Book 15, Question 76
How Does a Robot Vacuum Map a Room?
A robot vacuum draws a map of your room as it drives around! It measures distances to walls and furniture, and counts its wheel turns. Then it cleans the floor in neat lines.
More fun facts
- Some robot vacuums use LiDAR, which stands for light detection and ranging, to keep track of where they are.
- At the start, one model spins around 360 degrees a couple of times to find its place and make a full map.
- Other models use a camera to spot landmarks and build a map they can use again next time.
- Robots without a camera feel their way around with floor sensors and make a temporary map as they go.
- Because they don't need a camera, those robots can clean in complete darkness.
- Some models use gyros and an optical wheel to clean a whole floor in neat rows.
- The LiDAR sensor on top adds about half an inch of height, which can keep the robot from fitting under furniture.
Sources: homesupport.irobot.com
Questions kids ask
Can a robot vacuum clean more than one room?
Yes. Many models can clean several rooms on one level of a home, moving from room to room on their own.