iRobot reveals Roomba Duo concept — two cleaners combined into one
At IFA in Berlin, iRobot unveiled the Roomba Duo, a concept robot pairing a powerful floor-washing unit with a smaller Roomba vacuum. No price or release date has been set.
At the IFA trade show in Berlin, iRobot introduced a concept device called the Roomba Duo, merging two floor-cleaning robots into a single system. The larger unit, described by iRobot's Adam Pope as the most powerful vacuum the company has built, can both vacuum and steam-mop, using a large roller mop that applies 46 newtons of downward pressure. Mounted on top sits a smaller robot, the Roomba Plus 757, which a mechanical arm lowers down to reach tight spots such as under furniture or in corners.
The Duo also functions as its own mobile charging dock, carrying clean and dirty water tanks along with a dust bag. It relies on lidar and camera-based navigation to map homes, avoid obstacles, and locate dirt. In a demonstration, the device vacuumed pasta scattered on a carpet and then washed the carpet clean.
New ownership, new direction
The Duo was presented by iRobot's new CEO, Hao Li, who represents the company's new parent, Picea, which acquired iRobot out of bankruptcy earlier this year. Li said the innovation shows that the future of floor care carries a familiar name.
The mechanical raising and lowering of the smaller robot worked smoothly and quickly in demonstrations, resembling the mechanism first used in iRobot's J7 Combo mop, though on a much larger scale. Some observers noted concerns about the long-term durability of such a system.
As a concept device, the Roomba Duo currently has no announced price or release date, and journalists were not permitted to touch it or inspect its interior. Several Picea engineers supervised the unit, which required two people to carry between demonstrations. iRobot said exact operational specifications are still being finalized and will be shaped by feedback gathered during development.
