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TECH FEATURE

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’23 FATHER’S DAY

For a long time robotic technology has promised to make our lives easier, and now the future is here with the advent of robotic vacuum cleaners. So, put your feet up and find out more about just what these versatile and efficient little machines can do to help you. Words Bec Summer W hile basic models have been around for some years now, it’s only more recently that home robotic vacuums CLEAN MACHINES

Stairway sensing Other handy features to look out for are whether a robotic vacuum can

case, it’s just a fact. Once let loose, they’ll go about their business blindly. If something gets in their way they’ll turn, then keep going until they encounter another immovable object. They’ll continue on in this random manner until it’s time for a recharge, and then find their way back home to their charger. Laser tag! Possibly the coolest function that smarter robotic vacuums have in their arsenal is laser tracking. This allows them to create a map of your home, which leads to systematic, rather than ad hoc, cleaning. It will take into account every obstacle from furniture to the dog, and work around them appropriately. Also, rather than just doing their cleaning thing blindly for up to around two hours, they’ll perform a thorough onceover then head on home. Efficiency at work!

have undergone a revolution. Thankfully it hasn’t been a “kill all humans” styled revolt – sorry Bender from Futurama – but rather a series of advancements in just how well they can take the boring chore of vacuuming and even mopping off our human hands. Seriously, does anybody really enjoy vacuuming and mopping? The look Generally round, fairly flat, and quite unassuming, robotic vacuums are designed to travel about of their own accord, doing what a vacuum does – sucking up dirt and storing it for later emptying. How they accomplish this task, however, can be the difference between an entry-level, just the basics priced model, and one that delivers a raft of cleaning bells and whistles. Blind faith Really basic robotic vacuums are dumb. Now, before any robot rights advocates get on our

sense drops such as stairs and avoid them or handle them. If they’re a

vacuuming/mopping combo, it's important that they can tell the difference between hard and soft surfaces. Some do this instinctively, while others require physical borders to be popped in place, or virtual borders that can be drawn into their mobile apps telling your robotic buddy where it should or shouldn’t go. Smart vacuums are able to be easily absorbed into a smart home setup, allowing simple voice-activated commands. Sure, you can use the cleaner’s bespoke app, and for more refined tasks like virtual boundaries you’ll want to, but for a quick clean, things can be as simple as saying, “Hey Google, start robot” (assuming that you’ve named your helper “robot” – you can name it anything that you wish). cleaning Nowadays the majority of robotic

TOP OF THE MOPS!

You’re likely to come across terms such as “True Mopping” and “Auto Lift Mopping” when exploring robotic vacuum options. This simply means that the ultrasonic sensors in the unit are able to detect surfaces, and automatically lift the mop up when sensing the likes of carpet or rugs, so that they don’t end up all soggy.

62 AUGUST 2023

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