If you’ve ever used a robot vacuum before, you might have found yourself wishing it spent more time on a specific area. Some iRobot Roomba devices have built-in dirt sensors to help them know where to focus, but now that capability has been improved even more. On Monday, August 24, iRobot unveiled the iRobot Genius Home Intelligence platform. This suite of features gives users never-before-seen levels of personalization, control over the iRobot devices, and much more.
This takes place in a redesigned iRobot Home app. iRobot improved on the app in numerous ways to create a sort of command center for all of the user’s iRobot products. The app not only gives more granular control of your devices, but it also breaks down the performance of your cleaning devices.
One of the first improvements is the Clean Zones feature. This is available to Roomba i7/i7+, s9/s9+, and Braava jet m6 robot mops. Through Clean Zones, compatible devices can learn and suggest Clean Zones around specific objects in the home such as couches, tables, or the kitchen counter. You can also open the iRobot app and designate your own Clean Zones through the Smart Map. Doing so allows for precision cleaning by saying, “Roomba, clean around the couch.” It’s an easy way to clean up an area that needs it without ordering a whole-home clean.
iRobot has also improved on the scheduling features of the Roomba and Braava jet robots through automations, events that let the device know the ideal start or stop time. You can link the iRobot Home app to location-focused services like Life360 or to devices like the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, to let it know when you’re away. This allows the devices to clean the home without disturbing you throughout the day.
You can also create preset cleaning routines through the Favorites feature. These routines focus on a specific area and a time of day. For example, “After Breakfast” could instruct the Roomba to vacuum around the kitchen table around 8:30 each morning after the family has left for work and school. Your iRobot device will also suggest recommended cleaning schedules based on your most common cleaning patterns.
Finally, there is also a new Recommended Keep Out Zones feature that allows the devices to learn trouble areas where they frequently get snagged and make suggestions to create a Keep Out Zone to users. Thanks to the new Seasonal Recommendations feature, your devices may suggest times the home needs more cleaning due to seasonal allergies or pet shedding.
iRobot has always been one of the leaders in terms of robot vacuum A.I., and these new features and additions show the company is only continuing to innovate and improve on what their devices are capable of.
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