Ever since Rosie graced the very first episode of The Jetsons, “Rosie the Robot,” science fiction has entertained the idea of helpful, cleaning robots as a counter to the laser-wielding, world-domination-seeking sort that leaves the dust of enemies in their wake. Until now, though, those two robotic ideals have never merged. The Samsung POWERbot Star Wars Edition vacuum comes in both Storm Trooper and Darth Vader models—and yes, it wields lasers, which it uses to slice efficiently through its foes. But those foes are merely the dust mites that accrue on even a hermetically sealed spacecraft—perhaps when a rebel alliance battalion is vaporized where they stand.
While there have been many robotic vacuums before, Samsung POWERbots are outfitted with a number of features that make them the best-in-class. Vacuums are next to useless if they don’t also abide by the foundations of solid design. A good vacuum has to suck. With 20x the suction power of previous models, a drop-down shutter that acts like a tractor beam for dust, and softly squared corners, the POWERbot vacs can reach the outermost edges of the galaxy—er, floor—where no vacuum has ever gone before.
For starters, the POWERbot boasts features called FullView and Visionary Mapping Plus, which makes use of lasers to map out an optimal cleaning path. While many robots will stick to a pre-ordained path like glue, POWERbots are also outfitted with a bevy of sensors so that when travelling along that optimal route, they can respond to their surroundings, even when objects are out of place, and especially when a cliff comes into view. Because, as any trooper knows, optimal plans never survive the field.
Other POWERbot features include CycloneForce cleaning system, which reduces clogging, leading to more-consistent power throughout its run. Auto docking and operation via a remote control, app, and Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, allow for seamless operation as if you’re merely issuing orders to a finely tuned machine—which, really, you are.
A 60-minute cleaning time per charge and operation speed of just over a foot per second means a single POWERbot can tackle up to on a single expedition. And if somehow that’s not enough—say, you’ve tasked your Storm Trooper to sweep a battleship—the recharging time tops out at about 160 minutes, meaning it’s ready to redeploy in only a few hours. Moreover, multi-surface cleaning ability means it can handle any terrain, from a remote and dusty colony to a plush, carpeted capital.
With Samsung POWERbots, even the most household objects can help you live out your sci-fi fantasies. And yet, POWERbots are outfitted with the most advanced real-world cleaning technology since all fantasies, like having a robot army to finally clean your house, are better when they come true.