iRobot has unveiled the Roomba Duo, introducing a new approach to automated floor care that brings two robots together to clean different areas of the home.
Rather than relying on a single machine to handle every task, the Roomba Duo combines a powerful main robot with an ultra slim companion unit. Together, the two systems are designed to cover larger floor areas while also reaching the spaces that traditional robotic cleaners can struggle to access.
A powerful main cleaning robot
At the heart of the system is a larger robot designed to vacuum and steam mop across the main floor areas of the home.
Its 60mm PowerSpin Max Roller Mop applies 46N of downward pressure, helping to tackle more stubborn dirt and grime. Steam is used to loosen dried on messes, while the continuously cleaned roller works across spills and everyday dirt.
Once cleaning is complete, a hot air drying system helps reduce moisture left behind on hard floors, supporting a cleaner and more convenient finish.
A companion robot for hard to reach spaces
The second unit takes a different approach. Based on iRobot’s Roomba Plus 575 Combo, the companion robot is designed to reach areas that the larger machine cannot easily access.
At just 8.35cm tall, it can move underneath low furniture and into tighter spaces around the home. An extending mop pad helps it clean closer to edges, while an edge cleaning brush is designed to target corners, walls and skirting boards.
The result is a two robot system where each unit has a specific role, rather than asking one machine to handle every part of the home.
One shared map and smarter navigation
The two robots are designed to work together through a shared home map in the Roomba Home App.
AI, LiDAR and PrecisionVision technology help the robots navigate rooms and identify obstacles as they move around the home. The main robot can also recognise larger areas of dirt and debris, allowing it to focus its cleaning efforts where they are most needed.
By combining the capabilities of both robots, iRobot is exploring a more coordinated approach to automated home cleaning.
One dock for both robots
The two units also share an AutoWash dock, designed to reduce the amount of maintenance required from the user.
The dock can wash and dry the mops, manage wastewater and empty collected dust. This creates a central hub for both robots and allows the system to handle many of the routine tasks associated with keeping a robot cleaner ready for its next run.
A glimpse at the future of home cleaning
The Roomba Duo is currently being demonstrated as a prototype, rather than a finished consumer product.
Its concept points towards a possible shift in the way robotic cleaning systems are designed. Instead of creating one machine capable of doing everything, iRobot is exploring how multiple specialised robots could work together to provide more comprehensive coverage.
For consumers, that could eventually mean a cleaning system capable of moving seamlessly between large open floors, tight spaces and difficult edges, with each robot designed to perform the task it handles best.
The Roomba Duo offers an intriguing glimpse into how automated floor care could evolve, moving beyond the single robot cleaner towards a coordinated system of specialised machines.
Source: iRobot