BotVac

Neato is a robot vacuum that uses an advanced laser sensor to map and navigate rooms. It detects walls and objects and cleans close to edges and around objects, without bumping into your furniture.

FEATURES

Vacuum and brushes designed for carpet, wood, and tile floors. Square front and low profile for cleaning close to walls and corners.

HEIGHT

10.2 cm | 4 in (Neato XV Signature Pro model)

LENGTH

32 cm | 12.5 in

WIDTH

33 cm | 13 in

WEIGHT

5.9 kg | 13 lb

SPEED

0.9 km/h | 0.5 mph (max)

SENSORS

Laser distance sensor for 2D point cloud navigation; optical drop sensor to avoid cliffs; optical proximity sensor for close wall following; Hall effect sensors for boundary marker detection; accelerometer for tilt detection; bump switches for obstacle detection; wheel encoders to assist with telemetry; voltage and current sensors to assist with charging and motor control.

ACTUATORS

Two drive motors, one brush motor, and one blower for vacuum.

POWER

3200 mAh nickel-metal hydride batteries, 60 minutes of operation (depending on floor type).

COMPUTING

Custom computing and robot control system.

SOFTWARE

Custom navigation and control software based on Linux OS. Software upgrades via Web download or USB. Limited API commands published for hobbyists.

DEGREES OF FREEDOM (DOF)

N/A

MATERIALS

ABS plastic

COST

$450 (robot and accessories)

STATUS

Ongoing

WEBSITE

http://www.neatorobotics.com

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HISTORY

The idea behind Neato was born in a classroom. Joe Augenbraun was a Stanford grad student with an eye on starting a robot company. He didn't have a specific product in mind and was still looking for that "great idea" when he met classmates J.B. Gomez and Linda Hirschhorn Pouliot. Gomez had a background in business development and, like Augenbraun, an interest in robotics. Pouliot was looking to use her manufacturing and product experience to create a start-up focused on products for women. The trio entered Stanford's annual Entrepreneur's Challenge, which required them to develop a business plan for a new company. When they eventually decided to take a look at the emerging market of floor cleaning robots, they weren't impressed. Existing robots used software algorithms that made them move almost randomly, taking far too long to clean. So they set out to develop a better solution: a robot equipped with an intelligent navigation system using lasers and cameras. In 2010, Neato released its first robot vacuum. Today, the concept of a smart laser guidance system is the heart of every Neato robot. And all over the world, the three classmates' project is working hard so people can have a little bit more free time.