iRobot's ongoing financial crisis aside, the world of robot vacuums is still humming along. At CES 2025 on Sunday, Roborock announced the Saros Z70. The Roomba competitor showcases what the company believes will be the next big step in robovac evolution: an arm. The idea of mounting a a manipulator is no doubt as old as robot vacuums themselves. Robot arms have, however, proven too expensive or finicky for this level of mass production. Manufacturing costs and sensors have come down ' though the product remains prohibitively expensive for most. The five-axis robot arm unfolds from the top of the vacuum. It can extend and twist, in a bid to remove obstacles from its path and pick up laundry items weighing less than 300 grams. The system is designed to make a standard vacuum-only pass at a floor, before circling back around to interact with objects as need. The arm sports an on-board camera and other sensors to orient itself in space 'The Roborock app will play a key role in how the...
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