On March 29, Chinese tech company Roborock hosted its global launch event in Beijing, unveiling two flagship cutting-edge robotic vacuums: the V20 and G20S (S8 MaxV Ultra), both of which are intelligent automatic sweeping and mopping robot cleaners. The V20 features a dual-vision 3DToF (three-dimensional time of flight) solid-state lidar (light detection and ranging) system, giving it advanced navigation and obstacle avoidance capabilities.
Why it matters: A leading brand in the field of robotic vacuum cleaners, Roborock is looking to use technology from China’s rapidly developing self-driving car sector in the hopes that the country’s consumers are ready for robotic home appliances and labor-saving devices.
Details: At the launch event on the eve of the company’s 10th anniversary, Roborock CEO Quan Gang said the firm’s robotic vacuum cleaner sales revenue has clinched the global top spot, based on data from the first three quarters of 2023, according to market research firm Euromonitor. “Our goal is to bring Roborock robotic vacuum cleaners into one hundred million households worldwide,” he said.
- Currently available only in China, the V20 is the world’s first robotic vacuum cleaner to feature a dual-vision 3DToF solid-state lidar navigation and obstacle avoidance system, which utilizes modulated light reflections to enhance depth accuracy for more intuitive floor mapping.
- Roborock, in partnership with industry leaders PMD Technologies, Infineon, and OFILM, jointly developed this dual-vision 3DToF solid-state lidar system. It emits an instant matrix laser that enables simultaneous far and near field visibility, achieves precise map restoration, and ensures ultra-accurate obstacle avoidance. Alongside this system, the V20 also applies AI to match users with a suitable cleaning method.
- The G20S features the FlexiArm Design Side Brush, an innovative robotic arm designed to clean corners, and an additional side mop for edges. It also includes Reactive AI 2.0 obstacle recognition, a built-in intelligent voice assistant, and RockDock Ultra, which automatically replenishes the robot cleaner using hot water and heated air, as well as intelligent mop re-washing and re-mopping capabilities.
- The company said the Roborock app, which controls the robotic vacuum cleaners, boasts over 11 million users, with one million daily active users. The Roborock app’s room map is designed with intensive color contrast for visually impaired users.
- Catering to China’s animal lovers, the app has recently introduced a Pet Mode that can remotely search for and photograph pets at home with the robotic vacuum.
- Roborock has developed a case library that covers over 50 wall and baseboard materials and over 200 carpet materials, according to data provided by the company. This library is used to develop and test its products’ mapping and navigating capabilities.
Context: Founded in July 2014, Roborock is a Beijing-based tech company known for its robotic sweeping and mopping devices and handheld cordless stick vacuums. Xiaomi played a key role in the company’s founding.
- From 2019 to 2023, Roborock invested over RMB 1.9 billion ($260 million) in research and development, according to figures provided by the company. The firm currently operates three major R&D bases, with over half of its workforce consisting of highly skilled R&D employees. Currently, Roborock products are available in more than 170 countries, including the US, Germany, France, and Spain.
- According to Roborock’s latest financial earnings report, the brand recorded a revenue of RMB 8.65 billion last year ($1.22 billion), with robot vacuum shipments surpassing 2.6 million units.