At this year’s CES, Roborock bet big on artificial intelligence. Their vacuums are for those tired of rolling the dice on robovacs that can’t slide their way out from under a couch, and also those tired of supposed AI features in products that are actually full of hot air . Roborock’s new robot vacuums aren’t just cleaning tools, they’re intelligent home assistants.
Roborock’s showstopper at this year’s CES is the Saros series, which features the first mass-market robot vacuum with a robotic arm. “Saros” is an astronomical term for the cycle of 18 years and 11 days used to predict solar and lunar eclipses. The Saros vacuums use data to build intricate 3D models of your space, respond efficiently to real-time challenges (helpful when you’re not home) and adjust suction power for quiet hours (helpful when you are home). The more these self-learning machines clean, the smarter they get.
Saros Z70: A vacuum that can lend you a hand–or an arm
The Saros Z70 is an ultra-slim 8 cm, which lets it roll under furniture. Much like its Roborock cousin, the Qrevo Curv, the Z70 uses the AdaptiLift Chassis, to lift its wheels and raise its frame by 10 mm to cross through doorways and high-pile carpets. It also boasts 22,000Pa suction power, a dual anti-tangle system that prevents clumps of hair from interrupting its routine and the StarSight navigation system.
But these aren’t the features that got everyone at CES talking. What really sets the Z70 apart is its robotic arm, the first of its kind on a mass-produced robot vacuum. Known as the OmniGrip, this arm can grab obstructions like socks, small towels, tissues and sandals that weigh less than 300 grams. You can use the Obstacle Definition feature in the app to note 50 different objects, tailoring the vacuum’s recognition capabilities to your unique home. Safety, of course, comes first: The arm isn’t strong enough to grab your pet, and the vacuum comes equipped with a child lock and a safety stop button.
Here’s how it works: The Z70 does one run through the room to clean and identify stray objects, then returns to move the obstacles and clean the previously blocked spot. It can do a third lap through the room to move an object to another location, like a dirty laundry basket or a toy chest.
CNET spent hours watching the Z70 doing its thing and unanimously voted it Best of CES for smart home or home tech product. The arm rising from the top of the vacuum reminded us of scenes from science-fiction blockbusters. CNET’s team unanimously voted the Saros Z70 But this isn’t an imaginary future: The Z70 is expected to launch in the first half of 2025.
Saros 10R: More data points for a deeper clean
The Saros 10R has many of the same features as the Z70, aside from, you know, the cool robotic arm. Both vacuums have the StarSight Autonomous System 2.0 navigation and obstacle recognition technology. StarSight bucks the traditional Laser Distance Sensor (LDS) system for dual-light 3D Time of Flight technology and an AI-fueled RGB camera.
This means the vacuum is collecting way more data while it’s working. The steady stream of data points at a high sampling rate – 21 times that of LDS systems – enables precise and rich 3D mapping of the room and the ability to actually see obstacles while cleaning. Through machine learning, the vacuum is currently able to detect 108 specific obstacles.
The VertiBeam Lateral Obstacle Avoidance measures the height and distance between the vacuum and objects to its side so it doesn’t knock into walls or get caught in dangling cables. It does this by including a wide vertical laser on top of its forward-pointing laser. Both the Z70 and the 10R use the Multifunctional Dock 4.0 which juices up the vacuum in only 2.5 hours. The company expects the model to be available early this year.
Saros 10: Gets low without sacrificing performance
The Saros 10 upgrades the experience of the popular S8 MaxV Ultra by introducing the RetractSense Navigation System. The LDS module, which looks like a knob at the top of the vacuum, retracts so it can slide under low-clearance areas. The vacuum shrinks down to eight centimeters high, just like the Z70 and the 10R. While the module is retracted,, the Wide-Angle Vision Module still ensures that the sensor keeps a 100-degree view, and then rises when exiting the lower space so there’s no lag in mapping. The Saros 10 also uses lasers to navigate slanted surfaces and avoid scratches.
Saros 10’s Reactive AI 3.0 uses triple-structured lights in the front, along with the RGB camera and Vertibeam light, to cut down on blind spots and optimize response time. The VibraRise 4.0 mopping system shakes to effectively scrub a spot–4,000 swipes per minute – and is smart enough to detach the mop when it isn’t needed so your carpets get clean but not wet. This vacuum uses the RockDock Ultra 2.0, which can also fully charge the vacuum in only 2.5 hours. The 10 will launch in January 2025.
Learn more about the Saros series and shop other models now at Roborock.