Ecovacs outdoor robots are newly launched and ready to handle chores around the backyard. During a trip to the company’s headquarters, I got the chance to hear how these products are designed directly from the people in charge of each product line.
It might seem like you would just take the navigation and drivetrain from an indoor robot, beef up the exterior for a rougher environment, and call it a day. The truth is there’s plenty of challenges to think about when designing a robot for the Australian outdoors.
The problems Ecovacs outdoor robots overcome
When Ecovacs’ Goat lawnmower robot was first in concept, it derived a lot of technology from the indoor Deebot vacuum cleaners. However, indoor robots deal with predictable messes, flat floors, and relatively smooth surfaces like carpet or tile.
Outdoors, none of that holds true. Varied terrain, unpredictable debris, and a whole new set of obstacles are just some of the issues Ecovacs’ designers have to work around.
While prior technology from vacuum robots provides a start to the platform, almost everything from the drivetrain to the exterior material has to be rethought.
“Honest technology,” not just feature lists
Ecovacs representatives explained the philosophy behind making decisions about designing home robots.
The idea of “honest technology,” as they put it, is that features only earn their place if they solve a problem in the real world, and not just because they look good on a product comparison chart.
Features like increased static pressure in a vacuum motor to improve carpet suction, or a unique blade design that helps cut varied grass better are designed and implemented because they solve a real problem.
Ecovacs doesn’t just rely on its own testing to identify issues, but actively investigates problems raised with customer support as well as visiting social media websites to address feedback when the new model comes out.
That approach means each model feels like a step forward in design and an improvement over previous iterations.
When it comes to designing a brand new robot, Ecovacs engineers must consider the environment these robots will end up in.
Lawns are more than just green carpet
There aren’t many Aussie backyards out there that are perfectly flat, and even fewer that have a true monoculture grass to deal with.
Different vegetation, varied terrain, and moisture levels from rainfall are all tricky to deal with, so Ecovacs lawnmowers must be able to identify these different environments and adjust accordingly.
The Goat A2000 LiDAR Pro uses a stack of sensors including dual-LiDAR mapping, AI-powered vision, and 3D-ToF LiDAR all working in tandem to identify garden obstacles. Its 32V drivetrain gives it the power to navigate 50-percent inclines.
The smaller Goat O600 RTK trades some navigation muscle away, but provides enough cutting power to deal with dense kikuyu and buffalo grasses, all without wires and without permanent installation needed.
Ecovacs has put a strong focus on edge-to-edge coverage, and the Goat lawnmowers incorporate edge trimming on both models, meaning you don’t have to bust out the whipper snipper to achieve a polished look.
A pool robot that you don’t have to monitor
Ecovacs flagged pool maintenance as one of the most time-consuming and least enjoyable household tasks, and that drove the design of the Ultramarine P1. Leaning on prior technology and vertical integration, Ecovacs was able to bring this robot to Aussie pools and help tackle onerous floor and wall scrubbing.
The Ultramarine P1 delivers intelligent pool mapping to efficiently clean and scrub pool surfaces while its dual-layer filtration prevents recirculation. A coarse filter captures leaves while a finer second layer traps silt and sediment.
Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, the Ultramarine P1 can be set to run for different amounts of time, suiting both your schedule and your pool size.
Clean windows easily and safely
Robotic window cleaners often present a question around safety; what if the robot falls? The Winbot W3 Omni is designed with multiple layers of protection working in tandem so you can enjoy the view from the window instead of worrying about the robot.
Ecovacs’ answer is a 12-stage protection system that provides layers of safety measures so you can clean the inside and outside of windows with peace of mind. The first step is 10,000 Pa suction and air pressure that maintains grip as the robot moves across the glass.
Its floating cleaning plate helps the robot stay flush against uneven and textured surfaces, and three layers of software-based fall detection help detect issues before an accident happens.
If power to the robot drops out mid-clean, the robot can hold its suction for over 30 minutes on its own, and as a last resort the safety cable rated to 100 kilograms prevents a long drop.
Outdoor robots for the Aussie home
The backyard may not be fully hands free just yet, but each of these robots takes care of the heavy lifting so you only have to worry about the finishing touches.
Ecovacs‘ philosophy around solving real complaints results in robots that are built for real-world conditions.
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