We strongly recommend not strapping an iPod speaker dock to the Roomba 980. This cloud-connected iRobot revolution in hands-free housekeeping may very well be just smart enough somehow call down a strategic missile strike on your prized azaleas.
Look, could anyone out there really blame us for letting our imaginations run free for a bit? iRobot Chairman and CEO Colin Angle just announced that, after releasing over 14 million Roombas into the wilds of homes around the world, newly minted proprietary visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (vSLAM® ) technology has given this latest model the mapping capacity to actually learn and “understand” its everyday environment. We’re feeling a bit like Robert Muldoon upon realizing that velociraptors have grasped trial-and-error methodologies enough to pinpoint shoddy fence craftsmanship.
Of course, this means that as the environment changes, much like a Nest smart-thermostat, the Roomba 980 will adjust and tailor its vacuuming and navigation for optimal cleaning wherever dirt and dust might hide. The new model is reportedly intuitively “intelligent” enough to learn, navigate and clean a home’s whole floor level, thanks to its debuting pt® 2.0 Navigation with Visual Localization building a virtual map while it tidies up.
Like any robot worth its synthetic salt, it rarely tires: the Roomba 980’s mapping and thrifty power supply will keep it on the move non-stop for up to two hours. At that point, it then retreats autonomously to recharge at Home Base® before resuming cleaning until it visits the whole house. Its sensor suite allows it to generally move efficiently in parallel lines through open areas, but to also change course on the fly when needed to circumvent clutter and slip under furniture.
With a nearby stable Wi-Fi network, the iRobot HOME App keeps the Roomba 980 connected from anywhere in the home to start cleaning even when housekeeping schedules don’t line up with social or work events. Feel free to schedule up to seven cleaning rounds per week from the convenience of any iOS or Android device to create the perfect cleaning protocols. Set the number of passes the Roomba 980 makes, adjust the edge cleaning, and set your little droid’s Carpet Boost actions – all while the HOME App actively updates your home’s cleaning status with personalized tips and customer support at the ready.
The Roomba 980 even has the deft touch to detect differences in floor surfaces and adapt its AeroForce™ Cleaning System with Carpet Boost vacuuming accordingly to engage the Gen 3 motor for improved rug and carpet cleaning. The low-profile design makes scooting under furniture and kickboards elementary and the optical and acoustic Dirt Detect™ sensors sniff out high dirt and debris concentrations for deeper cleaning. The Roomba 980 also continues the Roomba 800 Series standard of dual counter-rotating brushless debris extractors that minimize hair tangles and maintenance while still grab all dirt in its path from all floor surface types.
Enticed? Excited? Ready to frighten the dickens out of your pets? Good. The Roomba 980 is now available for purchase in the United States and Canada starting at $899 USD via www.irobot.com and in select European countries and Japan later in Q4, 2015.
Source – iRobot
