use to navigate. The app also lets you control the mapping process, so you can modify the boundaries of your home if necessary.
Other technologies used to improve the robot's navigation include 3D structured light which detects the distance between objects by the properties of their reflections and 3D ToF (time of flight), which scans a room to measure the speed and direction of light reflections. Certain robots also employ binocular and monocular vision to recognize objects and avoid them.
All of these sensors are put together to aid the robots overcome obstacles in various ways. This is why these machines are so convenient. It is important to think about your needs prior to buying a robot vacuum. Think about how long it will take you to prepare your floors for cleaning as well as the amount of obstacles you'll encounter in your home, and whether or not you would like your robot to do more. We suggest you establish an amount that will include a model with all the features you desire.