[CES2010] Neato Robotics XV-11 Hands On
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Thursday, 7 of January , 2010 at 4:49 am
We covered the Neato Robotics XV-11 robot vacuum in detail back in December, and last night at Digital Experience here at CES we got a chance to check it out in person. Just to recap, the Neato is unlike most other robot vacuums in that it isn’t a gussied up Roomba knockoff but rather an original design, the flagship feature of which is a laser based room navigation system that can clean much faster and more efficiently than a Roomba’s pseudo-random patterns. Check out our earlier post for more details, or just watch the demo, narrated by Neato Robotics CEO Max Safai:
Notice how the XV-11 finished cleaning its little area in exactly the time of the demo… That’s precision PR, folks. Seriously though, it’s striking just how different the XV-11’s cleaning technique is from a Roomba. It undocks, looks around the room, and then makes one circuit around the wall (notice how precisely it avoids its dock) followed by an overlapping pattern to cover the center of the floor. And then, it’s done. It moves slower than a Roomba does, but since it knows where it’s been and where it’s going, overall it cleans much, much faster.
The XV-11 only has one brush on the bottom, and it’s supposed to be really good at not getting all kinds of stuff tangled up in it. The dustbin is fairly spacious, and lifts out of the top of the robot, making it somewhat easier to access without either having to lift the robot or get dirt all over the floor, as with a Roomba.
It remains to be seen how well the XV-11 performs in a more realistic environment, like my living room, which is full of furniture, hardwood to carpet transitions, electrical cables, and miscellaneous random crap all over the floor. The key here is going to be whether or not the XV-11 can actually do what the Roomba was supposed to be able to do: vacuum by itself without you having to prep the floor and pay attention to make sure that it doesn’t get stuck, try to smash things, or kill your pets.
You’ll be able to get an XV-11 in March, for $399… It’s significantly more expensive than an entry level 500 series Roomba, but it also has the potential to be a significantly better vacuum. If you have any questions, just post in the comments and I’ll get answers for ya, in person.
[ Neato Robotics ]
BTW, that iRobot patent from 2008? Neato knows about it but says it’s not a factor due to several examples of prior art.
Comments (5)
Category: Consumer
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Comment by Robotbling
Made Thursday, 7 of January , 2010 at 5:21 am
So, any chance they’ll market their cheap laser range finder to hobbyists separately?
Comment by Evan Ackerman
Made Thursday, 7 of January , 2010 at 10:16 am
Yes, there is. They know it’s awesome, and they know people want it… At the moment they’re just focused on shipping their product, but they’re looking in to it, so it’s more of a “when” thing than an “if” thing.
Comment by michael
Made Thursday, 7 of January , 2010 at 11:45 pm
That will be great when they do make the laser available separately. I reckon sales of it would be pretty strong.
Just wondering what voltage is supplied through the charging dock?
And what safety measures are implemented against metal objects shorting the contacts on either the charger or the vacuum.
Comment by Travis
Made Friday, 8 of January , 2010 at 7:13 am
Hey Evan,
I’m glad that you got to ask them about the laser rangefinder at CES (and jealous that I’m not there). Based on the details posted on Hizook, I’m _extremely_ intrigued by the idea of an ultra low-cost laser rangefinder. Can’t wait — be sure to let me know when you hear about it.
Comment by "Predictable But Fun"
Made Friday, 8 of January , 2010 at 12:11 pm
Glad to hear it’s a question of time Evan.
Thank you for this and H@ppy Friday.