IRobot has been developing robotic vacuum cleaners since 2000. And the IRobot 780 Roomba is one of the most innovative of them. Over 8 million units of smart technology have been sold worldwide, but much of what’s inside the 780s is brand new.
Design
Not everyone used robotic vacuum cleaners, but many heard about them. People are impressed by the idea of ​​a “free” employee who unobtrusively, day and night, takes care of cleanliness in the house. IRobot 780 is one of the most advanced devices. Although the 800th series has already appeared, this model is in high demand and has not lost its relevance.
Externally, the device resembles a large hockey puck. Like all Roombas, the 780th maintains an extremely low profile of less than 10 cm in size.The wide rounded squat silhouette allows the little worker to get to the dust and debris in the most secluded corners of the apartment or house, pass under the beds, coffee tables and even open cabinet drawers. Flexible “soft” touch bumpers prevent damage to objects that an automated vacuum cleaner may collide with. Although outwardly the robot looks Spartan, it is crammed with all kinds of sensors that vigilantly monitor the surrounding situation.
A neon “Clean” button flaunts on top of the device, prompting you to free the electronic pet from accumulated dirt. Around the button is a dark insert, which in fact is a translucent protective screen. When activated, the display shows an information board (top) and touch LED control buttons (bottom).
Base
This is an important part of the robotic complex. A rectangular box with rounded edges and a stand is a device to which a vacuum cleaner is parked to recharge. The power supply is external, which reduced the weight and size of the base. The cable leading from the PSU to the base can be disconnected if necessary. Its length is 1 meter. The cable leading from the power supply to the outlet is slightly shorter (95 cm), it is non-removable.
Although the platform is made of porous plastic and equipped with rubber inserts, the base is easy to turn or shift due to its light weight. Users recommend securing it more securely, for example, using double-sided tape. If this is not possible, the device can be put in a corner, after making sure that the robot is able to drive up to it. As an option, the manufacturer offers Standard Home Base - a more stable design, which will have to be bought for an extra charge.
Navigation devices
An important element of the dust collection complex is the navigation blocks, which in the amount of two pieces are included in the basic kit, but can be purchased separately if necessary. They help the robot sensors in navigation. These devices are either a beacon or the so-called virtual wall.
The beacon function allows you to set the cleaning sequence. That is, the IRobot 780 enters a room marked with a beacon, and does not leave it until it collects all the dust and dirt. The device also allows you to protect a specific work area with an area of ​​several square meters. For example, when the room is clean enough, but you need to remove some kind of nook.
No less useful feature is the "Virtual Wall". According to the instructions of the IRobot 780 Roomba, the navigation device creates an invisible barrier over which the vacuum cleaner will not enter. That is, it marks a zone where the robot is undesirable (for example, in the corner where children are playing at this time).
System configuration is quite simple. Navigation blocks are activated automatically when the robot cleaner is turned on. The change of modes, as well as the length of the barrier, is carried out using special switches on the housing.
Equipment
The robot vacuum cleaner IRobot 780 Roomba is sold in a large colorful box made of cardboard, equipped with a plastic handle for transportation. The kit consists of:
- Apparatus.
- Navigation devices.
- Base station.
- Power supply unit.
- Remote control
- Two filters.
- Tool kit for cleaning brushes.
- A set of spare brushes (in addition to those installed in the vacuum cleaner).
- DVD with instructional videos and PDF instructions.
- Booklets and warranty card.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Vacuum cleaner IRobot 780 Roomba is the flagship of the 700 series, and the core of this smart device is the updated navigation system iAdapt. It controls the environment, doing 64 checks per second to track the path around objects. Moreover, the self-learning AI is gradually studying the cleaning area, creating in memory a complete layout of the premises.
As a result, IRobot 780 selects the most suitable trajectory and cleaning scheme for each room, whether it be:
- “Linear” scheduled cleaning;
- circular (translational) movements upon detection of highly contaminated areas (“Persistent Pass Cleaning” function);
- improvised free movement in places with heavy traffic of people and pets.
Innovation
The engineers of the Chinese company emphasize the Dirt Detect Series 2 technology, implemented in the 780th model. To improve garbage collection, the device uses an acoustic sensor to detect an excessive amount of small and hard debris (such as sand, pebbles) and an optical sensor to fix large and soft objects (such as popcorn, dust lumps).
Also new is the AeroVac Series 2 trash container with a filling indicator and an easy extraction system - dirt is simply ejected after removal. HEPA dual filters trap dirt, dust and pollen from the air.
In the 780-ke introduced a new power management software, which, according to the developers, will provide 50% longer battery life IRobot 780 compared to the previous 600th generation. According to reviews, in real conditions, this figure is about 35-40%. A cleaning session lasts about 90 minutes on average.
Control
On the upper part of Roomba are touch buttons that allow you to program the device. The user has the ability to set the cleaning parameters: whether the IRobot 780 will work daily, or only at a certain time. You can specify the hours of silence when turning on the device is not desirable. There are buttons on the panel: “Day”, “Hour”, “Minute”, “Confirmation” and “Clear”. The smartwatch’s internal clock keeps things in check. For especially lazy owners, control is provided using a miniature remote control.
Indication
IRobot is a communicative device. With the owners, he "talks" through the light indicators. For example, by the color of the “Clean” button, you can understand whether the filter is full of debris (glows red), or there is still free space (green). The battery icon on the display shines in the same colors.
Also, a change in state is indicated by the corresponding sound signals. In case of errors, the device talks about problems in the owner’s language (how to change the language is described in detail in the IRobot 780 manual). Russian language is present. By the way, disabling the sound alert is not provided, no matter how it annoys anyone.
Cleaning Schemes
The device has several basic motion algorithms:
- When moving between rooms, the robot vacuum cleaner IRobot 780 Roomba moves in a straight line from one obstacle to another, changing directions if necessary. The same movement algorithm is observed during the initial study of unfamiliar premises (for example, the first time you turn it on after purchase).
- When harvesting heavily soiled areas, the robot moves fan-shaped, returning to the starting point.
- If you need to clean the floor around the legs of tables, chairs, furniture, the vacuum cleaner moves clockwise around obstacles.
- When moving along the walls, the device is guided with the help of an infrared proximity sensor, making a steady forward movement.
- The device even has a “pulling out of wires” mode, which is useful when cleaning the area under a computer table, a TV nightstand or at a home theater.
Reviews
As expected, user ratings for the Roomba 780 vary widely. Most appreciate the efforts of the electronic assistant, but the model cannot be called faultless.
Of course, the most important component is the quality of cleaning. Most owners note that, despite the miniature size and seemingly small power, the vacuum cleaner is quite able to cope with the dispersed garbage: whether it be sand grains or larger particles. The device perfectly frees carpets from animal hair. But long hair for the device is a problem: winding up on the brush, they provoke its wear, loss of bristles.
Admittedly, the IRobot 780 Roomba battery is a weak point in the device. If the warranty of the vacuum cleaner itself is 1 year, for the battery this period is 6 months. It is the “aging” of the battery that leads to the subsequent mistakes of the clever technique: premature termination of cleaning (even though the floor is still dirty), ignoring the work of the beacons, improper parking at the base, etc. And it is not surprising: the volume of work of the 780-k is quite large, but you can’t accommodate a large battery in such a tiny case. However, when it is replaced, many software crashes disappear.
Some owners believe that Roomba is noisy compared to other models of famous brands. The process of cleaning the built-in filters is not very convenient. But these are trifles compared to performance. If you monitor the device, regularly clean it of dust accumulating in the cracks, and change the batteries in a timely manner - it will work for years faithfully. In just 2 hours, he is able to clean an apartment of 60 m2, stuffed with furniture, wires from electronic devices, in which people and pets live.
Conclusion
It may seem that a robot vacuum cleaner is a kind of fashionable toy designed to emphasize the status of the owner as a person holding his hand on the pulse of time. Meanwhile, the device is really a good addition to the mop and handheld vacuum cleaner. It perfectly removes solid fractions (sand, sugar, salt, cereals, seeds, popcorn, etc.) and animal hair. For many, an electronic friend becomes almost a member of the family, a symbol of a tireless hard worker, without whining and smoking, doing his hard work.