I am an enthusiastic supporter of robotic cleaners, which have undoubtedly become more advanced over the years. They began with vacuuming capabilities, progressed to mopping, and then included auto-emptying features.
However, the innovations presented at this year’s CES go even further, giving me the impression that companies are simply adding features for the sake of having something to showcase…
A stair-climbing cleaner that can’t navigate actual stairs
Dreame initiated the competition with its latest X50 Ultra, which boasts the ability to climb stairs. While I acknowledge that this could be a helpful feature, addressing a significant challenge with current cleaners—either having one for each level or lugging it upstairs and downstairs each time—it has limitations.
As noted by Engadget, this capability is more theoretical than practical, as it can’t manage to tackle genuine stairs. Its maximum step height is only 2.4 inches, while typical stairs measure around 7-8 inches in height.
Collecting socks
Next in line is the Saroz Z70, a robotic cleaner equipped with an arm that the manufacturer claims can pick up small items like socks to clear the area.
Bid farewell to the hassle of pre-cleaning. In its initial cleaning run, the Saros Z70 detects and marks items it can lift, circling back to clean missed areas during its second pass. It effortlessly handles the mess. It also shifts obstacles aside, granting access to previously obstructed areas for a more thorough clean with minimal effort […].
Socks? Headed to the closet. Sandals? En route to the entrance rug. Crumpled tissues? Off to the trash can. The Saros Z70 identifies and relocates household items to their designated locations, as programmed in its software.
While this feature might prove useful occasionally, the reality is that most people aren’t in the habit of leaving socks strewn across the floor. Moreover, the Saroz Z70 lacks the intelligence and reach to actually open a drawer to stow them away. Adding this functionality increases costs and complexity without delivering much real benefit.
Carrying beverages because, why not?
However, the standout has to be the SwitchBot K20+ Pro (as shown in the top photo). This device also features an arm for those prone to leaving their shoes scattered throughout their home, but that’s just the beginning.
Feeling warm? It can fetch a fan for you—assuming someone else has already moved the (specialized and pricey, of course) fan onto its carrying platform. It can even follow you around with an iPad for those FaceTime chats that require a stroll through your home while your arms tire from holding the device. You can attach a security camera for mobile monitoring. And, naturally…
…it can serve you a drink! If someone else is in the kitchen to retrieve the drink from the fridge, you can add the table accessory to the K20+ and place the drink on top. Additionally, the table doubles as an air purifier to keep your drink free from dust.
Be sure to have a stiff drink ready before watching the promotional video. If you’re interested, both pricing and availability remain undisclosed (please also contact my bridge salesperson).
Image credit: Saroz and SwitchBot
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