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How Roomba Robot Vacuum Cleaners Evolved: From 980 to s9

The history of household robotics and Roomba robot vacuum cleaners, in particular, began in 2002. At that time, the iRobot company released its first robot vacuum cleaner, which immediately conquered the world and became a real sensation. Since then, 17 years have passed, and Roomba has created many different models and continues to develop in this area.

By Richard AndrewsPublished 5 years ago 5 min read
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Basically, new vacuum cleaners are produced in series, and several different models from the same series are often very similar. The very first series, released in the middle and second half of the 2000s, were the 500, 600 and 700 series. They became pioneers in this field and were the first that applied the HEPA filtration technology, the virtual wall, Max Mode. Some of these robots (mostly the 500 series) are currently out of production, but you shouldn’t get upset, because more technologically advanced models replaced them.

The next step in the development of robots was the 800 series. The 800 robots are no longer an upgrade to their predecessors; they are utterly new vacuum cleaners that use innovative approaches to cleaning. The most popular models in this series are the 865, 886, 895 models. They first applied the AirForce technology, which allows you to achieve high-quality cleaning as well as simple vacuum service. Also, the developers have added improved navigation technology through iAdapt. Then, after the triumph of the 800 series, the 900 series robots were released. Let's examine them more carefully.

Roomba 980

The main differences between the robot vacuums of the 900 series mostly lay in the visual orientation system. In the upper part of the case, vacuum cleaners have video cameras with which they constantly scan the space around them, making a visual map of the cleaned room, which allows them to increase the accuracy of navigation and positioning inside the cleaned room. In addition, the new navigation technology has significantly changed the principle of movement. The robot vacuum cleaners of the previous series performed cleaning by spinning in a spiral and then moving randomly around the room, but the Roomba of the new series moves much more organized along parallel paths with a detour of obstacles that arise. New technology was named vSLAM IROBOT.

With the release of the Roomba 980, control and adjustment of the vacuum cleaner reached a new level. Thanks to the software “IROBOT HOME” installed directly on the user's smartphone, you have complete control over all functions of the vacuum cleaner in any moment and from any place—you can set a cleaning schedule, monitor the operation of the vacuum cleaner and much more. Internal changes are directly reflected in the appearance of the vacuum cleaner, especially on its upper surface. Now it has no display, and the number of buttons is minimized because the management of all functions is assigned to the smartphone app. Also, the company iRobot, keeping up with the times, has equipped the new robot vacuum with a Wi-Fi module for connecting to the Internet. Now the robot vacuum cleaner is also able to more accurately determine the type of flooring using the improved proprietary technology iAdapt 2.0.

Roomba e5, i7, and i7+

In the spring of 2019, three new Roombas appeared on the market: i7, i7+, and e5. As for the Roomba e5, there are quite a few changes in this robot, and it looks more like the 980 model. The engineers changed the design of the dust collector so that now it can be washed under running water. The robot itself can be run through Google and Alexa voice assistants, and it also works less noisily and better absorbs debris from the floor.

The i7 and i7+ models have made a more significant step forward. They are almost identical, but the i7+, unlike the i7, comes with a so-called Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal. Now the robot gives you the opportunity to clean the dust collector even less frequently as it independently transfers collected garbage to the base. These models also have an improved navigation system in iAdapt 3.0, build maps, and remembers the location of the rooms with the help of the Imprint Smart Mapping. Both models, just like e5, allow the owners to rinse the dust collector and can connect to devices with voice assistants.

Roomba s9

However, iRobot manufacturers considered that three new models in 2019 would't be enough and presented us with the latest development—the Roomba s9. You are probably wondering why Roomba s9 is the best. Just because this cherry on the cake of the Roomba model range is the most innovative of all vacuums while maintaining all the technologies of previous models. It has the same phone apps, Google and Alexa assistants, HEPA-filter, three-stage cleaning, and virtual walls. s9 is also equipped with Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal.

Innovations consist, firstly, of a rethought and modified form of the case—goodbye to the classic circle, long live the D-shape, which provides the best cleaning in the corners and along the baseboards. They also significantly changed the shape of the brush; it now has five rays instead of three, which also simplifies cleaning in hard-to-reach places. The robot has a more powerful battery, and therefore, it works longer without recharging. Another essential function is the new technology Imprint Link, thanks to which the robot can work in conjunction with the iRobot Braava jet m6 washing robot vacuum cleaner. After Roomba has done the dry cleaning, it gives the signal for Braava to clean the floors.

Indeed, the combination of all the best technologies of the previous models and the latest developments makes this vacuum cleaner the perfect representative of the Roomba family. You can buy the s9 on July 12th.

So, now we see that the iRobot company has gone through such a long and challenging path and how much its vacuum cleaners have changed since 2002. It all started with the simplest and quick cleaning of hard floors. And now we have the opportunity to connect vacuum cleaners for consistent cleaning, clean much longer, control vacuum cleaners with a voice or phone from any place in the world, and not even worry about them getting lost in the house, getting stuck or missing the pollution. And we want to believe that all these wonders are just the beginning.

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