Neato just announced a new and improved line of robotic vacuum cleaners

By Drew Prindle March 17, 2014

Neato Botvac — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Read our Neato BotVac 80 review.

Neato, the best kept secret in household robotics, has recently announced that it will soon be expanding its lineup of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners. The company’s new “BotVac” series vacuums are set to launch about a month from now in April, and will come with a number of improvements over previous generations.

First and foremost, despite being considerably more advanced than their predecessors, the new bots are more compact than ever before. They feature a lower profile, which means they can more easily maneuver underneath furnishings with low clearance.

Additionally, the bots are now equipped with a larger brushroll. According to Neato, BotVac brushrolls will be the largest available on any robot vacuum cleaner — a full 50 percent larger than the nearest competitor. This should enable the machine to pick up dirt more effectively, and thanks to a redesigned bin, it’ll also be able to hold more gunk and therefore won’t need to be emptied as often.

That’s all well and good, but what really sets Neato apart from competitors like Roomba is its BotVision navigation system. Neato’s proprietary navigation software is based on SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) — the same technology used by Google’s self-driving cars. This, in addition to a new laser scanner, allows the bot to continually scan a room and work out a methodical plan of attack before it starts, rather than bouncing around willy-nilly and cleaning your floors in a random pattern like the Roomba does.

The new lineup will include four different models: BotVac 70e, BotVac 75, BotVac 80, and BotVac 85; with prices ranging from $479.99 to $599.99. Be sure to keep an eye out for our review as soon as they become available, but in the meantime, you can find out more about Neato’s new bots here.

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Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…

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