Chinese robot vacuum cleaner company Roborock on Monday revealed a new model with an artificial intelligence-powered folding arm.
It's the latest step toward what Roborock President Quan Gang expects will be the inevitable: that robot vacuum cleaners become as essential as washing machines. The Saros Z70 is set for release in major global markets in the first half of the year, but Roborock has yet to announce pricing. The product reveal comes ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show that kicks off Tuesday in Las Vegas., the circular machines have evolved to include mopping and the ability to automatically return to the charging base. Many companies, including several based in China, now sell robot vacuum cleaners.
"Roborock invented this category with the S7 MaxV Ultra and has been steadily improving it," The Verge said. Quan said that soon after Roborock's founding in July 2014, the company sensed the importance of artificial intelligence and set up a dedicated lab in Shanghai and a research institute in Shenzhen. Each location houses around 30 researchers, who only need to focus on technology, in contrast to the product development team that must meet deadlines and consider profit, Quan said.